On Thursday 22 February, the European Parliament’s Committees on Budgets (BUDG), Foreign Affairs (AFET) and Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) approved the various components of the mid-term review of the European Union’s 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
The BUDG Committee approved, with 25 votes in favour, two against and one abstention, the revision package for which a provisional agreement had been reached with the Council of the EU on Tuesday 6 February (see EUROPE 13345/21).
Parliament’s rapporteurs had confirmed that they would support this agreement despite certain concerns (see EUROPE 13350/22). They therefore voted on additional recommendations for the revision of the MFF. This non-legislative motion for a resolution was adopted by the BUDG Committee on Thursday with 23 votes in favour, two against and three abstentions.
While MEPs welcome the support for Ukraine, they regret “the budget cuts in flagship programmes” and the lack of progress in the Council on proposals for new own resources for the EU budget (see EUROPE 13223/3).
Ukraine. In addition, MEPs on the BUDG and AFET committees approved, with 66 votes in favour and five against, the implementation of the ‘Ukraine Facility’, the instrument that will make it possible to provide the EU’s macro-financial assistance to Kyiv to the tune of €50 billion until 2027 (see EUROPE 13344/18).
STEP. Finally, the BUDG and ITRE committees also adopted their position, with 60 votes for, seven against and one abstention, in favour of the ‘STEP’ platform (see EUROPE 13350/33), which will be responsible for financially reinforcing the EU’s strategic technology programmes.
Link to Parliament’s non-legislative motion for a resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/aym (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)