Towards stability in highly turbulent times: MEPs’ EU budget priorities for 2024 

Press Releases 
 
 
  • MEPs’ guidelines for the last annual EU budget in Parliament’s 2019-2024 legislature 
  • Russia’s war against in Ukraine has pushed up inflation, generated energy insecurity and caused a cost of living crisis for millions 
  • Additional EU budget investment needed in many areas such as energy, health, green and digital transitions, research and youth. 

Among the priorities for next year’s EU budget are a stronger economy, energy independence, green and digital transitions, youth and tackling geopolitical challenges.

In the resolution by rapporteur Janusz Lewandowski (EPP, PL), adopted by the Committee on Budgets on Tuesday by 28 votes against 2, with 2 abstentions, MEPs state that they are “determined to ensure that the 2024 budget addresses people’s concerns and delivers on their needs and priorities by helping to restore stability and promote recovery and convergence and laying the foundations for a secure, prosperous, fair and sustainable Europe and ensuring that nobody is left behind”.

Boosting the EU economy, energy independence, green and digital transitions

MEPs underline that SMEs, hit by the pandemic and the energy crisis, remain the backbone of the European economy. EU programmes dedicated to their support need robust funding to generate economic prosperity and quality job creation. Also, further resources are vital for the EU’s Horizon research programme, along with strengthening cohesion and agriculture policies. Adequate funding for EU health initiatives should ensure that the EU can respond effectively to future health crises.

The guidelines highlight that enhancing energy security and independence remains fundamental for the EU, especially in the context of the war. MEPs call for additional investment in critical infrastructure, energy storage, renewable energy sources and energy efficiency in order to reduce energy and fossil fuel dependence, especially from non-democratic regimes.

In the resolution, MEPs recall the central role that the EU budget plays in delivering on the European Green Deal and achieving the Union’s climate neutrality goal by 2050 at the latest. “The consequences of the climate and biodiversity crisis need to be better reflected in the budget of the EU for programmes addressing climate, biodiversity and environmental objectives and nature conservation, in particular the LIFE programme, taking into account the scale of the challenges”, the text says. Furthermore, MEPs stress the need to accelerate the digital transition of the economy and society in order to ensure the global competitiveness of the Union.

Supporting the young, respond to global and geopolitical challenges

MEPs recall that the pandemic was particularly difficult for young people and insist that all possible funding should be mobilised through Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps to support learning mobility opportunities, improve people’s skills and employability and promote young people’s participation in democratic life.

In the text, MEPs reiterate their condemnation, “in the strongest possible terms”, of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. They stress that the EU “requires sufficient resources to address the long-term challenges in its neighbourhood and beyond”, responding to numerous crises. The resources available in the relevant heading of the EU’s long-term budget (multiannual financial framework, MFF) “are inadequate to deliver on the above aims and therefore must be increased” as part of the MFF revision, which the Commission is expected to table before the summer.


Next steps

The vote in plenary is scheduled during the 17-20 April session. The Commission is expected to present its proposal for the 2024 budget in June 2023. Next year's budget has to be agreed between the Council and the Parliament by the end of this year.


Background

The budget guidelines are the first document that Parliament produces during the annual budget procedure. It sets out the line that Parliament expects the Commission to take when drawing up its budget proposal.

Well over 90% of the EU budget goes to citizens, regions, cities, farmers and businesses.