About: MFF
Sweden and Denmark step out of the shadows as EU’s frugals
Normally perceived as team players, Sweden and Denmark have found themselves playing the unaccustomed role of outliers in EU politics, blocking the widely backed COVID-19 recovery plan.
MEPs want Czech PM removed from EU budget talks
A European Parliament resolution calls for Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to be excluded from EU budget negotiations over alleged conflicts of interest related to EU subsidies received by his former business empire. EURACTIV Germany reports.
‘A quantum leap’: German MEPs welcome EU debt for recovery plan
Until recently, the German government resisted taking on joint EU debt. Now, Germans are heaping praise on the recovery plan presented today by the EU Commission. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Defence and security win battle but not war, in EU budget plans
While the new EU budget proposal charts an improvement from the European Commission’s previously planned outlay for the bloc’s defence initiatives, it still remains far from original ambitions. On Wednesday (27 May), the European Commission increased the total financial firepower...
Centeno: ‘The old books by which we governed are of no use in this period’
In an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Público, the President of the Eurogroup, Mário Centeno, shared some leads about the EU’s recovery plan. He believes that the new recovery plan should have its “own, appropriate and innovative funding mechanism”.
ESM chief: Europe needs at least €500 billion from EU institutions for recovery
Europe will need at least another €500 billion from European Union institutions to finance its economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic, on top of the agreed half-a-trillion package, the head of the euro zone bailout fund said.
Brussels seeks ‘consensual’ economic response to COVID-19 crisis, shifting away from coronabonds
With "all options on the table", European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen is looking at a consensual response among member states to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis, her spokesman said on Monday (30 March), shifting away from controversial debt mutualisation advocated by Italy.
Eastern Europeans want more EU funds for military mobility
The EU should provide more funds to enable faster movement of military forces across Europe, defence ministers from four eastern European member states said on Tuesday (10 March), two weeks before the bloc starts a new round of divisive talks over the next seven-year budget.
Europe’s military mobility: latest casualty of EU budget battle
The Commission's latest budget non-paper threatens to hamper flagship defence initiatives more than previous proposals. It was put forward on Friday (20 February) in an attempt to bridge the growing differences among EU leaders over the bloc's next seven-year budget.
Pressure mounts on EU leaders to reach MFF deal within days
The tight calendar, the urgent priorities awaiting the EU and the risk of post-Brexit talks affecting the negotiations are adding pressure on EU leaders to reach an agreement within days on the bloc’s long-term budget. Otherwise, a senior EU official warned, Europe risks facing a “horror scenario” in January next year.
Commission warns of Green Deal failure if Transition Fund not well financed
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Wednesday (12 February) that the European Green Deal would fail if member states declined to provide the necessary funds to workers and regions affected by the climate transition.
The battle of numbers that will shape EU’s future
It might not be the sexiest debate but how the EU will look in the next seven years will depend on the outcome of one of the toughest upcoming fights in 2020: the negotiation over the bloc’s next long-term budget.
The Year in Review: Challenges and Choices of 2019
It’s been a very busy European election year and most of us are heading for a well-deserved Christmas break. Meanwhile, if you do fire up your browser, here you can catch up on our 30 most read stories that made waves in 2019.
Commission, Finnish presidency clash with member states over CAP convergence
A group of member states opposed to retaining external convergence in the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), have criticised the Finnish Council presidency for not even considering scrapping the concept.
Frontier researchers to benefit from new Horizon 2020, despite looming budget cuts
As member states are locked into negotiations over the next EU budget, research has become an easy target for cuts. Meanwhile, EU-funded scientists urge that frontier research is becoming more important than ever with new challenges ahead.
EU Council chief takes over budget negotiations
The European Council handed over the negotiation of the next EU long-term budget to its president, Charles Michel during the first round of the December summit on Thursday (12 December).
Parliament puts its trust in Michel for progress on EU budget
As European Council president Charles Michel takes over the negotiations on the EU's long-term budget, the Parliament hopes this will give a new impetus to the slow-moving talks, lawmakers in charge told a press briefing on Wednesday (11 December).
Von der Leyen criticises Finnish presidency’s EU budget proposal
The new European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, did not mince her words at her first press conference on Wednesday (4 December), criticising a recent proposal of the Finnish EU Presidency for the bloc’s 2021-2027 budget and voicing concern "about the severe cuts in the proposal".
MEPs ready to fight against member states on EU budget
The European Parliament will not accept a "take it or leave it" agreement on the EU's next long term budget (2021-2027), co-rapporteurs Jan Olbrytch and Margarida Marques have told EURACTIV.
EU finance and education ministers hold ‘historic’ meeting to boost skills investment
Ministers for Finance and Education of the EU member states met on Friday (7 November) for the first-ever joint Council with the aim of discussing the importance of education for a strong economy.
EU faces budget deadlock as national positions drift further away
The Commission's proposal for the EU's new long-term budget has been caught in the crossfire as net contributors criticise the idea of having to pay more while a number of southern and eastern member states have joined forces to oppose planned cuts in traditional policies.
Visegrad countries slam Finnish presidency MFF paper
Ahead of an EU summit starting on Thursday (17 October), diplomats from the four Visegrad countries harshly criticised the Finnish presidency of the Council of the EU for a paper it prepared to help the leaders’ discussion on the bloc’s...
Timmermans clashes with Polish MEPs on rule of law
If we do not step up efforts to defend the rule of law, the EU will be at risk, outgoing Rule of Law Commissioner Frans Timmermans told EU lawmakers on Thursday (5 September), followed by a confrontation between the Dutchman and Polish MEPs from the country's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party.