About: MFF
Oettinger names and shames member states on long-term EU budget cuts
Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Finland…. The EU's Budget Commissioner Günter Oettinger did not hesitate to point the finger at countries reluctant to increase their contributions to the EU's next seven-year budget during a speech on Wednesday (19 September).
French foreign minister: We no longer want to pay for Poland and Hungary
France does not want to finance a populist Europe, the country's foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has indicated, just as the fight over the EU's new long-term budget begins in earnest. EURACTIV Poland's media partner Gazeta Wyborcza reports.
Commission sheds some light on cohesion policy reform
The European Commission cleared up some of the details of its proposal to reform cohesion policy in the next EU long-term budget during a second round of discussion with MEPs on Wednesday (21 June).
Unravelling the Macron-Merkel agreement
A meeting between Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron was meant to foster a breakthrough on possible eurozone reforms. But the declaration brokered on Tuesday (19 June) is full of language that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Commission to hike EU investment in defence innovation
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday (June 13) to hike from €90 million to €13 billion the budgetary funds earmarked for strengthening the EU's strategic autonomy in collective security by boosting cross-border research and innovation in the field of defence.
Goodbye Juncker plan, hello InvestEU, Europe’s new investment fund
The European Commission put forward a proposal on Wednesday (6 June) to bring all of the EU's existing investment instruments under the banner of a new fund called "InvestEU" which will formally succeed the Juncker Plan.
MEPs warn of possible higher budget cuts, impact on policies
The proposed expenditure cuts in Common Agriculture and Cohesion Policy in the next long-term EU budget are higher than what the European Commission announced and this might impact future EU policies, the European Parliament’s budget rapporteurs told reporters on Wednesday (23 May).
CoR wants Commission to consider stabilisation fund for regions affected by Brexit
The UK's departure will have an major impact on the EU's regions and cities, the Committee of the Regions has warned. The Committee has urged the European Commission to consider setting up a regional stabilisation fund before 29 March 2019.
Poland plays down possible EU budget cuts
Poland on Monday (7 May) played down possible EU funding cuts over its controversial judicial reforms – in addition to sanctions it already faces – saying it sees room for negotiation over financial allocations.
Regions and cities worried about cohesion cuts, co-finance and ESF
EU regions and cities have expressed their concern about the European Commission’s new proposal for the post-2020 cohesion budget, raising doubts about the future effectiveness of the policy.
Commission’s budget proposal draws praise from MEPs
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger received a largely positive reception from MEPs to their proposal for the next long-term EU budget from 2021-2027.
EU proposes 25% ‘climate quota’ in new long-term budget
The clean energy transition and other initiatives to decarbonise Europe’s economy will represent 25% of EU spending under a seven-year EU budget plan put forward by the European Commission on Wednesday (2 May).
EU budget proposal 2021-2027 – as it happened
The European Commission unveils its proposal for the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027 today (2 May), setting the stage for a bruising and long negotiation with member states and parliament.
Brussels begins big battle on post-Brexit budget
The EU will this week unveil its first formal plans for a larger, one-trillion-euro-plus long-term budget after Britain's departure, which threaten to further deepen divisions in the bloc.
Cuts to regional funding will be modest, assures EU budget chief
There are no guarantees that EU Cohesion funds will not be cut in the next seven-year budget but the cuts will be “less than 10%, probably near 5%”, the EU's Budget commissioner said on Thursday (22 March).
MEPs voted to boost EU budget to 1.3% GDP
The European Parliament backed on Wednesday (14 March) an ambitious reform the EU budget, calling for an increase to 1.3% of GDP to fund new priorities and transform farming and cohesion policies.
Polish citizens ‘getting happier and happier’, ministers say
Polish citizens are happy, the economy is booming and the support for the conservative government is at an all-time high. That was the message two Polish ministers delivered to the Brussels press corps on Monday (19 February).
Romania backs Poland in rejecting EU funding conditionality
Romania backed Poland yesterday (1 February) in vehemently rejecting proposals to tie future European Union subsidies to member states' adherence to the rule of law.
Plastic tax and ETS tinkering could plug Brexit hole, suggests EU budget chief
EU Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger has revealed that the European Commission will propose taxing plastic and shifting emissions trading income to EU level, in an attempt to balance the bloc’s coffers once the United Kingdom leaves the EU.
Bundestag MPs want EU staff to use German more after Brexit
Three members of Germany's Bundestag have asked Chancellor Angela Merkel to make sure EU institutions use the German language more.
UK blocks European budget as Brexit talks near
Adopted after bitter wrangling by the European Parliament last December, the revision of the EU’s long-term budget for 2014-2020 has now been blocked by the United Kingdom, which seems intent on laying obstacles on the EU's road. EURACTIV France reports.
Monti group challenges the ‘juste retour’ principle in EU budgeting
The ‘Monti group’ will propose new ways of budgeting for the post-2020 period on Thursday (12 January), challenging the principle of ‘juste retour’, and looking at the opportunities of abandoning the UK rebate, according to a draft report seen by EURACTIV.com.
Italy, ‘tired of European contradictions’, opposes EU budget review
European Union governments and institutions are set for intense budget negotiations ahead of a 17 November deadline, with Italy complaining not enough spending is planned for handling migration, security threats and youth unemployment.