EU’s long-term budget top priority for start of new legislative term
Budget committee MEPs on Monday agreed in a debate that decisive action on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is paramount, with climate and migration being further priorities.
On Monday, BUDG members discussed, in their first ordinary meeting of the legislature, the Committee’s priorities for the new legislative term 2019-2024. Launching the debate, the Chair Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE) said, while the Committee’s core business will remain the annual budget procedure, the MFF will be the “overarching and top priority in the months to come”. “It is important and urgent to relaunch action on this file”, he added, recalling the Parliament’s priorities on the MFF adopted with a large majority in November 2018.
For the EPP, Jan Olbrycht (PL), former co-rapporteur for the MFF, deplored that the Council is not consulting with MEPs on the MFF, and that it is “very probable” that the Parliament will not give its consent if this situation does not change. “We have to be active”, he said.
Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D, ES) echoed Mr Olbrycht’s words that the EP has no obligation to give its approval to the next MFF. “Council has to negotiate and obtain Parliament’s consent”. Other priorities this term include the annual budget, climate change and migration, she said.
Rasmus Andresen from the Greens (DE), underlined the importance that the Committee stands together to defend the Parliament’s priorities, first and foremost “a pro-European and strong budget”. He recalled the promise of the new Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen on a “Green Deal for the EU”, also of significance for the EU's budget.
Valérie Hayer (Renew Europe, FR) called for an “ambitious MFF” in tune with forthcoming challenges like the Brexit. “The MFF and Own Resources are linked. We will convey this message, that we need additional own resources, like a carbon border tax or a financial transaction tax”, she added.
Bogdan Rzonca (ECR, PL) said: “All of Europe is waiting to see that there won’t be cuts in the Cohesion or Agricultural Policies, but unfortunately there are also other new challenges coming our way, like terrorism and migration, and we have to take all this into account”.
Other MEPs underlined that it is of crucial importance for EU money to be spent effectively and for the Committee on Budgets to work together closely with the Committee on Budgetary Control. European values have to be reflected in the MFF, with the rule of law mechanism remaining an essential tool. Finally, gender budgeting should also be a priority, in order to better achieve equality between women and men.
Watch the entire debate by clicking on this link: