Brussels, 07/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - The rapporteurs on the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) are absolutely furious about the strict regime to which the Cypriot Presidency wants to force this mechanism. Indeed, the negotiating box calculated as part of the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework, which was presented by the Presidency last week, has inflicted a budgetary cut of no less than €14 billion on the CEF. The co-rapporteurs, Inès Ayala Sender (S&D, Spain) and Dominique Riquet (EPP, France), expressed their great dissatisfaction at a joint meeting of the European Parliament's transport (TRAN) and industry (ITRE) committees on Monday 5 November.
Grim cut. The CEF would therefore only be given €36 billion, as opposed to the €50 billion initially proposed by the Commission, to invest in cross-border infrastructure in telecoms, transport and energy. The cuts would be felt more harshly in transport which decreases from €31.7 billion to €22.2 billion, including little more than €7 billion from the Cohesion Fund instead of the €10 billion proposed. Ayala Sender kicked off the complaint - “The proposed European budget is unsatisfactory, especially for this financial instrument (…). This is really a grim cut from the Cypriot Presidency. It's unacceptable. We therefore reject the proposal that aims to revise this budgetary envelope downwards”. She calls for “continuing to fight on this point until the extraordinary Council in November” (Ed: on 22-23 November).
Zero progress and instrument utterly destroyed. Riquet expressed the same palpable indignation. He deplores the fact that transport is most affected by the cuts and says that the CEF is a “matchless instrument for growth”. In his view, what the Cypriot Presidency is proposing is equivalent to “zero progress”. He also criticises Nicosia's lack of effort - “In the previous financial plan, we had a little less than €10 billion. Converting this to 2006-2020 values, the Cypriot Presidency's proposal is zero - in other words the transfer of the previous accounting period.” He therefore considers that “the instrument for growth is utterly destroyed!” He settles it by saying “this proposal is not amendable, is not acceptable and is not even a basis for discussion”.
The report will be voted on in joint committee on 27 November - in other words after the extraordinary Council which will approve - or not - the EU budget and thus the budget for the CEF. (MD/transl.fl)