EU budget 2011 was voted today in the European Parliament and, as expected, an egocentric vision of Europe prevailed.

The position of a minority of EU governments that are supporting sanctions won the day. They have imposed hyper-austerity and oppose solidarity and social progress, according to GUE/NGL MEP Miguel Portas.

The proposal imposed by the Council on the Parliament is below the agreed limits of the financial framework for 2007/2013. The GUE/NGL does not agree with budgets of continuity in times of exception, we do not agree with budgets that are unable to attack the social crisis into which these austerity policies have plunged our countries.

Looking ahead, successive amending budgets will have to be produced and for the 2012/2013 budget procedure, we will partake in a revised and expanded version of the discussion we have already had this year.

Increasing apprehension for the future of Europe has now spread throughout the Parliament. For Portas, "unfortunately this is the Europe that some Governments, lead by the UK, have brought us to".

"This is a Europe that today refused to tax financial transactions, to reduce the burden on already impoverished national budgets and to start a debate on new resources for the EU - a Europe that refused the flexibilisation of the budget to maintain education, environmental and social programs. This is the Europe which complies with companies that conduct research for the Israeli military while Israel fails to act in accordance with international human rights standards".

The GUE/NGL stood against a Europe that is destroying the European project itself. The GUE/NGL will give no support to this Europe.

GUE/NGL Press
Gianfranco Battistini +32 475 64 66 28
Gay Kavanagh + 32 473 842 320
David Lundy + 32 485 505812
www.guengl.eu