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The High level Group on own resources was formally established in Strasbourg on 25 February by President Barroso, European Parliament President Martin Schulz and Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras (representing the Council). It will be chaired by former Italian Prime minister and EU Commissioner Mario Monti, with other members appointed by the three EU institutions.
"This is our joint aim with this group: to make revenue collection more simple, fairer, transparent and democratically accountable", President Barroso said. "The Commission's proposals for the 2014-20 budget already included new and simpler ways of financing the EU's important work, including a financial transaction tax and a more modern VAT-based resource. We also suggested how to simplify the complicated rebate mechanisms for a number of Member States", he said. "I believe there is scope to further explore these ideas, and others, within the group's mandate."
President Schulz commented that “It is high time for an overhaul of the current system. The EU Treaty says that the EU Budget should be financed from own resources, but we are still stuck with an overly complex and outdated system full of exceptions and mostly made up by contributions from national budgets. I encourage Mr Monti to start the preparatory work as soon as possible and I look forward to discussing the first modernising proposals." [EP Press release]
The Group was set up on the back of an agreement last year between the institutions during the negotiations on the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF 2014-20) and will issue a first assessment at the end of 2014. National parliaments will assess the outcome of the group's work in 2016, and the conclusions drawn from that assessment will determine whether the Commission will make a proposal to improve the own resources system.
President Barroso's full speech at the launch of the group
Press conference on the launch of the group
See also: BUDG Committee: Report - Financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union