Press release: MEP Henrike on the EU Draft Budget 2022

Today, the European Commission presented its draft budget for 2022 to the Budget Committee of the European Parliament. Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn presented the proposal to the committee and then answered questions from the parliamentarians.

The Bavarian MEP Henrike Hahn (Greens), shadow rapporteur for the EU budget 2022 Section III and industrial policy spokesperson of the European Group, and Rasmus Andresen, budgetary spokesperson of the Greens/EFA, comment.

Henrike Hahn:

“The EU budget 2022 is fully integrated into the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 (MFF). Therefore, at least 30% of the EU budget must be invested in climate protection and at least 20% in digitalisation. The „do-no-harm“ principle ensures that no EU money will flow into climate-damaging projects, and the rule of law mechanism now makes sanctions for violations of the rule of law possible. In the next few days, we will pay close attention in our deeper analysis to whether the Commission’s draft budget implements this.

According to the first analysis, a climate quota of well over 30% will be achieved for 2022 due to the Corona recovery programme, but according to the draft, the climate quota will only be just slightly over 30% on average in the next few years. In the upcoming negotiations for the EU budget 2022, we Greens will particularly advocate that the areas of climate and biodiversity are further strengthened.

Furthermore, the draft EU budget provides for research and development spending of €13.1 billion, of which €12.2 billion for Horizon Europe. In addition, the Corona Recovery Programme will mobilise €1.8 billion for R&D. In the upcoming negotiations, we will work to ensure that this money primarily benefits the Green transformation of industry and small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups.“

Rasmus Andresen:

“The EU budget 2022 reflects our successes from the protracted negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework. For us Greens, it was particularly important that certain flagship programs such as Horizon Europe, ERASMUS, or EU4Health or the new Rights and Values program are well funded.

According to the current forecasts of the EU Commission, the climate quota will be just met for the entire budget period. The biodiversity quota will be 8% on average. The target quota for 2026 is 10%.

Climate and biodiversity funding will have to be of high quality. Old agricultural payments must not be counted towards achieving these quotas.

We would be pleased if the member states did not come up with the usual unconstructive proposals for cuts, but strengthened future areas in the budget together with us.

Much more exciting than the numbers is the implementation. The EU Commission and the member states must do everything in their power to turn the figures into concrete projects. Bureaucracy must be significantly reduced for applicants and programs must be launched without delay.

We need to do better in implementing the EU budget.“

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