Brussels, 01/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 1 July, the European Commission took stock of the work of the high-level group on the own resources of the EU (see EUROPE 11255).
With all eyes on Greece, the visit by Mario Monti, former Italian Prime Minister and chair of this high-level group to the College of Commissioners, flew some way under the radar. However, the subject is of “great political importance”, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the Commission, stressed at a press conference with Monti.
However, it has to be said that the high-level (institutional) group on own resources has not yet really got to the heart of the subject. An initial factual report was presented in December of last year. Monti has done “remarkable” work and “I have asked him to carry out an initial assessment on the reflection he led as chair of this working group”, Juncker said. “Anything that has to do with own resources is central to budgetary sovereignty”, the Commission President also pointed out. Hence the importance of having a man of this calibre to lead the working group, Juncker basically summed up.
The subject of own resources is “problematic”, said Monti, who drew a parallel with the taxation legislation approved when he was Commissioner for the Single Market. Unanimity is required in both of these areas (own resources and taxation), therefore every member state has a veto. But when the taxation package went through, there were 15 member states and now there are 28, so “everything has become that bit harder ”.
Monti stressed the need to take account of the size of the budget (although this does not come under the mandate of the high-level group) and of the 'results' aspects (how the resources are used).
We have to raise the question of the financing, and therefore of own resources and national contributions, said the former Italian Prime Minister. “We are going through a time marked by a resurgence of nationalism and populism in certain countries, which means that when we start looking at a subject, we have to consider whether the way the EU plans to tackle the problem will fan new populist flames”, said Monti. “Our fellow citizens need to see that the EU is an exchange which leads to a balance, because the EU must make it possible to make things better”, he added. After our mandate has expired (end of 2016), “we will be able to present the three institutions with something which will be helpful. It is my duty to be fair with each of the three institutions”, Monti stressed. Taking questions from the press, he said that some countries had asked the group to look at the question of the “budgetary capacity of the eurozone”.
The Commission will subsequently decide whether to take account of the recommendations of the high-level group in legislative proposals. (Lionel Changeur)