2024 EU Budget upgraded by Renew Europe
Author: Linda Aziz-Rohlje
Date:
Renew Europe welcomes Wednesday’s plenary adoption of the EU Budget of 2024. Renew Europe played a crucial role in obtaining an additional 800 million Euros for next year’s budget and has done its outmost to ensure that it is fit for the challenges and crises we face.
We are proud to have secured significant funding increases for key EU programmes such as Erasmus+, Military Mobility, Humanitarian Aid, the Asylum Migration and Integration fund, and Agencies such as EPPO and EUAA. However, we regret that the budget margins for 2024 are continuously extremely small. We are therefore counting on the Council to move their positions forward on the revision of the multiannual financial framework, MFF, to provide the citizens with a stronger budget and equip the EU with the financial resources that the Union needs to carry out its objectives.
In the ongoing negotiations on the MFF revision, we are doing our outmost to secure resources to adequately respond to humanitarian crises in for example conflict areas, migratory movements and the establishment of a fund dedicated to Ukraine’s support and recovery. We are also working on securing funding for the strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, STEP, much needed in order to secure a truly European future for our industries.
The European Union's role and expectations have grown this past few years and we must have an increased budget as a consequence.
Our lead negotiator Fabienne Keller (Renaissance/France), says:
“Although Renew Europe's priorities are well included in next year's annual budget, a revision of the MFF is still absolutely necessary to increase its margins and be truly efficient and able to react to the challenges ahead.”
During the European summit of 14-15 December, European Heads of State and Government are foreseen to negotiate to find a key agreement the MFF.
Valérie Hayer, (Renaissance/France), Renew Europe’s coordinator in the Committee on Budgets and Renew Europe’s negotiator on the MFF, says:
"It is neither a historic agreement nor a sufficient one. Our approval reflects the necessity to ensure the smooth functioning of programmes in 2024. Nothing less, nothing more. The real fight will take place in December. Renew is ready."
