Brussels, 15/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 15 September in Strasbourg, the Swedish EU Presidency presented to the European Parliament the Council's first-reading result of the draft budget 2010 (EUROPE 9940). Hans Lindblad, Secretary of State with the Swedish Finance Minister, spoke of a “disciplined” budget that must encourage research, education and cohesion while being sufficiently flexible to meet challenges (demographic, climate, external). This presupposes the existence of sufficient margins.
Algirdas Šemeta, recently appointed budget commissioner, said that cuts made by the Council to the Commission's draft are smaller than in the past, but he regretted the reductions that send out a negative message on employment and pre-accession aid, as well as agencies. He spoke of the content of the amending letter number one (Palestine, climate change - EUROPE 9968). Lazlo Surjan (EPP, Hungary) said the crisis must serve to “bring about a little order”, examining what programmes truly deserve to be financed and could help to overcome the crisis. Vladimir Manka (S&D, Slovakia), who is rapporteur on the EP budget, placed emphasis on certain possible savings. The Parliament in Strasbourg, which is very partially occupied, used to be under supervision 365 days a year. It is no longer which allows 2 million to be saved annually. A further €11 million could be saved in the translation budget, placing 5% of this budget in reserve. Mr Manka asked the EP to draft a document on its real estate policy, which has not always been effective.
Alain Lamassoure (EPP, France), the chairman of the budgets committee, expressed regret at the Council's cuts, but said they understood that the current state of finance of member states does not allow them to act any differently. He evoked the first task for 2010 (completion of the 2010 part of the recovery plan) and stressed the importance of three tasks for the post-2010 period: - setting in place of procedures, a timetable and methods arising from adoption of the Lisbon Treaty; - mid-term review of financial perspectives; - and reform of resources fuelling the European budget. In the past, Mr Lamassoure commented, member states did not wish to spend. Now, they cannot, but a debate is needed on this, and the EP hopes to launch such a debate next year. (L.G./transl.jl)