EU budget 2010
Compromise reached on EU budget as Council tables late budget proposal for EU President
Commenting on yesterday's conciliation meeting on the EU budget, German Green MEP Helga Trüpel, member of the European Parliament budget committee, said:
"The Greens welcome the compromise reached on the EU 2010 budget. Thanks to a one third contribution by the European parliament and two thirds contribution by the Council for the remaining financial gap, the European recovery plan can be covered from the existing budget and the under spending in agriculture from 2009, leaving in place almost all the priorities of the Parliament as voted in first reading for the 2010 budget.
This includes Green environmental projects, renewable energy and environmental measures in the Baltic sea strategy. Parliament had to give up 81 million on its priorities to contribute to the recovery plan - a minor sacrifice from a total 2010 budget of 122.9 billion. We regret however that so few of these so-called recovery funds are allocated to projects that will deliver green jobs and environmental benefits. The Greens will continue to press for smarter use of recovery plans and EU structural funds towards a Green New Deal.
The decision on the new EU Council President may still hang in the balance, but the budget for this position's activities should have been proposed well in advance. Instead, Council belatedly put forward a 23.5 million budget proposal for this position's activities a mere two days before the conciliation meeting. This will come out of the Council's own budget after Parliament refused to agree to the request to make an additional 25 million available from the EU's general budget."
