The next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021 – 2027 is crucial for the proper functioning of the EU.
In a vote today, in Plenary, S&D MEPs have emphasised that the EU budget should reflect the current needs and requests of EU citizens – such as commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, and a Just Transition Fund.
Furthermore, negotiations with the Council should start with no further delay, as essential programmes could be under threat.
“This will prove to be detrimental to their recipients, and this is an option we will not accept,” say S&Ds.
“Indeed, we need to put pressure on the Council so that negotiations between the two institutions start as soon as possible. However, we will not accept a budget that fails to deliver on issues that are important for citizens. We must ensure the mainstreaming of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as climate and gender equality across all policies and initiatives in the next MFF,” stated Eider Gardiazabal, S&D spokeswoman on budget.
“The next MFF must fully comply with the Paris agreement. We shall spare no financial efforts to ensure that we have a just transition to a carbon neutral economy and that this transition benefits from strong social criteria, so that nobody is left behind,” she concluded.
“We welcome the commitments made by the new President-elect of the European Commission, but we will make sure that new initiatives mean new money. We need additional sources of funding. Successful programmes in areas such as youth, research and innovation, investment, climate transition, digitalisation and social rights must receive adequate funding, fit for the current needs of the citizens. Cohesion policies, agriculture, fisheries – these are areas where funding should be maintained. Moreover, additional financial means must be identified to valorise priorities, such as migration and external action,” said Margarida Marques, S&D Group rapporteur on the MFF.
“We do expect concrete progress on the discussion on the reform of the EU own resources system, taking place among the member states within the Council. The reform is of priority importance because it aims at establishing a basket of new own resources that are better aligned and incentivize progress in major EU policy priorities, such as the fight against climate change and the realisation of a fairer internal market, and at the same time mitigate the predominance of GNI contributions from member states,” added Elisabetta Gualmini, S&D Group shadow rapporteur on own resources.
