In the proposal of the European Commission on the European Multi-annual Financial Framework 2013-2020 more then sixty percent of the Union's budget would consist of own resources. By doing this, the financing of the European Union would go back to the initial way of financing, as worked out by its founding fathers. Apart from the question if the budget will be enough to deal with the challenges that lie ahead, not the least to fulfil the EU 2020 objectives, the MEP Spinelli Group fully backs this proposal of own  resources as it will end the unproductive debate between member-states on how much they pay or receive from Europe. Own resources will also create a more democratic direct link between the European citizen and the European institutions. Therefore we ask the national governments to be open to discuss this.

The MEP Spinelli Group also fully backs the idea of organising a Conference on the Financing of the Union. This Conference will gather European and national politicians to discuss the future financing of the Union. We are convinced that this is the best way to reach a Europeanwide agreement on a new and bold financing of the Union.

The MEP Spinelli Group consists of 101 MEP's from five different political groups in the European Parliament. The aim of the MEP Spinelli Group is to push forward the European integration. The Spinelli Steering Group brings together convinced Europeans from the academic world, such as Amartya Sen, Mario Monti and Ulrich Beck, and the political world such as Jacques Delors, Romano Prodi and Joschka Fischer.

For more information: Koert Debeuf, 0032 496 614375

http://www.spinelligroup.eu/