On Thursday 9 April, the European Parliament’s co-rapporteurs on the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2028-2034 (see EUROPE 13682/1), Siegfried Mureşan (EPP, Romanian) and Carla Tavares (S&D, Portuguese), presented to the media the main elements of the draft interim report (see EUROPE 13802/7) that should constitute the MEPs’ position. The text and compromise amendments will be put to the vote in the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) meeting on 15 April, then in plenary at the session to be held in Strasbourg from 27 to 30 April.
The co-rapporteurs confirmed MEPs’ ambition to increase the European budget by around 10% and to maintain the balance between traditional and new priorities. “We want the EU budget to be a budget for investments, and not merely a crisis-related instrument”, Siegfried Mureșan insisted to journalists.
Under the heading of cohesion and agriculture, the draft report proposes to maintain current levels in real terms.
Agriculture would account for around 50% of this envelope, with an increase in appropriations, notably through the inclusion of the €45 billion linked to the agreement with Mercosur and an overall increase in line with the 10% increase.
The ratio between direct aid and rural development would be set at three to one.
The aim is therefore to reinstate a number of instruments that have been removed or weakened by the Commission. This is the case for the European Social Fund, with a specific budget of just over €7 billion, and for the programme dedicated to the outermost regions, considered essential for territories with a high geostrategic value such as the Azores or the Canaries.
Furthermore, with regard to governance, the co-rapporteurs reject the idea of a large proportion of ‘non-ringfenced’ appropriations in heading 1 and advocate a more precise allocation of funds by the co-legislators in order to guarantee predictability and democratic control. Internal flexibility margins would be maintained.
The strengthening of the Competitiveness Fund, including dedicated funding for the LIFE and EU4Health programmes, despite the absence of a legal basis for autonomous instruments, is supported by the text, in relation to the new priorities.
It should also be noted that the question of own resources remains central. With uncertainty still looming in the EU Council, MEPs are proposing to consider a digital levy on large technology companies to help pay back Next Generation EU.
“It would be unacceptable to cut funding to European researchers, SMEs, Erasmus programmes [...] while technological giants enjoy a positive business environment in Europe”, stressed Siegfried Mureșan.
At the end of the plenary session at the end of April, the co-rapporteurs believe that Parliament will be ready to open interinstitutional negotiations as soon as the EU Council has adopted its position. It is currently continuing its preparatory work, with an initial political orientation expected at the informal meeting of the European Council on 23 and 24 April and a ‘negotiating box’ envisaged by June.
Although the co-rapporteurs did not express an opinion on the concrete realisation of this objective, they consider that an agreement by the end of the year would be desirable. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)