MEPs
hailed the Parliament’s unity in the budget negotiations, which resulted
in a deal reached on Tuesday that will bring additional funding for
future jobs, competitiveness, and better climate protection - benefiting
citizens, young people, researchers and health workers in times of
crisis.
Johannes Hahn, the EU
Commissioner for budgetary affairs, commended legislators on reaching a
“good deal”, showing that “Europe is up to the challenge”. He
particularly welcomed the additional funds and ambition that MEPs
insisted upon despite the initial cuts proposed by member states, as
well as the introduction of the rule of law mechanism and a clear
roadmap towards own resources.
Jan Olbrycht (EPP, PL)
hailed the budget agreement as a “win-win result” for all involved, and
stressed that the negotiators had found a solution to reinforce policies
without breaching the agreement that EU leaders sealed in July on the
next MFF and the Next Generation EU recovery fund. He also described the
recent budget negotiations as the most difficult to date, with so many
new elements to take into account, such as preserving the EU’s ambitions
while dealing with Brexit and a deteriorating situation in Europe due
to the pandemic.
Iratxe García Pérez
(S&D, ES) warned “no one would understand that we cannot agree to
act as soon as possible” to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on
European citizens. “We have to overcome divisions and blackmail and
focus on people’s needs”, she added. García Pérez stressed that she was
confident the Recovery Plan will be a success, “if we manage to swiftly
implement the new long-term budget and the own resources decision”.
Dacian Cioloş (Renew,
RO) highlighted the historic importance of the agreement, not only
because of the additional funding, but also with regard to new Own
Resources, with which polluters will be held accountable and digital
companies will have to pay a fair share of taxes. Member states will
also have to respect the EU’s founding values to access funds. “This
constitutes a historic juncture for the EU”.
“Will relocations be encouraged?” asked Jean-Lin Lacapelle
(ID, FR). Part of the recovery must be based on incentives that take
into account the vulnerability of SMEs and “invest in localism”, he
said. He also denounced the “European tax” by which “all citizens will
be fiscal subjects to Euro-globalisation”.
Philippe Lamberts
(Greens/EFA, BE) expressed his “pride” in the Parliament “having the
courage to assert its convictions” in the budget negotiations. “It is
undeniable that the agreement reached yesterday is a substantial
improvement on the one reached by the Council in July (...) this time
the Council has respected us”, he said.
Johan Van Overtveldt
(ECR, BE) welcomed that Parliament’s negotiators had been able to shift
the “untouchable” position member states had taken on the long-term
budget, thereby securing more funding for the EU’s innovation and
flagship programmes.
Dimitrios Papadimoulis
(GUE/NGL, EL) said that Parliament’s achievements are a positive step
but more is needed to address citizen’s expectations, and expressed his
hope “that the Council will obey this agreement and will have the
necessary unanimity.”
To listen to the full speeches, click on the following links:
Commissioner Johannes Hahn
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/plenary/en/vod.html?mode=unit&vodLanguage=EN&vodId=1e83922a-9830-6a9f-fffe-c4fb1dab3ea2&date=20201111#
First round of Political Group speakers
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/multiannual-financial-framework-including-own-resources-rule-of-law-conditionality-mechanism-and-the-recovery-fund-for-europe-opening-statement-by-johannes-hahn--european-commissioner-for-budget-and-administration_I198733-V_v