Budget 2022: Renew Europe ensures EU becomes the world's largest donor to the Covax system
Author: Yannick Laude
Date:
Faced with the Council’s routine approach to the 2022 draft budget, made up of generalised blind cuts, Renew Europe is defending a realistic but ambitious vision. This vision was clearly manifested by the series of amendments approved today in the Parliamentary Committee on Budgets (BUDG) which enshrine the political priorities of Renew Europe. This is how the European Parliament intends to go further than the commitments made by the European Commission and the Council concerning the Covax system, so that it is endowed with an additional 1.1 billion euros in order to speed up vaccination against Covid - 19 in developing countries. Renew Europe has also made its mark by ensuring that 2022 will be the year of economic recovery and the ecological and digital transition, with secure funding for the Horizon, Erasmus and Life programs. Finally, Renew Europe wishes that migration policy and the rule of law be considered more as constitutive of the Europe of values to which our group is attached, with increases in funding for the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ (USR, Romania), Renew Europe rapporteur in BUDG for the general budget, said: “ Renew delivered the strongest message in the Parliament position. 1.1 billion euro for Covax is necessary because we cannot be safe in Europe if the world is not safe. On climate change, we fought tooth and nail for the Life programme. And on the rule of law, our patience is coming to an end. We must provide staff for EPPO and Frontex must work properly.
Our youth expect opportunities for the future, for jobs, for scholarships and digitalisation. This is Renew, not just a group but a vision for Europe."
Olivier CHASTEL (MR, Belgium), Renew Europe rapporteur within BUDG for other EU expenditure, added : “A budget is above all about making choices on promising investments to ensure sustainable recovery. On behalf of the Renew Group, we have focused our political priorities on respecting the rule of law and making the most judicious use of our citizens' money. To remain credible, Europe must be united, inclusive, innovative, youth-oriented, and responsible. We must be up to this new "world that is coming", and which is taking a new path of "strategic" growth, through digital and climate transitions”.
