Negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 are now in the hands of European Council President Charles Michel, sources confirmed on Monday 6 January (see separate news item).
The Croatian Presidency of the EU Council states in its six-month work programme that it “is determined to reach an ambitious, balanced and sustainable agreement on the new MFF”.
However, after the work under the Finnish Presidency during the second half of 2019, the incoming Presidency of the EU Council is not expected to present a new version of the ‘Negotiating Box’. However, Croatia insists on the need to find a “balance” between continuing to finance treaty-based policies such as cohesion and the Common Agricultural Policy and finding an agreement on how to finance the needs for the EU’s new challenges (migration, climate, etc.).
A tour of the capitals. The negotiations are now “in the hands of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel”, explains a diplomatic source. Last December’s European Council tasked President Michel with coordinating negotiations on the MFF. Croatia will contribute to finding an acceptable compromise. “This compromise must be in favour of the EU as a whole, but it must take into account the specificities of each country”, a diplomatic source said.
President Charles Michel and members of his cabinet will soon hold a series of bilateral talks with all EU Member States.
In particular, Mr Michel will meet the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, in Zagreb on 9 January.
Depending on the pace and outcome of Charles Michel’s negotiations on the next MFF, the Croatian Presidency will decide on the possibility of putting this dossier on the agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU (Coreper).
The Finnish ‘negotiating box’ has been criticised by many EU leaders (see EUROPE 12389/2, 12388/9). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)