Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday 6 February in Brussels that she considered an agreement at the European Council on 20 February on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 (see EUROPE 12419/9) “unlikely”.
On Thursday, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, continued his consultations with some of the EU Heads of State or Government in order to prepare for the discussions at the European Council on the next MFF. In particular, Charles Michel met with the Danish leader.
According to Mette Frederiksen, the European Commission’s proposal on the next MFF, which represents 1.14% of the EU’s gross national income for the 2021-2027 period, means that “we will have to spend much, much more money every year”. Even according to the Danish position, which is about 1.00% of GNI, “we will spend about 20% more on the EU budget than today”, she said. Like other net contributor countries (Germany, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands), this country is also calling for the maintenance of budgetary correction mechanisms (rebates).
On Thursday, Mr Michel met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boïko Borissov, Mette Frederiksen, Finnish Prime Minister Sana Marin, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. He will present his proposal on the MFF to the European Council on 20 February. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)