S&D Euro MPs today in the Strasbourg Plenary session warned national governments that they will not accept the cuts in the draft 2020 budget proposed by the EU Council. Given the new majorities in the house, following this year’s election, they expect the Parliament to make proper use of all available means to tackle the major challenges the EU is facing, such as sustainability, action to fight climate change, the Youth Employment Initiative and the development of a constructive European Neighbourhood Policy, just to name a few.

 

 

“More austerity will never mean more Europe! Once again, the Council puts forward unacceptable budgetary cuts that go against Europe's needs. Furthermore, this is not in line with Ursula von der Leyen's commitments for this mandate. We want the budget to tackle the real needs of Europeans, respecting citizens’ expectations.”

 

S&D Group negotiator on the EU 2020 budget, MEP Pierre Larrouturou, added:

 

“We completely reject these cuts. By presenting its position for the next financial year, the Council shows disregard to key issues that should be guiding our European agenda. Strategic priorities, including climate, creation of jobs, managing migration and tackling its root causes, are grossly underfinanced in the new proposal and people who rely on these funds will, undoubtedly, further lose confidence in the EU.

 

“What the citizens want is for the Parliament to be ambitious, to be smart. In order to avoid a recession, we need smart budget investments in our priorities. That is why our group defends the following strategy: to use all the available means and instruments, such as margins and flexibility instruments, to boost investment in social justice and protection of the climate.”