Agreement on EU multiannual budget 2014-20

11 February 2013

President Barroso said that a fair assessment of the agreement between the Heads of State or Government should recognise that this deal is not perfect but that it offers a basis for negotiations with the European Parliament.

President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso stressed that one essential condition for this agreement to work is a maximum possible flexibility that will allow adaption to changes or developments, for example by moving spending from one year to another.

He said that despite the fact that the levels agreed by the Heads of State and Government are below what the Commission considers desirable … “the deal that has been agreed tonight can still be an important catalyst for growth and jobs".

The President highlighted several positive elements of the new multiannual budget:

  1. The basic structure of the Commission proposal and some innovative instruments have been preserved, including the Connecting Europe Facility which provides for investment in transport, energy and the digital agenda. This makes the EU's budget a tool for competitiveness and growth with a pan-European logic.
  2. More significant investment than previously will benefit European programmes crucial for supporting growth and jobs creation – such as Horizon 2020 for research and innovation, Erasmus for all for student exchanges and training abroad, and COSME for small and medium sized enterprises.
  3. Important elements designed to address the current major social challenges have been included, especially a new Youth Employment Initiative – a commitment to act at EU level on today’s main political challenge: getting young people back in to work. The aid programme for the most deprived people in Europe has also been preserved, as well as European commitment to development and humanitarian aid.

On another point on the European Council agenda – trade – President Barroso said he is glad that the European Council has adopted strong conclusions that endorse the Commission’s ambitious trade agenda. “We need to move forward on free trade agreements as better access would increase GDP by at least 2 per cent ... The Commission will push ahead to realise the full potential of an integrated transatlantic free trade agreement. I hope that very soon the High Level Working Group will present to us and President Obama a recommendation to launch negotiations on a transatlantic trade agreement.”

Full speech

Video of speech

European Council Conclusions


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