Following the proposal made by Alain Lamassoure MEP, Chairman of the Budgets Committee of the European Parliament, the Polish EU Council Presidency, the European Parliament and the European Commission are organising a conference on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 October on the financing of European growth and competitiveness by 2020, which will gather the 27 governments of the EU Member States, representatives of the European Institutions and all national parliaments.

The aim of the conference is to open the widest possible debate between all political forces of Europe, on the future of the EU budget and, further, on the financing of policies which are necessary for bringing back European competitiveness as stipulated in the Europe 2020 Strategy project. The working basis is provided by the proposals and analyses made by the European Commission for the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020.

"For the first time since the European Convention, eight years ago, all governments and all national parliaments are involved in joint discussions on the Union's future. This meeting will be of particular importance in the current financial context and on the eve of the European Council of 23 October", Alain Lamassoure underlined.

Thursday's session will be open to the public and webstreamed on the Internet. It will be opened by European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso.

Three panels composed of Members of national parliaments and representatives of the European Institutions will then look in detail at the main dossiers of the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020: the future of own resources; priorities as regards future spending, and the European budget's added value.

A press briefing is foreseen at 16.45 hrs on Thursday. Conclusions of the two-day conference will be webstreamed on Friday at noon.

Conference Programme

European Commission's Proposal of 29 June on the next Financial Framework 2014-2020

Alain Lamassoure's contribution to the conference EN

(Translation from the original French)

For further information:

Alain LAMASSOURE MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845706

Marion Jeanne, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-479-840293

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 264 Members.