The Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, once again called for an ambitious EU budget for the 2021-2027 period on Monday 13 January (see EUROPE 12400/2).
"I was at the various meetings in Bratislava, where we said we should do more for migration; I was in Gothenburg where we said we should do more on the social side; I was in Rome where we said we should do more for young people; I was at so many meetings where we said we should do more. But once you decide you want to do more, you must also have the means to do more", he said after his meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
"Without an ambitious, modern and reformed EU budget, the single market will remain fragmented and we will not be able to adequately finance our political priorities", he added, saying the proposals on the table were "unrealistic". He also refused "a drastic cut of 2 billion euros in European public administration". (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion and Marion Fontana)