On Thursday, 17 January, the European Parliament approved by 426 votes to 152 with 45 abstentions, the report drawn up by Swedish MEP Bodil Valero (Greens/EFA), which proposes to triple the budget allocated to the Rights and Values programme for the period 2021-2027 (see EUROPE 12030).
In the debate preceding the vote, the rapporteur called for a budget commensurate with the challenges ahead, i.e. €1.834 billion in current prices, instead of the €642 million proposed by the European Commission.
Mrs Valero also defended a programme adapted to the new realities, which includes more areas of action, such as equal treatment, citizen participation, non-discrimination and gender integration.
“I agree there should be more money, there is never enough money. The negotiations on the budget had to cope with the fact that there is less money for more priorities. This is the reality”, said the European Commissioner for Justice, Věra Jourová.
For the Commissioner, one way to increase funding to promote European values would be to use the EU’s potential own resources, including the digital services tax (see EUROPE 11986), if it is introduced.
During the vote, the values support mechanism proposed in the report (see EUROPE 12157) was put in the spotlight. Finally, the provision was approved (436 votes in favour) that, in exceptional cases, when there is a serious and rapid deterioration of the situation in a Member State and the fundamental values are threatened, the Commission may launch a call for proposals, under an accelerated procedure, to finance civil society organisations in order to facilitate and support democratic dialogue in that country.
On the other hand, the proposal that funds under shared management allocated to a Member State may be transferred to the future programme, in particular if an Article 7 procedure regarding rule of law is opened against that Member State, was rejected by 311 votes, including those of many EPP and ECR MEPs, against 293 votes in favour. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)