The European Parliament's Committee on Budgets estimated on Thursday 7 March that the EU 2020 budget to be negotiated this year "constitutes a bridge" to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period 2021-2027.
By adopting (24 votes in favour, 7 against and 2 abstentions) the report by Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany) on the European Parliament's budgetary priorities for 2020, the members of this committee are of the opinion that a strong, responsible and forward-looking 2020 budget "will facilitate the conclusion of an agreement on the next MFF". They want to take full advantage of flexibility and other budgetary provisions "in order to strengthen the main EU programmes in the 2020 budget". On 13 March, Parliament will adopt its priorities for the 2020 budget in plenary session.
Avoid a new payment crisis. As 2020 is the last year of the current MFF, the implementation of EU programmes (cohesion, agriculture, fisheries) "will accelerate to their final phase, resulting in a significant increase in payment claims". MEPs expect a peak in the annual level of payment appropriations in 2020 and want to ensure the necessary payments in 2020 to avoid a new payment crisis in the first years of the 2021-2027 MFF, as was the case in the current period.
MEPs want the transition from Horizon 2020 to Horizon Europe to be smooth in order to guarantee stability for companies, research centres and universities.
They advocate "robust" investments in the field of internal security, including support for Eurojust and the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
MEPs underline "the European Union's humanitarian responsibility in migration policy" and recognise the essential role of the European Asylum Support Office and the Fundamental Rights Agency in developing and implementing common asylum practices in the Member States.
The Committee on Budgets calls for a "further increase in the Union's defence budget, to be financed exclusively from new appropriations". Finally, it would like to see more resources allocated to the fight against misinformation in order to guarantee democratic elections, particularly in this year of European elections. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)