The Socialists and Democrats call for more transparency, democracy, involvement, coordination and oversight in spending the EU money from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The S&Ds firmly believe this unprecedented instrument of solidarity in Europe should focus on the most vulnerable, on households with lower incomes and on small and medium enterprises.
The S&D Group underlines that compliance with the rule of law must be a prerequisite to have access to this historic recovery fund intended to mitigate the negative economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, the S&Ds call on the European Commission to make sure the funds go directly to those who need it.
Eider Gardiazabal Rubial MEP, the S&D rapporteur in the budget committee on the implementation of the recovery plans, said:
“Our group is convinced the RRF must contribute to social cohesion in the European Union with a particular focus on young people. It is not just about EU money – this is just an instrument. It is about not creating another lost generation in the European Union. The austerity measures used by the right-wing parties and governments in Europe some ten years ago caused enough damage for young people. We should not repeat the same mistake with spending the RRF.
“Citizens and business were hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently by the consequences of the war in Ukraine. In this context, the recovery funds are crucial for getting our economy back on track, mitigating the negative impact on European households and making sure money is used in a transparent way. The rule of law must never be a slogan but a reality with no compromise.”
Costas Mavrides MEP, the S&D shadow rapporteur in the economic affairs committee on the implementation of the recovery plans, said:
“The recovery fund is an unprecedented instrument of solidarity and the united EU response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but its success will depend on how it is implemented to reach the maximum effect. From the lessons learned, it should inspire a review of the EU economic governance framework towards more transparency, democracy, involvement, coordination and oversight.
“We are now also facing a big energy crisis due to the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the sanctions. It is important to continue with the swift implementation of the recovery fund, as well as to invest in our EU domestic energy resources in order to achieve EU energy autonomy and security. However, the recovery fund as it was initially designed is not enough. Citizens are expecting similarly decisive solidarity and unity when coping with the social and economic crisis caused by the war. The EU needs a permanent instrument to be able to respond swiftly and effectively to future crises and build a resilient economy. Otherwise, the economic and social costs will increase and the anger of the citizens will swell in response to our apathy.”
