On Thursday, the delegations from Council and Parliament sat together for the first time for trilateral talks on a political level, including the Commission, in view of reaching an agreement on EU financing for 2021-2027.

“There needs to be adequate funding for EU flagship programmes such as the ones for research or the young, that are important for Parliament. There needs to be progress on the Own Resources – the EU’s revenue – and on the Rule of Law, on the role of the budgetary authority and on certain horizontal issues like, for example, climate. So all these elements are on the table. We had a good discussion so far already today. And I’m pretty sure that in the coming weeks we can continue that positive and constructive way of dialogue”, said Budget Committee Chair Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE).

“We want to reach an agreement, but we want to reach a good agreement. Not so much for Parliament as such, but for the European citizens”, he added.

View the full interview with Mr Van Overtveldt and footage of the meeting

Background

In July, Parliament adopted a resolution on the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting of 17-21 July 2020, setting out its negotiating mandate and priorities in view of reaching an agreement. Before the Council can formally adopt the MFF (Multiannual Financial Framework) regulation, Parliament must give its consent under Article 312(2) TFEU.

The negotiating team has welcomed the Recovery Instrument but considers that several improvements are needed, especially by reinforcing specific programmes, introducing a basket of new Own Resources (EU revenue), completing the legislators’ work on the rule of law, and ensuring parliamentary involvement in the Recovery Instrument.

On 1 September Members of the Committee on Budgets will debate the state of play of the negotiations on the Union’s next multiannual budget for 2021-2027 (MFF), the reform of the Own resources (OR) system and the Recovery Plan. Parliament’s negotiating team on the MFF/OR will report back on Thursday’s trilateral talks.

The EP’s negotiating team for the next long-term EU budget and Own Resources reform

Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE), Chair of the Committee on Budgets

Jan Olbrycht (EPP, PL), MFF co-rapporteur

Margarida Marques (S&D, PT), MFF co-rapporteur

José Manuel Fernandes (EPP, PT), Own Resources co-rapporteur

Valérie Hayer (RENEW, FR), Own Resources co-rapporteur

Rasmus Andresen (Greens/EFA, DE)

Follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/lists/1205126942384676866