Budgets Committee sets out priorities for next long-term EU budget

In the report adopted on Wednesday by 23 votes in favour, 9 against and with 2 abstentions, MEPs emphasise the need for a significantly more ambitious long-term EU budget (multiannual financial framework – MFF) that can deliver on EU citizens’ rising expectations against a rapidly changing global backdrop. The current spending ceiling of 1% of the EU-27’s gross national income (GNI) is not enough to address the growing number of crises and challenges, the report argues. With the US retreating from its global role, spending will have to address Russia’s war of aggression, a highly challenging economic and social backdrop, a competitiveness gap and the worsening climate and biodiversity crisis, according to the report. No to single national plans MEPs oppose the Commission’s idea of replicating the "one national plan per member state" model used in the Recovery and Resilience Facility for post-2027 spending in member states. Instead, they call for a structure that ensures transparency and parliamentary accountability, and involves regional and local authorities and all relevant actors. The report underlines the continued importance of cohesion policy to foster economic, social, and territorial integration, deepen the single market, reduce inequalities, and fight poverty and exclusion. Competitiveness and defence MEPs consider the Commission’s proposed Competitiveness Fund – which would merge several existing programmes – inadequate, calling instead for a new, targeted fund...