Mediaroom

Representatives of the European Parliament and the member states met, on 28 May, to breathe new life into the negotiations on the EU’s multiannual financial framework (2014-2020). This was the second three-way meeting, in which MEPs, the Commission and the member states are trying to conclude a deal against the clock on the Union next seven-year budget.

The sides agree that a deal should be sealed on the overall MFF before the summer, followed by an agreement on the sectoral aspects during the autumn. Otherwise “there is a serious risk that there won’t be EU funding for the different programmes as from 1 of January,” said an Irish Presidency spokeswoman.

This round of talks came after the latest political agreement at the Ecofin Council on the €7.3 billion top-up of the 2013 budget to cover unpaid bills, a condition set by MEPs in order to open the negotiations.

This is the first tranche of the global €11.2 billion proposed by the Commission to pay this year’s pending bills. Parliament accepted to split the reimbursement in order to convince the austerity-driven capitals, and has finally agreed to start negotiations on the MFF before seeing the other €3.9 billion in the EU coffers.

Source: Europolitics