The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament is very concerned by the persistent blockage in the Council concerning the 2011 budget. All elements are now on the table for an agreement with the Parliament which is taking its responsibilities seriously. All political groups agree on restricting payment appropriations to that requested by Member States as long as they commit to collaborate with the Commission and Parliament on the stable financing of the EU and its common policies beyond 2011.verhofstadt90-3.jpg

Guy Verhofstadt, president of the ALDE group declared: "In December 2005, in concluding his turn at the EU helm with an agreement on the 2007-2013 multi-annual financial framework, Tony Blair declared that if there is one thing we have learned, it is that we really do need a reformed budget for the future."

"We are now five years further on and the European Parliament is not asking for anything other than an exit from the current stalemate over the 2011 budget; the commitment of all Institutions of the Union and all stakeholders, including national parliaments, to rethink the financing of the EU budget and to debate it in a rational way, free of the current bickering.  The question of own resources now needs to be addressed. There is no need to change the Treaties, just to apply them. Since the origins of the EU, the founding fathers had provided for a system of autonomous resources."

Over time and the actions of a certain "Iron Lady", this system was blunted and largely supplanted by a financing based on national contributions which has led to the current bickering between Member States on their net budgetary contributions."

Guy Verhofstadt welcomed President Barroso's announcement, during the debate, of a legislative initiative on own resources to be presented in June 2011 which will oblige the Council to open a dialogue with Parliament on the subject.

JENSEN_90.jpgAnne Jensen (Venstre, Denmark), ALDE coordinator on the budget committee explained the importance of Parliament's insistence on flexibility in the budget:

"Parliament is willing to reach a compromise with Member States based on the 2.91% increase in payments but it is very important that we have flexibility and dialogue for future year's budgets."

"Without flexibility we would not be able to redeploy resources to important programmes or meet unforeseen demands and changing circumstances. It is also important to be clear that we are not talking about introducing spiralling EU taxes but simply creating a transparent system that people can understand."

For more information, please contact / Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez contacter:

Corlett Neil - Tel: +32 2 284 20 77 Mob: +32 478 78 22 84
Laude Yannick - Tel: +32 2 284 31 69 Mob: +32 495 22 78 37
Web: http://www.alde.eu