About: EU budget
Commission spending on Big Four consultancy firms grows in 2020
The European Commission’s contracts with PWC, Deloitte, EY and KPMG, known as the ‘Big Four’, continued to increase last year surpassing €156 million, partly due to their rising billing as part of the reform support programme, according to estimates made by EURACTIV.com.
The Cohesion Policy to come
Cohesion policy will be one of the main driving forces to achieve an equitable recovery, and the EU’s digital and green aspirations. EURACTIV tries to demystify the present and future of European cohesion.
EU Commission wants extra €1.5 billion to fight pandemic
The European Commission on Monday (1 February) said it will need to tap into the EU budget margins this year – around €1.5 billion – to monitor progress made with vaccination campaigns, finance pharmacovigilance studies, and fight against the new variants of COVID-19.
French cycling route receives EU funds for being ’emissions-free’
The ViaRhôna, a green and heritage-filled 815-kilometre long cycling route in southeast France, has received more than €2 million in EU funds during the 2014-2020 budget period because of its environmental component. EURACTIV France reports.
EU leaders unlock historic €1.8 trillion budget deal
EU leaders accepted on Thursday (10 December) the compromise reached between Germany and Hungary and Poland to unblock the EU budget package totalling €1.8 trillion, after the European Commission clarified that the Rule of Law mechanism will be valid from 1 January.
EU leaders to decide on compromise to unblock EU budget package
EU leaders will discuss on Thursday (10 December) whether to approve the compromise negotiated by the German presidency to drop Hungary and Poland’s vetoes to the EU budget deal, postponing of the Rule of Law mechanism until EU judges validate it.
EU gives Hungary and Poland 24 hours to lift veto
The EU will start preparing a recovery fund against the pandemic without Hungary and Poland unless the two countries lift by Tuesday their veto to the EU budget and the stimulus totalling € 1.8 trillion agreed last July, a senior EU diplomat said.
Commission considers options for recovery fund without Hungary and Poland
The European Commission is assessing options to circumvent Hungary and Poland’s veto to the EU budget and the recovery fund, and could come up with a proposal early next year if their blockade remains, a senior EU official confirmed on Wednesday (2 December).
Poland, Hungary propose two-track way out of EU budget deadlock
Poland and Hungary reaffirmed on Thursday (26 October) their opposition to tying EU finds with the rule of law in member states and instead offered their own proposal for breaking the deadlock that is holding back the EU's €1.81 trillion seven-year budget and the recovery fund.
Tweets of the Week: Rule of Law, Brexit mascot and vaccine efficacy claims
Hungary and Poland scupper rule of law aims, Brexit talks seem to be going down in flames, and vaccines efficacy sparks spurious claims!
Greek official: Rule of law discussion is ‘bigger than the EPP’
Hungary and Poland's opposition to Brussels' oversight of the rule of law and their vetoes over the long-term EU budget and the coronavirus recovery fund are symptomatic of bigger problems in the EU that go beyond the divisions within the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), a Greek government official told EURACTIV.
Hungary and Poland veto stimulus against pandemic
Hungary and Poland blocked the approval of the EU’s seven-year budget and the recovery fund totalling €1.81 trillion, as both countries continued to oppose the rule of law mechanism attached to the EU funds.
Parliament and Council near agreement on rule of law conditionality
The European Parliament and the Council were close to reaching an agreement on Thursday (29 October) on the Rule of Law conditionality attached to EU funds, but they continued to disagree on how to trigger the mechanism.
European Parliament walks out of EU budget negotiations
European Parliament budget negotiators walked out on Thursday night (8 October) from negotiations with member states and suspended all further talks until next week, saying they "will come back to the table once there is a real will from the Council’s side to find an agreement".
EU budget talks: Parliament sees the ball in German presidency’s court
Negotiations on the EU's long-term budget will enter their seventh round on Thursday (8 October). The European Parliament, which demands more money for EU programmes and clarity on the rule of law, views the ball in the German Council Presidency's court. EURACTIV Germany reports.
No progress on EU’s long-term budget negotiations
EU member states and the European Parliament continued to disagree on Friday (18 September) on whether to increase the Union’s long-term budget, complicating attempts to reach a quick agreement on the badly needed recovery fund for the member states.
It is optimistic to expect recovery funds by mid-2021, says EU official
The approval process for the EU’s €750 billion recovery funds may take longer than foreseen, and it would be optimistic to expect the first disbursements by mid-2021, an EU official said on Thursday (17 September).
The budget deal and EU defence cooperation: What are the implications?
Most headlines on the EU budget deal will focus on the response to Covid-19. But the new budget will include billions for new EU defence initiatives, writes Niklas Novaky.
German industry pleased with EU summit result
German business associations are cheering the deal EU leaders reached at a marathon summit that ended on Tuesday morning (21 July), and they have every reason to do so, explains economic researcher Jürgen Matthes. But some observers are displeased with cuts in funding for innovation, research or defence. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria minister ‘cannot imagine’ an agreement at EU summit
Austria's EU Minister Karoline Edtstadler does not expect an agreement to be reached at the EU's budget summit on Friday and Saturday. In an interview with EURACTIV Germany, she explains where Austria wants to renegotiate and pleads for a stricter link to the rule of law.
EU to face difficulties without a deal on recovery plan, Budget Commissioner warns
If EU leaders fail to reach an agreement on a pandemic recovery package next week, “we will enter into difficulties,” the EU Commissioner for Budget, Johannes Hahn, warned during an event in Brussels on Tuesday (7 July).
Joint EU debt must not become a regular thing, says Germany’s Weidmann
A decision by European leaders to issue joint debt to finance coronavirus aid for weaker member states should remain an exemption and not serve as a blueprint for future budget challenges, Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann said on Sunday (26 July).
Von der Leyen calls mini-summit to push for a deal on recovery plan
European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen called on Thursday (2 July) a mini-summit for next week with her counterparts at the Council, Parliament and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to work towards a deal on the EU recovery package.