AEJ-Seminar „Greening the EU-Budget“ Feb. 18-19
organized in cooperation with Press Service of European Parliament in Brussels:
Over 20 journalists from different EU-countries plus Albania and UK joined in Brussels for top-informations about the next EU-budget (2021-27) one day ahead of the special EU-summit which failed on Friday. MEPs like Clotilde ARMAND (Renew, Romania – BUDG), Johan VAN OVERTVELD (ECR, BE), Chair of BUDG committee on MFF, Othmar Karas (PPE, Vicepresident EP), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, Portugal), Valerie HAYER (Renew, France), Rasmus ANDRESEN, (Greens/EFA, Germany, BUDG) debated with us about the new EU-Budget for the years 2021-2027.
They pointed to the visible contradiction that the EU took over new challenges like fighting effects of climate change, shaping cooperation in defence, steering migration, do more for digitalization, science and research, but on the other hand many EU-heads of governments are not willing to spend more than 1 Percent of GNP.
Our prominent guest-speaker, EU-Commissioner Johannes Hahn, responsible for the EU-Budget, confirmed that EU will not increase expenses for administration for which only 6,7 percent of the budget is reserved.
Valuable input came from 2 invited experts:
Jorge NUNEZ FERRER, Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Michael WIMMER, European Commission, Head of Unit Multiannual Financial Framework
At the Holland House, the Belgian section of AEJ invited for a debate with the newly elected President of the Committee of Regions, the Greek politician Apostolos Tzitzikostas (PPE). The Governor of Central Macedonia in Greece will lead the EU’s assembly of local and regional elected politicians for the next two and a half years. He described Brexit as wake-up-call for Europe: “As elected local and regional politicians, we must make the European Union capable of reaching the hearts of those who feel neglected or forgotten. Europe must take decisions as close as possible to citizens to improve their lives. We must make Europe act to meet citizens’ demands and regain trust. Europe must prove it can listen and change “