On Thursday 19 February, nine Member States called on the European Commission to show more ambition in reforming its administrative expenditure.
At a time when negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034 have begun, representatives from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, the Netherlands and Sweden have sent a letter to European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Piotr Serafin stating that they share the ambition of a “modernised and “more streamlined” European budget, as presented by the Commission on 16 July (see EUROPE 13682/1).
However, these Member States want this requirement to also apply to the European administration itself.
They point out that national administrations face comparable challenges, such as demographic ageing, budgetary constraints and the digital transition, and that they have undertaken reforms, often at the Commission’s request, to increase efficiency and reduce staff numbers, without compromising on high standards of public service.
In addition, while the Member States support the current review of the Commission’s organisation and operations, coupled with an external benchmarking exercise against other administrations, they point out that this type of reform cannot succeed without determining specific cost reduction targets from the outset.
The letter denounces the proposed increase of 2,500 posts and the increase in administrative appropriations, grouped under budget heading 4, as contrary to the desire for restraint and efficiency. In their view, such a development could undermine the MFF’s credibility as a whole.
The signatories also request that all administrative expenses be entered under this heading. At a press conference, European Commission spokesperson, Balázs Ujvári, pointed out that the Commission had reduced its staff by 5% in recent years without any increase in the current MFF, despite the new competences entrusted to it. This situation has created a “capacity deficit” that the addition of 2,500 posts, for all institutions and not just the Commission, should overcome. He added that the details of recruitment would be determined in the ongoing negotiations on the MFF.
The letter: https://aeur.eu/f/kul (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry with Solenn Paulic)