Today, in the plenary in Strasbourg, the Socialists and Democrats criticised the Council’s position on the Union’s budget for next year. The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU presented a proposal on the EU budget 2025. According to the S&D Group, this proposal would harm major EU programmes. The S&D Group disagrees with the conservative approach to allocating EU funds.
The Council’s position would significantly impact important EU programmes such as Horizon Europe, a crucial funding programme for research and innovation, and Erasmus+, which supports academic exchanges and benefits young people. This budget is the first after revising the EU’s multiannual budget for 2021-2027, also known as the Multiannual Financial Framework. It is also the first time that the EU will have to pay interest costs on funds borrowed under the European Union Recovery Instrument (EURI).
“European citizens and businesses across the EU feel we live in turbulent times. It is our duty to provide the financial means to fund the EU policies that matter for the daily lives of people and the functioning of our economy,” Victor Negrescu, vice-president of the European Parliament and EP negotiator on the EU budget 2025, said.
Negrescu outlined the following proposed actions by the Socialists and Democrats: 1. Ensure the green and digital transitions benefit everyone by supporting research and innovation in critical sectors such as health, climate, and natural resources and enhancing the competitiveness of the EU economy. 2. Make the EU budget work for all generations, focusing on programs like Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps and investing in preventing diseases and improving mental health through the EU4Health programme. 3. Bolster support for farmers and reinforce the LIFE programme for environment and climate action in the context of the clean energy transition. 4. Manage migration by reinforcing funding for effective border management and Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area. 5. Provide funding for better military mobility and a robust response to external challenges through increased humanitarian aid and cooperation with neighbouring countries.
“We, the Socialists and Democrats, are aware of our duty, and we are here to deliver. We are a responsible player and are ready to work towards an agreement that works for all Europeans. We hope the Commission will respect its role as an honest broker for a deal,” he concluded.
