On 7 February, Members debated the draft guidelines for the
2020 EU budget prepared by the general rapporteur for Section III
of the EU budget, Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE). The rapporteur's
political priorities for next year's EU budget are to continue
investing in innovation and research capacities for future
solutions, to boost competitiveness and economic growth, to ensure
a safe, secure and peaceful Europe, to strengthen citizens’ work
and living conditions,
and to bolster the Union in its fight against environmental
challenges and climate change.
The guidelines are to be taken into account by the Commission
when it presents its draft budget for 2020 in early June. The
report is scheduled to be adopted at the March I plenary session in
Strasbourg and discussed at the traditional budgetary Spring
trilogue with the Council and the Commission on March 20.
On Thursday 7 February Commissioner Oettinger presented to the
BUDG committee the measures proposed by the European Commission on
the implementation and financing of the EU budget in 2019 in
relation to the UK's withdrawal from the Union. Under the proposed
contingency framework, the UK and UK entities could continue to
benefit from Union financing, until 31 December 2019, under legal
commitments entered into before the withdrawal date.
This is subject to the condition that the UK continues to
contribute to the financing of the 2019 EU budget and accepts
controls and audits covering the entire implementation period. The
aim is to minimise any negative impact of the UK's withdrawal for
the Union budget and for the implementation of the Union's policies
in case of a no-deal scenario.
BUDG, as the sole committee responsible, will prepare a
recommendation to Parliament to approve or reject the proposal.
Under the consent procedure, Parliament's consent is required
before the Council can act unanimously on the Commission proposal.
If Parliament gives its consent, the Council is expected to adopt
its final position after 29 March 2019.