EU Budget 2021: Renew Europe calls for an ambitious bridge between the old and new financial framework

Renew Europe is disappointed with the Council's approach to the 2021 draft budget. The ambassadors of the Member States to the EU have in fact today proposed clear cuts in commitment appropriations, with regard to very cautious proposals from the Commission. On the contrary, the centrist group in European Parliament is pleading for an ambitious EU budget to meet the expectations of European citizens in the midst of an ever more threatening health and economic crisis.

Nils TORVALDS (Svenska folkpartiet, Finland) Renew Europe spokesperson for the 2021 general budget, said: "The EU budget for 2021 is the first in the next multi-annual financial framework and should bridge the gap between that and the old framework. The member states, through the Council, are cutting down essential building blocks of the European project and our solidarity. Where are the funds for the flagship programmes of the EU? There is no next generation EU without a properly funded budget with strong flagship programmes such as InvestEU, Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. That is lacking in the Council proposal."

Olivier CHASTEL (MR, Belgium), Renew Europe spokesperson for the 2021 budget, other institutions, added: “On July 21, the Heads of State and Government succeeded in establishing, for the first time in history, an European solidarity, placing the interests of citizens at the heart of the European project. It is now a question of cementing this solidarity for 2021 by allocating a sufficient budget to ensure the financing of structural reforms and the effectiveness of the Union's policies. We cannot disappoint our citizens, hit by an unprecedented economic and health crisis, with weakened European programs”.

Valérie HAYER (Renaissance, France), negotiator for the MFF and the own resources system for the European Parliament and Renew Europe BUDG coordinator, concluded : ” Europe must recover from the crisis. And it starts now. We will push for an ambitious EU budget that boosts EU flagship programmes, for a European Union that protects and shapes our futures”.