European budget for 2014: European integration at a deadlock because of Council

“While the economic and financial crisis calls for a strong Europe, Member States have managed to impose a form of austerity on the EU that they do not always apply to themselves! In doing so, the Council is leading European integration to an impasse,” said Dominique Riquet, EPP Group spokesperson on the EU's budget for 2014.

"Euroscepticism is on the rise in Europe. But the greatest anti-Europeans are in the Council! The EU is continually asked to do more, but is not given the means to fulfil its mission. And then its inaction is publicly criticised, as shown recently by the tragic case of illegal immigration,” he criticised.

The European Parliament has adopted an EU budget that is down 6% compared to the 2013 budget, taking into account the draft Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020. This will have an impact on all areas of EU action, from regional policy to agricultural policy, including on investment in competitiveness, migration policy and diplomacy.

In the position they adopted today, MEPs backed the original proposal from the European Commission and, given the absence of real margins, used the flexibility instrument in a limited number of cases to go beyond the limits set by the draft Multiannual Financial Framework.

"We are aware of the constraints on national budgets, but Europe is not responsible for years of mismanagement of public finances," said Dominique Riquet. “Immediate action must be taken in favour of youth employment, SMEs, education, research, and major infrastructure projects,” he concluded.

The budget adopted in plenary amounted to 142 625 billion euros in commitment appropriations and 136 077 billion euros in payments. The European Parliament's vote opens a period of conciliation with the Council to be completed on 13 November.