The European Commission intends to adopt its proposal for the European Union's budget, also called the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), for 2021-2027 on May 27, commission spokesman Eric Mamer said at a press conference on Friday
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2020) The European Commission intends to adopt its proposal for the European Union's budget, also called the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), for 2021-2027 on May 27, commission spokesman Eric Mamer said at a press conference on Friday.
"Furthermore, I have some news for all of you who have been asking us when the commission intends to adopt its proposals on the MFF and the recovery instrument. The adoption is now foreseen for May 27," Mamer stated.
Speaking at a separate press conference on the same day, European Parliament President David Sassoli said that lawmakers plan to hold an extraordinary plenary session on May 27 to scrutinize the budget proposals.
"I'm very pleased to be able to tell you that my request this morning to [European Commission] President von der Leyen to invite her to come to the parliament to present the proposal was accepted, she said that she would be very happy to come, so we'll probably be organizing a mini-plenary session on the 27th so that we can hold a discussion on it and obviously that will give the president the opportunity to present her proposal and political groups will be able to comment," Sassoli said. (Quote in English from EU interpreter)
On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that the updated EU budget proposal would contain special provisions for aiding the EU's recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced businesses across the globe to close. Von der Leyen stated that a new "Recovery and Resilience tool" would be funded by increased borrowing.
In February, the European Council held a summit in Brussels with the aim of reaching an agreement over the size of the EU budget, but ministers failed to agree to terms. There have been serious disagreements between member states over the scale of contributions. According to several EU plans published since the start of the year, member states have proposed to contribute anywhere from 1.07 percent to 1.30 percent of GDP in the new budget.
