INTERVIEW: Commission ready to tweak its €2tn budget blueprint, says top MEP

The European Commission “is ready at the technical level” to change its €2 trillion, seven-year budget plan, and MEPs will force it to do so anyway if it outright refuses, the European Parliament’s co-lead negotiator Siegfried Mureșan told Euractiv.

The insistence from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) lawmaker comes after the EU executive was forced last week to walk back comments from one of its own commissioners suggesting that changes could be on the way.

Mureșan has already threatened to reject the €865 billion plan to merge farmer and regional subsidies into centralised national plans unless the Commission makes concrete amendments by Parliament’s 12-13 November debate.

“It’s clear that the overwhelming majority is there,” Mureșan said, adding that the four political groups in the pro-EU majority have jointly demanded separate farm subsidies, and more power for local authorities and MEPs over fund allocation.

EU countries are annoyed and analysts are puzzled by Parliament’s hard line, but after two weeks of informal technical talks with the Commission, Mureșan is confident there will be movement.

“The Commission has understood the substantial demands, and… is ready at the technical level to correct things,” he said.

‘Impossible’ to avoid amendments

Mureșan listed four possible outcomes: Parliament rejection, withdrawal of the proposal, amendments, or political guarantees.

“The Commission wants to avoid a rejection, and we understand that it cannot withdraw its proposal right now.” But declarations won’t be sufficient, Mureșan added.

That leaves only amendments, though exactly how that would happen is legally murky, as the proposal lies with EU countries after the Commission presented it in July.

“It is also in the interest of the Council that the Commission amends its proposal,” said Mureșan.

Countries are themselves divided on the reforms, and the persistent risk of Parliament rejection could slow talks in the Council, he said.

Germany and Denmark defended the Commission reforms on Tuesday, with Copenhagen criticising Parliament’s uncompromising approach.

“It is now up to the Commission to find procedurally the solution for amending,” Mureșan said.

If the Commission doesn’t propose changes, Parliament will reject the national plans outright. “The majority will be so large that it will be impossible for the Commission to further defend its proposal.”

EU countries hold the stronger hand in budget negotiations, with Parliament only able to approve or reject the final version once countries agree. “Rejection in the end is always an option, and the Council and the Commission have to be aware of that,” said Mureșan.

(jp, aw, mm)