Brussels, 23/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 22 January, the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, called on all member states of the European Union to make concessions in order to reach an agreement on the multi-annual financial framework 2014-2020 at the summit to be held in Brussels on 7 and 8 February.
In a written and video statement, Van Rompuy confirmed that the European Council would, indeed, focus on the 2014-2020 budget, after the previous summit on this issue broke down in November. “To agree on the budget, we all - and I stress the word 'all' - need to compromise”, said Van Rompuy, after national self interests appeared at the European Council of November. “No single member s can have all its wishes fulfilled- just like in national budget talks within coalitions”, he stressed.
“Important decisions” will have to be made, he said. “We willneed to agree on the budget for our Union. We need to make sure that the Union has the money to fulfil its tasks. From now until the end of this decade”, he added.
Van Rompuy argued in favour of a “budget of moderation - also reflecting the constraints on public finances” at national level, and of a “future-oriented” budget, which “must focus on jobs and growth in all regions all over the Union, in different economic sectors, and on research and investment”.
The President of the European Council said that he firmly believes that it will be possible to conclude an agreement that works “for the benefit of all” in February. He intends to start work on the basis of his last proposal in November, but would be prepared to reduce the total envelope of the budget by between €15 and €20 billion.
On Tuesday, Van Rompuy also said that the February summit would discuss the crisis in Mali, world trade - particularly with the United States, with which the opening of negotiations for a free-trade agreement has been discussed for years - and relations with the countries to the south of Europe two years after the beginning of the Arab Spring. (LC/transl.fl)