The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, is expected to present a new version of the 'negotiating box' for the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 shortly, sources said on Thursday 30 January (see EUROPE 12413/3).
This new version of the negotiating box for the next MFF could be presented before the extraordinary meeting of the European Council on 20 February devoted to this politically very sensitive dossier. Charles Michel's draft MFF could be discussed at EU ambassador level (Coreper) around 17 or 18 February, and then at a meeting of the General Affairs Council of the EU, which is still to be scheduled just before the European Council on 20 February.
The latest version of the negotiating box, the one presented during the Finnish Presidency of the EU Council, had been heavily criticised by the Member States. EU leaders will have to find a compromise, notably on the total amount of the MFF, how to finance new EU priorities and traditional policies, the details of the mechanism to protect the budget against a country's failure to uphold the Rule of Law, whether to end rebates or create new own resources.
The EU Council replied to the European Parliament on the freezing of negotiations. The Croatian Presidency of the EU Council sent a letter to the President of the European Parliament concerning the Parliament’s decision to freeze negotiations on certain sectoral proposals related to the MFF (see EUROPE 12408/11, 12395/3).
According to the letter, seen by EUROPE, the EU Council "remains committed to continue working on all sectoral legislative files falling under the Multiannual Financial Framework" and will proceed in this joint endeavour in the spirit of good interinstitutional cooperation. The Croatian Presidency thus intends to continue working with the European Parliament "in accordance with established practice and the applicable procedures laid down in the Treaties". (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)