General budget of the European Union for 2020 - all sections (debate)
John Howarth (S&D). – Madam President, I look forward to a budget negotiation where the Commission acts as a genuine honest broker, and we come out at the end of the deal with a clearly documented agreement this year that makes it absolutely clear what that agreement is, because it’s essential that the budget authority works together well.
But let’s be clear about what we’re talking about in this budget.
Over the period of this Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the European Union budget has reduced by 3.5% in real terms. It is equivalent to slightly less than one percent of GNI. The rest of public expenditure in the United Kingdom, above that 1%, is 39%. This is one 40th of the UK’s public expenditure. Because we achieve a great deal more together than we will ever achieve as individual Member States.
We need to ramp up research, we need to ramp up innovation, and we need to ramp up investment in the areas which will gear us to a modern green economy that can address the future and address climate change adequately. Ten cents more per person per week might well be worth that.