The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, sent a strong message to EU leaders at the opening of the European Council meeting on Thursday 15 October about the difficult negotiations aimed at reaching a compromise on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 and on the EU’s Economic Recovery Plan following the damage caused by Covid-19 (see EUROPE 12581/15).
Parliament is not abandoning its goal of increasing the envelopes of 15 EU flagship programmes (research, Erasmus+, migration, etc.) by a total of EUR 39 billion and is asking the EU Council to present an acceptable offer on this subject by modifying the mandate given to the German Presidency of the EU Council. Problem: the so-called ‘liberal’ countries have already made it known that they refuse to release additional new money, after the concessions already made in July at the European Council in the compromise reached on the MFF and the Recovery Plan.
David Sassoli began by acknowledging the progress made on new own resources. “There is, however, one area where no progress has been made”, namely the increase in funding for these programmes, “which have a clear European dimension”.
EUR 39 billion more? “Our negotiators have asked for an additional EUR 39 billion. This is a paltry sum when set against an overall package worth 1,800 billion euros”, said Mr Sassoli, who therefore renewed his confidence in Parliament’s negotiating team. In order to finance the EUR 39 billion, MEPs are asking for: - an increase in the MFF expenditure ceiling by EUR 9 billion (to reach exactly the same level of expenditure as in the 2014-2020 period in real terms); - consideration for the interest costs of ‘Next Generation EU’ beyond the MFF ceilings (thus freeing up EUR 13 billion); - flexible provisions “to allow us to cope with unforeseen events and which ensure that not a single euro under either the MFF or Recovery Instrument is wasted” (all unused funds are to be redistributed to programmes under the MFF, according to Parliament).
“For the time being, negotiations are stalled. You have it in your hands to get them moving again”, he told EU leaders. In order to make progress, it is essential, in his view, to update the German Presidency’s negotiating mandate. “It is not about calling into question the July agreement, but taking a small step which would move us closer to final approval of the package”, concluded Mr Sassoli in his speech to the members of the European Council.
Upon her arrival at the European Council, the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “We still need to go through the ratification process in the Member States, and only then can the Commission start raising the money on the market. And the European economy badly needs this investment now”.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that the negotiations are at “a crucial stage”. “We need results quickly because the MFF is closely linked to the Recovery Plan”.
Rule of law. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel considered that one cannot “ throw overboard the question of the Rule of law”, referring to the differences on this subject of the link between the payment of budget appropriations and respect for the Rule of law (see EUROPE 12580/3).
According to Danish leader Mette Frederiksen, the EU Council can agree with Parliament on strengthening the Rule of law, but not on a budget increase. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)