EU investment budget for 2020: a bridge to the future Europe
Parliament will adopt its position on next year’s EU budget on Wednesday, focussing on climate change, youth unemployment, Erasmus, migration and external policies.
MEPs underline, in their draft resolution, that the 2020 European Union budget should pave the way for the long-term 2021-2027 EU budget and provide a solid starting point for the launch of the new generation of EU programmes and policies.
They are set to boost the Commission’s draft budget by adding altogether more than €2 billion to protect the climate. In addition to that, they intend to increase the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and the Erasmus+ programmes and approve further support in line with Parliament’s priorities in areas such as SMEs, digitalisation, migration and external policy, including development and humanitarian aid.
An interview with the General Rapporteur for the 2020 EU budget (Commission section), Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE) can be downloaded here.
Next steps
The plenary vote will kick off three weeks of “conciliation” talks with the Council, with the aim of reaching a deal between the two institutions in time for next year's budget to be voted on by Parliament and signed by its President during the November II plenary session (25-28 November).
Background
About 93% of the EU budget funds real activities on the ground in EU countries and beyond. It goes to citizens, regions, cities, farmers, researchers, students, NGOs and businesses.
The EU budget is unique. Unlike national budgets, which are used in large part for providing public services and funding social security systems, the EU budget is primarily an investment budget and, unlike national budgets, the EU Budget cannot run a deficit.
Procedure: Budgetary
Debate: Tuesday, 22 October
Vote: Wednesday, 23 October