The Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will present in April a new version of the 'negotiating box' on the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2021-2027, announced George Ciamba, Romanian Minister for European Affairs, on Tuesday 12 March in Bucharest (see EUROPE 12197/13).
After a debate at the informal meeting of EU European Affairs Ministers, it will be included on the agenda of the General Affairs Council to be held on Tuesday 19 March in Brussels.
The 'negotiating box’ is a living document that should facilitate the search for a unanimous compromise on the MFF. It will be reviewed in April to take into account the latest discussions at the General Affairs Council.
Mr Ciamba placed great emphasis on “the big work that is also being done at the technical level”, a very important step before reaching political decision-making.
The Romanian Presidency hopes that progress will be made in the coming months to enable the European Council to reach agreement in the autumn on the composition and envelope of the EU post-2020 budget.
On behalf of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans stressed that he was counting on the Romanian Presidency to “create the necessary momentum” to move forward on the MFF. He acknowledged that Member States' opinions on the MFF were different.
Mr Timmermans acknowledged that the debate was made even more difficult this year due not only to the planned departure of the United Kingdom from the EU, one of the net contributors to the EU budget, but also to new priorities to be funded, such as managing the migration crisis.
Flexibility. European Ministers discussed in Bucharest the elements of flexibility in the 2021-2027 budget.
The Commission believes that the MFF “should allow for the implementation of priorities and flexibility to respond to unforeseen events and challenges”, Mr Timmermans stressed. He asked Member States “a little concerned about this need for flexibility and versatility” to remember the challenges the EU has faced over the past 5 years.
Many of these challenges were not anticipated at the time of the adoption of the 2014-2020 MFF. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)