The European Parliament approved on Thursday 25 March three decisions accompanying the text on the creation of new own resources for the EU budget (see EUROPE 12680/23).
To allow the European Commission to borrow the money for the €750 billion Recovery Plan on the markets, Member States must ratify the own resources decision. At this stage, 13 countries have done so, and MEPs deplored the delays on Wednesday 24 March in plenary.
The Commission expects ratification to be completed in May.
José Manuel Fernandes (EPP, Portugal) lamented the “slowness and irresponsibility of the EU Council. More than half of the EU countries have not yet ratified” the text. According to him,”they are shooting themselves in the foot”. He insisted on the need to repay the debt through new own resources to avoid a decrease in EU policy funding after 2027.
Valérie Hayer (Renew Europe, France) stressed the need to “apply pressure” on countries that have not yet ratified the decision. After ratification, the Commission will be able to issue bonds and the ‘plastic’ contribution will be introduced.
Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn confirmed that in 2021, when the decision is ratified, a new category of own resources, based on a national contribution calculated on the basis of non-recycled plastic packaging waste, will come into force.
Secondly, the Commission will present, in June 2021, proposals on the introduction of two additional own resources, a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and a digital levy, no later than 1 January 2023. The Commission will also present a revised proposal on the Emissions Trading Scheme. Finally, over the period 2021-2027, the EU will seek to establish other own resources, including a financial transaction tax. An impact assessment will accompany the proposals, the Commissioner promised. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)