Budget 2019: we demand a good deal

“A budget for young people, for farmers, for small and medium-sized enterprises, for research, for innovation, for economic growth. These are the EPP Group’s priorities and we therefore hope and are confident that we will achieve a good agreement in favour of citizens and the challenges that lie ahead. This is what our citizens demand of us”, stated José Manuel Fernandes MEP, EPP Group Spokesman in the Budgets Committee, commenting on the European Parliament’s adoption today of its position regarding the 2019 EU Budget.

The European Parliament position represents a €721 million increase to the European Commission’s draft budget, amounting to a total of €166.3 billion in commitments and €149.3 billion in payments.

“We restored all the essential cuts that the Council proposed and we reinforced Erasmus+, COSME, Horizon 2020, CEF, YEI and climate-related spending. We requested more funds for tackling migration, Erasmus and innovation. We added €50 million in support of Member States affected by the African swine fever and we increased the DiscoverEU initiative for free Interrail tickets for Europeans turning 18 from €12 million in 2018 to €16 million in 2019”, explained Fernandes.

Five months ago, on 23 May 2018, the Commission proposed the EU draft budget for 2019, consisting of €166 billion in commitments and €149 billion in payments. On 4 September 2018, the Council adopted its position, foreseeing only €164.1 billion in commitments and €148.2 billion in payments. Now, with the Parliament adopting its position, the three-week conciliation negotiations between the Parliament and the Council begins, with the objective of reaching a deal by 19 November 2018.

“We have a small budget, 1% of GNI, but it has a huge impact on citizens' lives. Unfortunately, this is not always felt and we should all work to make it more visible in terms of the impact and positive effect it has”, concluded Fernandes