MEPs are threatening to reject a key part of the European Union budget for the period 2028-2034 if their conditions are not met, reports “Politico“, reports News.bg.
Four centrist groups in the European Parliament have sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, demanding substantial changes to her proposal for the next seven-year financial framework. The document, sent on Thursday morning and seen by „Politico“, warns that if no amendments are made, MEPs will block the budget from being approved at the plenary session scheduled for November 12.
The main objection of the parliamentary groups is to the Commission's idea of so-called “national plans“ - a mechanism that brings together funds for agriculture and regional development in single funds managed by the governments of the 27 member states. These programs affect approximately half of the total EU budget, which amounts to 1.8 trillion euros. Currently, regional authorities have a significant role in the allocation of funds, and the proposed change would limit their participation.
If the European Parliament formally rejects the document, it would deal a serious blow to the European Commission and force it to present a revised version of the proposal. However, MEPs hope that the Commission will make the corrections voluntarily before reaching this step.
The letter was signed by the leaders of the main centrist groups - Manfred Weber (European People's Party), Iratche Garcia (Socialists and Democrats), Valerie Heyer (Renew Europe) and Bass Eickhout (The Greens). They stress that the European Parliament has opposed the idea of national plans since the beginning of the negotiations.
"Unfortunately, this is exactly what the Commission is proposing. The European Parliament cannot accept this as a basis for negotiations," the letter, quoted by the publication, says. The document is another attempt to increase pressure on the Commission after weeks of deadlock in the talks.