On Thursday 10 June the European Parliament gave broad support to a resolution by Sabine Verheyen (EPP, Germany) urging the European Commission to continue subsidising the pan-European radio network Euranet Plus (see EUROPE 12731/30).
“Euranet Plus has successfully bridged the information gap between the EU and its citizens by [...] representing a unique gateway to EU affairs for more than 15 million listeners on a daily basis”, Verheyen insisted, condemning the Commission’s decision to replace the agreement with Euranet Plus with an annual call for proposals.
In its resolution - adopted by 584 votes in favour, 35 against and 7 abstentions - Parliament emphasises that this decision which is “unfair on Euranet Plus”, risks leading to the liquidation of the structure and the dismissal of its staff from 2022 on.
MEPs therefore call for the current funding to be renewed in the form of a transitional grant agreement of at least 2 years to allow the network to develop further by the end of 2027, “to expand its membership and its geographic and linguistic coverage, to prepare for the digital shift and to invest in further improvements to its products and services”.
Furthermore, they state that a funding model based on annual calls for proposals of very limited duration “is not financially sustainable”.
To consult the resolution: https://bit.ly/3zm93Bm (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)