MEPs Jan Olbrycht (EPP, Polish) and Margarida Marques (S&D, Portuguese), rapporteurs on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, called, on Wednesday 14 December in Strasbourg, for a real reform of the current MFF in 2023.
The European Commission is expected to make proposals in mid-2023 to revise the MFF and “we are ready to participate in this analysis for a fundamental change”, Mr Olbrycht said.
On Wednesday, MEPs debated the draft report by Mr Olbrycht and Ms Marques on improving the MFF 2021-2027, which will be put to the vote in the European Parliament plenary on Thursday 15 December (see EUROPE 13065/11).
At a press conference, both rapporteurs stressed that the MFF is no longer adequate to meet the current challenges.
The report shows where there is simply no more money, said Mr Olbrycht, who cited problems in the areas of cohesion policy, migration and border management as well as external action, “not to mention the new priorities in defence cooperation”.
Ms Marques stressed in particular the need to create an “additional permanent special instrument”, outside the MFF ceilings, so that the EU budget can better adapt and react quickly to crises and their social and economic effects. This would be a common crisis management instrument that could be activated effectively and quickly as needed.
The rapporteurs were concerned that unexpectedly high levels of inflation are putting a strain on the MFF by further reducing its financial capacity. Ms Marques called on the Commission to provide for “an automatic adjustment of the MFF to take account of inflation”.
“The conclusion is not to ask for more money, but to change the ceilings, to change the structure of the budget”, concluded Mr Olbrycht.
Link to the draft report: https://aeur.eu/f/4nw (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)