Today, the Socialists and Democrats expressed their criticism in the plenary in Strasbourg with the position of the Council on the Union's budget for next year. The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU presented a proposal on the EU budget 2025. According to the S&D Group, this would cause damage to main EU programmes. The S&D Group cannot agree with such a conservative approach in allocating EU money. The position of the Council hits hard on some of the greatest European success stories like Horizon Europe – the key funding programme for research and innovation – or Erasmus+, securing academic exchanges and extremely beneficial to young people.
This is the first budget after the revision of the pluriannual budget of the Union 2021-2027, known also as the Multiannual Financial Framework, and also the first time that the EU will have to pay the interest costs on funds borrowed under the European Union Recovery Instrument (EURI).
Victor Negrescu, vice-president of the European Parliament and EP negotiator on the EU budget 2025, said:
"European citizens and businesses across the EU feel we live in turbulent times. It is our duty to provide the financial means to fund the EU policies that matter for the daily lives of people and the functioning of our economy.
"We call for the following actions:
"First, we have to make sure the green and digital transitions leave no one behind. This means providing the necessary support for research and innovation in key sectors such as health, climate and natural resources by boosting funding for cross-border infrastructure, in particular in the energy sector; bolstering the Union’s investment in cutting-edge technology; and improving the competitiveness of the EU economy, with an emphasis on small and medium enterprises.
"Second, the EU budget has to work for all generations and with a particular focus on the youngest and oldest generations and on all vulnerable citizens. This can be reached if we secure funding for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. We have to reinforce support for the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme. If the EU is true in its promise to the well-being of Europeans, then we have to invest in preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diseases affecting children, and improving mental health by increasing the EU4Health programme.
"Third, the S&D Group has heard the message of farmers across the Union and we want to bolster support for them. This should come in parallel with reinforcement of the LIFE programme – the EU's funding instrument for environment and climate action, also in the context of the clean energy transition.
"Fourth, we need to manage migration. We have to reinforce funding for the purpose of effective border management as well as to ensure the necessary funding for the full accession of Romania and Bulgarian to the Schengen Area.
"Fifth, as European security and defence becomes an ever more pressing issue, we call for the financial means necessary for a better military mobility.
"Sixth, we have to provide funding for a robust response to external challenges by increasing humanitarian aid, supporting preparation for the accession to the EU, fighting disinformation, and fostering cooperation with our neighbours, both on our eastern and southern borders.
"We, the Socialists and Democrats, are aware of our duty and we are here to deliver. We are a responsible player and are ready to work towards an agreement that works for all Europeans. We hope the Commission will respect its role as an honest broker for a deal."
Note to editor:
The EP's committee on budgets will vote on the budgetary amendments on 7 October, 2024. This should be followed by the adoption of a resolution at committee level on 14 October, explaining the vision of the Parliament how EU money should be spent next year. The final position of the European Parliament on the EU budget 2025 should be voted by the plenary during the October II session in Strasbourg (21-24 October, 2024).
