For weeks, Charles Michel worked on his budget. The President of the Council's proposal is intended to allow a compromise at the EU summit. But objections come shortly after the presentation.
Brussels (AP) - A few days before a special summit on the EU budget, the long-awaited compromise proposal by Council President Charles Michel met with widespread criticism.
Rejection came from both the European Parliament and diplomats from different Member States. The heads of state and government of the 27 EU countries will meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027.
French President Emmanuel Macron criticized at the Munich Security Conference that some countries want to limit the EU budget to 1 percent of economic output. Often these are the countries that say that new countries have to be included in the international community more quickly. "It's a slice of bread that gets bigger and bigger with the same amount of butter."
Council President Michel presented a multiannual financial framework (MFF) on Friday, which provides 1.0948 trillion euros for the period 2021 to 2027. For this, the EU countries should pay 1.074 percent of their economic output into the EU fund. Parliament had repeatedly asked 1.3 percent.
Parliament President David Sassoli asked the heads of state and government to improve the proposal. Michel's plan harbors the danger that "Europe will not only lag behind its own goals, but also behind other actors at international level such as China and the USA."
Johan Van Overtveldt, Chairman of the Budget Committee in the European Parliament, praised the ambition of the EU Commission and the Council on climate change, digitization and the geopolitical role of Europe. It is important that citizens experience a new EU with fresh energy. "Against this background, the MFF proposal just presented is disappointing," said the committee chairman.
"We cannot and will not agree to this proposal," announced the Socialists in the European Parliament. Similarly, the budget expert Rasmus Andersen of the Greens said: "Parliament is fighting for a common European future, for the climate, against poverty and for the young European generation" - Michel's plan will not be accepted. The conservative French MP Anne Sander, in turn, spoke of "unacceptable cuts" in the Community's agricultural budget.
Representatives of several EU countries also criticized Michel's plan. "The new proposal for the EU budget is a step backwards," said an EU diplomat. That would make an agreement at the special summit more difficult. There was also criticism of a passage intended to ensure the use of funds in the sense of democratic and European values: "It is bad news that Charles Michel has greatly watered down the current rule of law proposal. It is a step in the wrong direction ", it was said.
President Sassoli positively emphasized the proposal for a plastic tax, which Michel would propose to co-finance the future EU budget. The plastic tax and possible surpluses from emissions trading are expected to total 14 to 15 billion euros for the seven-year period.
Michel plans to spend less on the common agricultural policy, which would shrink from EUR 382.5 billion (excluding Great Britain) to EUR 329.3 billion. For cohesion policy, which is supposed to promote poorer regions economically, EUR 323.2 billion instead of the previous EUR 367.7 billion (excluding Great Britain) has been earmarked. By contrast, funds for migration and border protection should more than double to 21.9 billion euros.
Sassolis statement
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