Unused EU money must be put to use

"Each year, around €2 billion in commitments foreseen in the EU budget remain unspent as the actions for which they were earmarked are not implemented. This amount should remain in the EU budget in order to fulfil the engagements that Member States have made", says the EPP Group.

“We propose a simple way of helping Member States meet their objectives: the sums which are not executed as initially foreseen should be reinstated to the EU budget instead of simply being lost. We are aiming for an EU budget without losses and that it is fully implemented in regard of the commitments appropriations”, explained the EPP Group Budgets Spokesman José Manuel Fernandes MEP.

The EPP Group stresses that these de-commitments should be made available again to face the emergent needs of the EU budget.

"The EU has emergent needs in its budget that must be fulfilled, such as the refugee crisis and other financing needs for objectives such as jobs and growth. Member States should now fulfil their commitments”, said Marian-Jean Marinescu MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group.

As a result, the EPP Group calls upon the European Commission to make the necessary proposals, particularly within the revisions of the Financial Regulation and the current MFF, to widen the flexibility of the EU budget by foreseeing the possibility to make unused money available for emerging EU budgetary needs.