In Strasbourg on Wednesday 24 October, the European Parliament is expected to take position by a comfortable majority in favour of a draft 2019 budget of €166.3 billion in commitments (or €721 million more than the Commission's original proposal) and €149.3 billion in payments (see EUROPE 12114, 12104).
The European Parliament's vote will mark the start of three weeks of conciliation with the Council, with the aim of achieving an agreement to allow the budget to be put to the vote at the EP and signed off by its President on 29 November.
During the plenary debate on the evening of Monday 22 October, the rapporteur on the 2019 budget, Daniele Viotti (S&D, Italy), said that the Parliament was defending an “ambitious but realistic position”.
“We are not asking the member states for extra efforts in terms of contributions to the multiannual financial framework, we are trying to use all the resources at our disposal”, he stressed.
The MEP reiterated the priorities of the Assembly and its wish to respond to the major challenges (growth, solidarity, Erasmus, immigration, etc.). Several MEPs defended the Parliament's plans to earmark an extra €580 million for the 'youth employment' initiative.
The European Commissioner for the Budget, Günther Oettinger, criticised the budget cuts of nearly €800 million made by the Council to sub-heading 1a (competitiveness for growth and employment). “These cuts are incomprehensible and conflict with the Council's declared political priorities”, the Commissioner stress.
The three institutions are divided over the financing details for the extension (second tranche) of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRT).
The Parliament wants the member states to put their hands in their pockets, to reduce the share financed out of the European budget. It calls for an EU contribution of €1 billion, with the member states to put in €2 billion to its financing. This is the reverse of what the member states have called for (see EUROPE 12037).
Oettinger said that the second tranche should be €3 billion and will pay, amongst other things, for 8000 teachers to teach child Syrian refugees in Turkey.
The Parliament also calls for a reduction, in line with the principle of conditionality, of the amount allocated to Turkey in all budgetary lines, given the ongoing worsening of the rule of law, democracy and human rights situation in the country.
On behalf of the Austrian Presidency of the Council, finance minister Hartwig Löger stressed the need to agree on a common approach to the various subjects. We will have to see where savings can be made and where investments can be made in projects that will add value, the Austrian minister summed up. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)