The 2021 EU budget should focus mainly on mitigating the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and supporting economic recovery in the EU, argued the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets on Wednesday 28 October.
This committee adopted by a large majority (35 votes in favour, 2 against and 4 abstentions) on Wednesday 28 October the report by Pierre Larrouturou (S&D, France), which accompanies amendments to the 2021 draft budget plan agreed on 15 October (see EUROPE 12582/4).
MEPs set the total amount of the 2021 budget at just under €182 billion in commitment appropriations, an increase of €15 billion over the Commission proposal.
€14 billion of this envelope will be used to reinforce the 15 EU flagship programmes (Horizon Europe, InvestEU, Erasmus+, LIFE+, EU4Health).
MEPs also want to reach by 2021 a level of spending of 10% on biodiversity and 30% on mainstreaming climate issues.
The resolution and the budget amendments will be debated and voted on during the mini-plenary session on 11 and 12 November.
This will be followed by 3 weeks of negotiations in conciliation with the EU Council, with the objective of reaching an agreement. The first conciliation meeting is scheduled for 19 November.
The 2021 budget will be amended to take into account the full agreement on the 2021-227 MFF and the European Recovery Plan (see other news). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)