In Strasbourg on Tuesday 17 January, the former Italian Prime Minister, Mario Monti, presented the College of European Commissioners with the conclusions of the high-level group of which he is the chair on the future of the own resources of the EU (see EUROPE 11702).
"The Commission takes note of the conclusions and will take them into account in the preparatory work" for the next multi-annual financial framework (MFF) of the European Union. The recommendations of the high-level group will feed into the debate on the post-2020 MFF.
At this stage, however, the ideas put forward have enthused only the high-level group itself, a source told EUROPE. The new Commissioner for the Budget, Günther Oettinger, told the competent committees on 9 January that he would take account of the recommendations of this group in the proposals to be made between now and the end of this year on the forthcoming MFF (see EUROPE 11700).
The own resources pay for the budget of the EU. The high-level group believes that the EU budget needs to be reformed, both on revenue and expenditure. It argues that certain elements of the current system work well and should remain, such as the so-called traditional own resources (customs duty), which are directly linked to the existence of the single market and customs union. The resource on the basis of gross national income (GNI) should be kept in place, but at a reduced level.
Resources that will replace the existing GNI-related contributions will feed into the budget and: - improve the functioning of the single market and fiscal coordination (reformed own resource on VAT, own resource based on a corporate income tax, financial transactions tax or other tax on financial activities); - relate directly to the Energy Union, the environment, climate or transport policies (tax on CO2, proceeds of the European emissions trading system, tax on electricity, tax on fuel, etc.).
The group was set up in February 2014 and finished work last week. It was made up of experts and figures from the three institutions of the EU. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)