Reverse cuts to 2024 budget proposed by EU Member States

The EPP Group wants to reverse cuts made by Member States and instead propose an EU Budget for 2024 that "adequately supports all EU priorities that need reinforcement, such as research, innovation, and Erasmus+ scholarships," the Parliament's lead negotiator, Siegfried Mureşan MEP said ahead of Wednesday's vote on the Parliament's position on the EU budget for next year.

"The Parliament has worked to provide solutions to the mistakes that the Council has made in their proposal for next year's EU Budget. It is important to restore funds on all lines cut by the Council. These cuts contradict the Union’s commitments and priorities and are not justified", MEP Mureşan said.

“Increases to the budgetary allocations for the Eastern Neighbourhood and for tackling the consequences of the Russian aggression in Ukraine are proposed, including the financial reinforcing of the EU Solidarity Lanes. We also want to provide proper financing for our traditional priorities, such as agriculture with increased support for young farmers.

"We want to delete the budget line dedicated to the repayment of the interest rate generated by the EU's recovery fund, NextgenerationEU. It should be placed in a new special instrument, over and above the ceilings of the long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework. We are clear that the cost of this debt should be outside the framework of the EU Budget, so it does not pose a risk to other funding programmes.

"Lastly, we are asking the European Commission to re-evaluate all EU funds allocated to Palestine. We must have an updated evaluation of every euro from the EU budget that reaches the region. However, our position is clear: we must continue humanitarian aid in the region, especially for Palestinian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon,” Mureşan added.

Following tomorrow's plenary vote, negotiations between the Parliament and the Member States are due to begin in an effort to achieve an agreement on next year's EU Budget.