The difficult distribution of competences between the European Parliament’s committees on the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework was finally agreed in a vote at the Conference of Presidents of the political groups on Wednesday 22 October.
The allocation of responsibilities for the main pillars of the future MFF (National and Regional Partnership Plans, Competitiveness Fund and Global Europe Fund) was discussed.
The Budgets, Regions and Agriculture Committees will be responsible for national and regional plans. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) will have sole responsibility for the Competitiveness Fund, while the Committees on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and Development (DEVE) will share lead responsibility for the Global Europe Fund.
The S&D group suffered two setbacks, due to EPP votes similar to those of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Patriots for Europe: joint responsibility for national plans in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs - with the Regions and Agriculture - and joint responsibility for the Competitiveness Fund in the Committees on the Environment (ENVI), Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and Industry (ITRE). According to S&D, Renew Europe, the Greens/EFA and The Left supported its application for the Competitiveness Fund.
The new structure of the MFF is being debated in Parliament, which could reject its pillar 1 devoted to national and regional plans (see EUROPE 13731/15). A Parliamentary resolution is due to be put to the vote at the November plenary session. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)