EU budgets: More resources and greater flexibility to deal with emerging crises
The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which sets the framework and spending ceilings for the EU’s annual budget, needs to be revised to allow for additional funding and greater flexibility. If this is not done the EU will not be able deal with the unprecedented number of challenges that Europe is facing. This was the clear message from the European Parliament today, which passed a resolution outlining the Parliament’s position on the Commission's proposal on the revision of the MFF 2014-2020 and Parliament’s draft EU budget for 2017.
S&D vice-president Isabelle Thomas, co-author of the Parliament’s report on revision of the MFF, said:
“Under the current MFF there are not sufficient resources to deal with the crises the Europe is facing. If we are serious about tackling the refugee and migration situation, stimulating stagnant economies and tackling youth unemployment, then an ambitious revision of the MFF is absolutely essential. Therefore we regret that the European Commission did not propose any upward revision of the current MFF ceilings in its new proposal.”
“We need more resources to deal with the scale of the challenges we are facing. We need boosted flexibility instruments, such as a newly proposed EU Crisis reserve, so we have the funds needed to deal with new issues rather than trying to cover it all with existing funds. We set out a clear position earlier this year calling for increased spending in specific areas where it is desperately needed. This will be the basis of our negotiating position with the Council, we back ambitious reform of the MFF.”