About: EU budget
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.
How the EU can emerge from coronavirus stronger – and greener
When the EU re-emerges from this crisis, what will it look like? Will it be stronger and more adept at responding to future crises like climate change? Or will it be weaker, unable to address the concerns of Europeans and in danger of breaking apart? A lot depends on what happens this Wednesday, writes a group of authors from the Jacques Delors Institute.
2020 will go down in history as the EU’s turning point thanks to COVID-19
In the two months since mid-March, the European Union has seen a change of course that was unthinkable at the start of the year. Entrenched taboos are falling away, and things that had been awaited for more than 20 years are happening within days and weeks. We must not waste this historic moment, writes Luca Jahier.
The day after
The EU's next seven-year financial framework will be the budget that rebuilds Europe or shatters it irreparably. And the current proposal on the table is too far from what we really need, write MEPs Eider Gardiazabal Rubial and Margarida Marques and explain the proposals offered by the Socialists and Democrats.
EU and COVID-19: Time to think outside the box
The Eurogroup’s decisions taken on 9 April were a necessary and overdue collective EU response, as well as a welcome but flawed and incomplete compromise. If European leaders are to save the EU economy when they meet on 23 April, they need to think outside the box, write Carlos Closa, George Papaconstantino, and Miguel Poiares Maduro.
Why it makes sense to adopt new own resources for the EU budget
The European Union is forgetting the revenue side of the EU budget to pursue its policies. The new own resources can provide a link to an EU policy, increase ownership, and shape behaviour of citizens, businesses and governments, write a group of Slovak diplomats.
If Europe doesn’t care for the people, the people won’t care for Europe
The next EU budget is a golden chance to put our continent on the right path for the long term, write socialist EU affairs ministers.
Time to give up sacred EU budget cows
As EU member states debate the bloc’s next 7-year budget, no sector should be off-limits. Annika Hedberg argues that each euro spent should provide added value for the EU and its citizens, including the agricultural sector, a major recipient of EU money.
A ”facelift” to the EIB: the EU financial arm needs forward-looking reforms
The European Investment Bank (EIB) celebrates this year its 60th anniversary. But the 1958-founded EU body and bank should now look forward and commit to becoming a more sustainable, accountable and transparent institution, writes Xavier Sol.
The European budget talks: Financial threat to a global Europe
Although talks on the EU's next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) might appear dull on the surface, we should force ourselves to take notice of them and emphasise the long-term importance of the external tranche of the budget, writes Susi Dennison.
EU leaders – Making Europe the world leader on global health must be your legacy
The next EU budget must establish the bloc as the world leader in financing the health research that will end poverty-related diseases, writes Cecile Vernant.
To help fix EU budget, end aviation’s tax break
The European Commission’s move to make it administratively easier to calculate and charge VAT on passenger transport is welcome and long overdue, writes Bill Hemmings. But instead of abolishing VAT breaks for airline tickets, the EU plan will make a weekend trip treated the same as “necessities” such as foodstuffs, or pharmaceutical products, he warns.
Countering terror doesn’t need to cost the Earth
While the risks of terrorism should not be downplayed, the extensive nature of climate change risks should not be downplayed either. Often times, the impacts are less visible but more significant, argues Janani Vivekananda.
EU 2018: A big year to be big on big things
With European Parliament elections, a new European Commission and Brexit scheduled, attention of some EU observers is already beginning to drift to 2019. However, focus should not shift too fast as the twelve months ahead promise major EU developments, which could mark 2018 down in the annals of EU history, insists Tom Parker.
EU and Africa have a unique chance to rationalise their cooperation
While 2018 is undoubtedly an important year for the European Union in terms of its own future, it is also a year for resetting its relations with developing countries and in particular with its continental neighbour on the other side of the Mediterranean, the African Union, writes James Mackie.
‘Last chance’: Juncker has only 2018 to deliver the goods
This is the year when Jean-Claude Juncker's ‘Last Chance’ Commission must chalk up worthwhile achievements and shake off the sense of inertia that already risks turning into full retreat, argue Giles Merritt and Shada Islam.
EU politicians should lead EU budget talks, not technocrats
Europe’s political leadership should be the one to take the lead in consultations and the responsibility to speed up individual political decisions on which technocrats will be called upon to adapt financial tools for their achievement, Stavros Kalafatis writes.
Commission must involve the people in next EU budget debate
French President Emmanuel Macron is right to propose public debates on the Future of Europe. But the EU budget is where change will first manifest itself, writes David Holyoake.
EU budget for climate action: Time to wake the sleeping beauty
The European Commission will publish its ‘Reflection paper on the future of EU finances’ on 28 June. Against a background of renewed commitments from European leaders towards climate action, the EU budget must be reformed to comply with the requirements of the Paris Agreement, writes Markus Trilling.
The EU budget: Unlocking a new vision for Europe
The key to unlocking a more inspiring and politically winnable New Vision for a strong Europe may well be the next European budget, writes David Holyoake.
Giving some teeth to Europe’s budgetary watchdogs
EU institutions were roundly criticised over their handling of the recent economic crisis, so the European Commission’s decision to stop dithering and appoint a panel of experts to scrutinise budgetary performance is both timely and welcome, writes Michal Horvath.
A budget that connects citizens with the EU
Increasing the bloc’s revenue with own resources and strengthening the link between policy goals and spending would make the EU more dynamic and more relevant to its citizens, writes Petros Fassoulas.
The current system of EU budgeting is doomed to fail
If a household spends its budget in the same way as the EU spends its money, family members would first cheat, and then revolt, writes Ivailo Kalfin.