Brussels, 03/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Finalisation of the bank resolution side of Banking Union, the EU's budget for 2014 and the multiannual financial framework (2014-2020) are the top legislative priorities for the European Parliament and the European Commission ahead of the European elections of May 2014.
On Thursday 3 October, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, held a meeting with the heads of the European Parliament's political groups and the president of the Parliament to discuss these priorities.
When he left the meeting, Barroso said Banking Union was the most urgent of the priorities and must be completed as soon as possible. The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, said he agreed, but added environmental protection and tackling climate change to the list of priorities. From now until the European elections, MEPs will be taking their work very seriously, promised Schulz, who is a German social democrat.
The digital agenda is also a priority, said Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, Belgium) in a press release, saying that the Council of Ministers' reduction in the budget for the digital agenda had to be restored from next year (it has been cut from €9 billion to €1 billion. Verhofstadt pointed out that the Council of Ministers was currently blocking 28 items of legislation, like one on public access to documents and transparency of aviation safety fees.
In Strasbourg on Monday 22 October, the Parliament will give its opinion of the European Commission's work programme for 2014. (SP/transl.fl)