German MEP Reimer Böge has underlined the importance the EU common border protection and the stabilization of the immediate neighbourhood have for Cyprus, in view of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
In a statement to CNA, on the occasion of the recent discussion before the European Parliament plenary on the next MFF, Böge, who is member of the EP Committee on Budgets, noted that for the next MFF it is essential to avoid a Brexit-gap – around 10 billion Euro per year- and competition for European budget resources, between newly arising challenges and traditional priorities.
“If we start to play off structural policy vs. neighbourhood policy or defence policy vs. agricultural policy and rural development, we will jeopardize the whole European project,” he noted.
As regards Brexit, the German EPP group MEP said that member states should not believe that it is sufficient to keep the current financial contribution at 1% of the GNI and, at the same time, expect the EU to find appropriate answers for the new challenges. This is especially crucial for Cyprus, in light of the common border protection and the stabilization of the immediate neighbourhood, he noted.
Böge said that it is the EPP`s priority to safeguard the current cohesion, as well as the agricultural policy. “At the same time, sufficient funding for the newly arising challenges must be guaranteed,” he added.
The German MEP noted that under the scenario of a future reunion of Cyprus, “I want to point out to paragraph 22 of the Council regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020, which states: ‘In the event of the reunification of Cyprus between 2014 and 2020, the MFF shall be revised to take account of the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem and the additional financial needs resulting from the reunification.’ ”
“This clear commitment by the EU to offer comprehensive financial aid still remains valid, as also underlined by Jean Claude-Juncker in his letter to President Anastasiades in February this year,” he noted.
Böge also said that the energy autonomy and the continued development of reliable cross boarder energy networks should be prioritized. This could include a thorough analysis of the resources potentially available for exploration in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone, he noted.
MEPs set out last week their position on the next long-term EU budget, which should finance new priorities as well as make up for any shortfall caused by Brexit.
The European Parliament adopted two resolutions on the expenditure and revenue sides of the next MFF to apply from 2021.
The European Parliament wants the EU budget to match political priorities and address some of the new challenges facing all member states, be they migration, defence, security or climate change. MEPs consider that the current limit on EU expenditure needs to be raised from 1% to 1.3% of EU GNI, in order to be able to fund these new priority areas without sacrificing Europe’s regions or farming communities.
Key proposals include boosting research programmes, Erasmus+, the Youth Employment Initiative and support for SMEs as well as infrastructure investment through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
MEPs warn that “no agreement can be concluded on the MFF without corresponding headway being made on own resources” – i.e. the revenue side of the EU Budget. Expenditure and revenue should thus be treated as a single package.
Moreover, MEPs call for strengthening the existing own resources and progressively introducing new own resources. These could be based on a revised VAT resource, a share of corporate tax revenue, a financial transaction tax, a digital sector tax or environmental taxes.
The two resolutions provide the European Parliament’s input to the EU Commission’s legislative proposals on these matters due in May 2018. The adoption of a new MFF Regulation requires Parliament’s consent.
MEPs call for discussions to be launched without delay between the three institutions in order to try to reach an agreement before the 2019 European elections.
Over 94% of the EU budget goes to citizens, regions, cities, farmers and businesses. The EU`s administrative expenses account for under 6% of the total.
A survey shows that Europeans expect solutions from the EU. Most respondents think that Europe should do more to tackle a wide range of issues, from security, to migration and unemployment.
