Cuts to EU's long-term budget plan will lead to further social chaos

 "Austerity policies in recent years have obviously failed and in countries which have run such policies, they have seen a loss in growth and tax revenue but also an increase in poverty and unemployment. Further cuts to the future Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) would ensure this policy is set in stone for the next 7 years," said GUE/NGL MEP Jürgen Klute (Germany), saying that the group could not vote for such cuts.

The MFF 2014-2020 fixes ceilings for EU budget commitments for policy headings and sets a total annual ceiling on spending. Calling for greater investment in education and research, MEP Klute said "we must build up this budget and ensure growth can help us overcome this crisis." On the issue of own resources and the financial transaction tax, he said "if the Parliament were to take a look at its own resources and implement the FTT, that would be an important step forward."

Launching an appeal for environment and public health not to be neglected and calling for an a 25% increase on expenditure on the climate, MEP Marisa Matias (Portugal), speaking for the Industry Committee, said the "MFF will be proof of whether the EU institutions take the road to progress and not continue with the retrograde austerity policies."

For the Fisheries Committee, Portuguese MEP João Ferreira stressed that the proposal for the MFF represents a decrease in expenditure "so we can expect further inequalities".  He denounced the "intolerable cuts" imposed by some member states and warned that the "current MFF is highly inadequate, but future funds will be even worse."

Inês Zuber (Portugal), speaking for the Women's Rights Committee, criticised the current proposal for "not reflecting the importance of increasing investment in gender equality and not the right response to ensure there is no further erosion of social rights in times economic crisis." She called for further funds for the European Institute for Gender Equality and other similar institutions and warned that the 37% decrease in social cohesion policies will exacerbate current policies.

---