Answer given by Mr Hahn on behalf of the European Commission
27.10.2021
The European Green Deal is a priority of the Commission and the EU budget. For the first time, an overall climate target of 30% is set for the EU budget.
The Commission welcomes initiatives to further support this objective. At the same time, any new initiative has to be financed in line with the adopted legislation on the Multiannual Financial Framework[1] (MFF) and NextGenerationEU[2]. It will have to comply with the procedures and institutional responsibilities established under EU primary and secondary law, including as regards pilot projects and preparatory actions[3].
Thus, any new initiative has to be carefully tested and assessed; to ensure the best use of resources, overlaps with existing programmes have to be avoided.
Based on the description of the proposed programme, the Commission considers that most of the activities are covered by existing MFF spending programmes, as already indicated in the reply to Written Question E-002109/2021[4].
Moreover, the Commission promotes the EU’s open strategic autonomy in key areas through a number of programmes financed by the EU budget[5], Important Projects of Common European Interest and industrial alliances in sectors of strategic importance[6].
The Commission has established a single electronic entry point, the Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal[7] through which potential applicants, including mayors, young people and other interested citizens, can easily access and participate in funding opportunities.
For the new generation of funding programmes, the Commission is furthermore expanding the use of eGrants, which allows the signature of grant agreements via an online tool. This simplified online application will significantly reduce the access barriers and administrative burden for applicants.
- [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2020.433.01.0011.01.ENG
- [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32020R2094
- [3] The main possibility to test the necessity and effectiveness for new initiatives is through Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions under the meaning of Article 58 of the Financial Regulation, which can be proposed by the European Parliament during the annual budgetary procedure.
- [4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2021-002109_EN.html
- [5] e.g. Horizon Europe, Digital Europe Programme, InvestEU.
- [6] https://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/policy/industrial-alliances_en
- [7] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home