Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), Chair of the Committee on Budgets, Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) and Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), MFF co-rapporteurs, José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), and Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), Own Resources co-rapporteurs, and Rasmus ANDRESEN (Greens/EFA, DE), speak to the press on the next MFF and Own Resources, in the European Parliament in Brussels. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery. Please note, for this press conference no language interpretation is available.

Brussels

press conference

own resources (T)

OLBRYCHT, Jan (EPP, PL)

FERNANDES, José Manuel (EPP, PT)

VAN OVERTVELDT, Johan (ECR, BE)

Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 (T)

HAYER, Valérie (Renew, FR)

MARQUES, Margarida (S&D, PT)

ANDRESEN, Rasmus (Greens/EFA, DE)

economic situation in Europe (T)

Recovery plan for Europe (T)

Press Conference on the next MFF and Own Resources

SOUNDBITE (Original), Press officer, OK, thank you very much. I think we can start this press conference, the press conference after the last round of talks with the council on the next multiannual financial framework and reform of own resources. Thank you all for joining us on your screens and here in the room.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Press officer, I welcome the negotiating team of the parliament. Mr. Johan Van Overtveldt who is the chair of the Committee on Budgets for the MFF, Mr Olbrycht and Mrs Marques for the own resources, Mr Fernandes and Mrs Hayer and for the horizontal issues. Mr Andresen.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Press officer, If you are connected via interactional, you can raise your hand electronically. And if you get the floor portion of the speak button, please be aware that there is no interpretation and state your name and media and who you would like to address. Your question to the chair. Mr Van Overtveldt will give a short introductory statement and then we open the floor for questions. Mr Van Overtveldt, you have the floor. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) Thank you. And welcome to this press conference. Let me first of all, take you back in time a little bit and to the somewhere in the I think second week of September where we heard from members of the council that the parliament had till the end of September to do a deal and that we could count on something like 100 million for the programmes.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) That was the message. And that was a message that we took to heart, not because of the parliament itself, but because of what we want or what the citizens of Europe want. And that's why we have been fighting very hard, very relentlessly in the past ten weeks, ten weeks to ensure that we reach a positive agreement both for the short term and the long term. We've been thinking very hard about the longer term over the past weeks, even months.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) And this is for Europe to have the means to address more the short term issue, the covid-19 pandemic, and to support the recovery and resilience of our society over the coming period. And that is in terms of years resecured 16 billion euros, 16 billion euros on top of the package agreed upon by the heads of state in July.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) We will reinforce the key flagship programmes on which Madame Markus and Mr Olbrycht will tell you anything you want to know about it. And these flashy programmes are, of course, at the heart of the European citizens' concerns and are at the heart of the added value that Europe can bring to the economy and to its citizens.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) Concretely, European Parliament triples the envelope of the health programme we security equivalent to an additional year of financing for Erasmus, plus to support the young generation. And we ensure that the research funding keeps increasing in crucial areas like the digital climate and health. This is, of course, all very crucial.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) On the revenue side, we secured the principle that the medium to long term repayment costs of next generation EU will be covered by the introduction of new own resources, a field on which Madame Hayer and Mr Fernandes have been fighting very hard. This is crucial to ensure the debt burden will not will not be supported by the taxpayers and will not reduce in the future union programmes.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) We also strengthened the Parliament's role over the use of the next generation EU funds. This is, of course, essential in terms of democratic accountability and also next time an instrument is created, we made sure that there will be specific budgetary scrutiny procedure to involve the Parliament early on, 30 percent of the move. In the next generation, EU will support climate objectives.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) That's an item where Mr Andresen fought very hard. We confirmed that a key target, this key target to be agreed by the heads of state and government while adding strong provisions on biodiversity and gender mainstreaming. Now, I mentioned each of the team players individually, but I am really proud to be able to say that we fought all six of the of us as a team and the term fight you can take literally.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) We really had to fight for what we got and we are all I am certainly. But I am absolutely sure about my five colleagues, too, that we are all very proud of what we achieved. Again, not for the Parliament's bright, but in the interests of the European citizens short term and long term that as. As my introduction goes, I can imagine that you have questions and like I said on the programmes, on the MFF specifically, it's Madam Marques and Mr. Olbrycht .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) On the new own resources and everything linked to that, iit's Mr. Fernandez and Madam Hayer. And on the what we call the horizontal issue, climate, gender mainstreaming and biodiversity is Mr. Anderson. But of course, it's I think for all clarity, if you ask a question, please be explicit to say, first of all, whom you are and to whom you would like to address the question. The floor is yours now.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, OK. I am a journalist from Hungary and my question is addressed to Mr. Van Overtveldt or anyone who can answer. Both the Polish and the Hungarian prime minister's threatened with veto of the MFF and of the Covid recovery package because it was announced last week that there was an agreement on the rule of law conditionality to the EU's budget.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, So my question is, how do you deal with that? And is it possible that significant changes to the MFF will be adopted at this stage, or is it more probable to change the rule of law conditionality? Or how will you find a compromise? And then how long could it be played in this situation?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE) I would be very glad to answer your question, but the answer of Mr. Olbrycht will be much more interesting.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) Yes, thank you. Let me let me begin with one remark. When we in our political agreement, we are not speaking about 16 billion. So we are speaking about the whole amount of money for the whole Europe. So it means that we are speaking about the cohesion policy, about the agriculture policy, about the old programmes, concerning the Green Deal, etcetera.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) This is I think we should remind it that this agreement is about the whole MFF. I mean, Multiannual Financial Framework. I think that this is the weight of the. What we managed was to reduce the cuts made by the Council significantly. So I think that we should remind it. It's important to answer your question, by the way, this question should be addressed to the Council, it's not the problem of the Parliament today.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) Because as we know what we received this information that there is a danger of blocking MFF. What we were just agreed and defund it. But this is linked to the rule of law, linked to the financial interests of the EU. So the procedure I would like to remind you, there is an agreement between Parliament and the Council on the rule of law procedure, this political agreement. Now it goes to the council.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) So the council should vote it. The Council should vote it with a qualified majority, not unanimity. So, in fact, the question is how these countries you mentioned, including mine, will behave during the voting on the rule of law in the Council. In the Parliament, we will vote this the same elements, but in the Parliament there are no doubt it will be accepted.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) The question, what about the procedure in the Council? What we heard from the ambassador of the German presidency, probably the first voting will be next week. So if the rule of law, procedure and regulation is accepted by the Council and accepted by the Parliament, it will just enter into force. It would be legal act for future. Now, the question is, how will this governments behave in terms of MFF, what we just said, this is unanimity in the Council, unanimity.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) So I think that this is the question. If anybody wants to block it, block it, not the 16, block the whole MFF for the whole Europe for seven years. If you ask, does it have any influence on our political agreement, I must say probably on behalf of my colleagues: no, no. We made our political agreement with the Council. So for us, it's over. So it means that now we will have to vote it once. The Council, of course, agrees.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) Legally. It will be we will vote first and next they will confirm it in unanimity. As far as I'm concerned, the rule of law and sorry, the recovery fund, this is necessary to have the decision to the change the sitting of the own resources. And this decision is not yet made inside the Council.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL) So we hope and we repeat this all the time, that we hope that this decision will be made very quickly because this decision is necessary to start the ratification in all the national parliaments. We need this fund. And, of course, the warning coming from two countries is that they are ready to block budget and fund. As a Polish member of the parliament, I cannot imagine that it can happen because this is the money for the whole Europe. So I think that this is something that I can only say. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, So I would like to ask a few questions. So first of all, if I understand correctly, the only fresh money here are the 11 billion from the competition fines. So I would like to ask you, do you think this is enough and are you happy with this? Because in the beginning, if I remember correctly, you're asking the money from the competition fines plus the twelve point nine from the interest rates, putting them outside of the ceilings.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, And secondly is that in the end, you gave up on the ceilings. Was it worthy to push this far and to somehow waste this time in order to reach an agreement? And when actually do you expect the budget, the MFF and the recovery fund to be in place? Of course, we know there is the situation with Hungary, but even if there is unanimity at the council, is it possible to have the MFF in the first of January and the recovery fund, I don't know, in February or something? Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT) So for the first question, it's clear that it's not 11 for fresh money is thirteen point five. But this is not the point. This is the first time that the European Parliament can increase the ceilings agreed by European Council. And this is very important for the future of the budget. And why? Because since the beginning, we said that we will need money to increase the financial envelopes for programmes. And it's why we took so much time because we needed to reach this agreement with fresh money and it's exactly what we did.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT) And now we are very happy with the conclusion because it's the way to increase the financial envelopes. It's the way to protect the European Union budget for the future. Concerning calendar, first of all, we are waiting for the decision of the Conference of Presidents tomorrow on the agenda of the next plenary session. What can we put in the agenda in the next plenary sessions, European plenary sessions to vote in plenary, the different instruments that we already agreed?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT) It means MFF and the rule of law mechanism. Our commitment is since the beginning that MFF must start first January 2021, and we need to avoid a gap between the end of the current MFF and the next MFF. Second point on the recovery and resilience facility, as I think that my colleague Ian Olbrycht already said, first of all, yesterday we voted in the Budget and Econ Committee, the RRF regulation, Recovery and Resilience Fortuity regulation.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT) So we are doing our job. We are waiting from the Council to launch the national ratification procedure by national parliaments. As we understood this afternoon from the presidency, the president will put on the table this decision as soon as possible. So it will take some months, but it means that may be only next spring or something like this, we can have the vote by national parliaments because almost all the national parliaments must ratify this decision.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT) And only after this procedure, Commission can go to financial markets to create the Next Generation EU. So this is lighter than our ambition in the beginning, because, as I said, the European answer must arrive to citizens and as soon as possible. But there are a point that we need to remember. Is all the expense expenditure made on health and the pandemic impact can be coverage since 1st February 2020.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&amp;D, PT) So it's it's one possibility. I know that it's completely different to pay the expenses than to have concrete projects for the economic and social recovery. But then we have the possibility to cover this period of time. But to finalise I'd like to remember that the Parliament is completely committed to have all the instruments as soon as possible.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, It's a more general question, but I would like to know, according to you, which points of this agreement can make a difference in the EU budget after 2027. Is there anything in this agreement that is creating a precedent that could impact the way the next MFF will be structured?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), Well, there's a lot that can be said on that question, but I think, like some of my colleagues already indicated, we have put in a lot of walls, for things that cannot happen in the past. For example, we negotiated that what happened now with with respect to the interest cost and the whole NGO financing cannot be a prejudice for next time.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), What we also did was to to have an assurance that if, for example, the interest rate rise above what is estimated to be the case today, that there is also an automatic trigger of a compensation mechanism, which, again, is a kind of protection. And most of all, it is, of course, the not only but I think quite important is what we got as support, extra support for the programmes. I think a programme like Horizon, like Erasmus, like invest EU, and of course now the EU4Health Programme are very important.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), These are really the programmes where there is added value to what Europe can do, even for large countries like Germany and France. Europe has added value at that level and if we had let things go as the Council that initiated it, these programmes would have watered down. And of course, that would have had an enormous impact on this MFF, but certainly also on the following one.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), So there are a lot of things we can claim for ourselves. I'm very humble about that, but also very proud of that. But I think the fact that we really took the long term view and dare to speak out about it, that's really been the thing with which we have made a difference in these long discussions. And as the former speaker suggested, Mr. Fernandes was very right in saying we did not lose time.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), We fought battles on principle. Some we won, some we lost. We will admit that. But that we did the battle and laid out our arguments and often didn't get a satisfactory reply. Far from it. That's the thing, what it was really about for us the past 10 weeks. And if we look tired, it's because we are a little bit tired.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Rasmus ANDRESEN (Greens/EFA, DE), Thank you. This MFF, our package is different than maybe six years ago. Maybe also the next MFF, will be because of the package and because of the impact related to the current crisis. Related to some of the issues the colleagues already mentioned, I would mention the climate targets and we also agreed on, as the chair mentioned in the beginning, the biodiversity target where we still have to develop the methodology for the next year.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Rasmus ANDRESEN (Greens/EFA, DE), But first time in history of the European budget, not just 30 percent of the budget will be spent for climate projects. There will also be a clear target for biodiversity. And this is something where I think we can say that the investments we are doing in the next year years related to biodiversity and to climate will be ones who will provide and future generations will benefit from for the next 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 years.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Rasmus ANDRESEN (Greens/EFA, DE), And on the other side, if we won't do that now, then the problems would be even bigger. And my feeling is but of course, this has to be negotiated and of our colleagues in the next MFF, my feeling is that the biodiversity spending target or the climate targets is here to stay and will also be part of European budget politics for the next year. And this is, of course, something very important where I think we really need to see some action now from the Commission at least, but also in collaboration with the Parliament and the Council.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, My first question is about expenditure ceilings as a understood in the previous questions. You said that there was an increase, but in the German presidency press release, it says that it respects the expenditure ceilings set out by the European Council. I was wondering if you could explain to me, obviously discusses this with one another.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, Also, the second question, if I understand correctly, you are expecting that the national parliaments will only ratify this agreement by the spring. Does this mean that countries will only see these funds in the end of next year?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, And last question about the new own resources. Is this year's implementation legally binding or member states can retreat from this agreement if they approve it? Of course, in the European Council. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), OK, thank you for your questions, first of all, concerning ceilings, effectively, there are an increasing financial envelopes of the programmes and the fines were not in the proposal because normally the money from fines went directly to member states before. And now what we can mobilise is part of this money will remain in the European budget oriented directly to the programmes.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), And this is important because it's not only a declaration or an intention is clear to which programme the money will be allocated, and it's programmes like Horizon, like Erasmus or Creative Europe, like humanity aid, like rights and values and others. And first of all, to health. We decided to tripling the health programme because, as we can understand, is the most important in the moment.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), So concerning the calendar effectively is a challenge point and we are working to finalise the exercise. And my colleagues already explained before that the Parliament is doing and is delivering on time, the point is the ratification from national parliaments. But I wish that the money will arrive to the member states before the end of next year.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL), Very shortly, is there any contradiction between what the German presidency is saying and our approach, what Ms Margaret said? Of course, the ceilings have been agreed in the European Council decision, the European Council. So it's not changed. But during this seven year period, there will be fines, which will be the external, like the revenue is coming to the budget and next we will use it.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL), So the agreement is not to change the ceilings from the beginning, but to reinforce the programmes anyway from the the other sources. So I think this is the kind of agreement. So the German presidency is saying absolutely true. And we are also have the right in saying that we will reinforce. And they agreed. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), On the resources decision. We have decided we have to give our opinion to open Parliament in 16 of September. The Council didn't decide until now. Why? Under the own resources decision, give the possibility this is own resources decision that gives the possibility to the European Commission to go to the markets to borrow the 750 billion. And usually the time to the ratification by the national parliaments is more than a year. Between one and two years.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), It's urgent. And the citizens need to know that the Council are delaying this decision. The excuse of the agreement of the rule of law. It's done, doesn't exist. The agreement of the MFF is done, doesn't exist. And now they need to decide quickly because a lot of a vast majority of the national parliaments need to give the ratification. The question about the own resources agreement that we have is legally binding. Yes. Is the interinstitutional agreement.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), We have put the important principle where we say we need a basket of resources and this basket need to be sufficient to reach to the repayment of the debt to avoid cuts in the programmes. And in defence we are protecting we need to protect the citizens and the next generation. That's why we have asked also to put the repayment of the debt above the ceilings because now is zero point zero point zero point zero one percent of the budget.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), But the repayment of the the debt in the next MFF will be 10 percent of the budget and is not acceptable to cut the programmes and the funds. That's why we have also declarations. We have also this principle that the Council agree, and I'm sure that we need to respect these principles and I am confident and we have an excellent agreement.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), A historic agreement where we have new own resources, where where we have increased the amounts for European programmes and we maintain the national envelopes. And we have for the first time also the recovery fund based in a guarantee of the European budget. The member states have the tools to fight the pandemic crisis and to give hope and future to all generations.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, Thank you. Before we close, I have two short questions on the details of the agreement. We can take them together. I think the first one is what are the details of the budget, reinforcements for Erasmus and Horizon. And the second question is, what is the calendar for the new own resources?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), So for a quick answer for Erasmus, it's two point two billion, the increase of the financial envelope already existing for Erasmus and already since 2021 budget.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP, PL), But when we speak about the amount's concrete numbers, this was the question, you have to add what has been agreed, plus what we added to this. So when you say for Erasmus+ we added another two point two billion to what has been agreed. Is like the Horizon to what has been agreed by the council, we decided to add I mean, together with the Council, another four billion, four billion for Horizon added to what has been agreed.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), Thank you. Well, I think the most significant example is EU4Health, which stood at one point seven and we added three point four billion. So we tripled the programme. Quite a totally ununderstandable, the Council cut this programme, in this period of time with everything that's happening around this and that, you are all, of course, very, unfortunately, very familiar with.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), We tripled that programme from one point seven to five point four. So it will be important. Of course, that will be important literally in the coming months for everything that needs to be done in order to fight this pandemic. And then I think there was still something on the own resources.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), The calendar of introduction of new own resources. The calendar is legally binding and we have different steps. And for each new own resources, we have dates of proposals by the Commission, dates of vote, by the Council and date of introduction.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), For these first steps we have, we would have a proposal from the Commission by July 21 and the Commission take the commitment to speed up its work to take into consideration the failure of the negotiations at the OECD level for digital. So then, deliberations in the Council by July 22 and January 23, these three new own resources enter into force.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), Then we have the second and third steps with FTT and possible other new own resources. FTT. The work on enhanced cooperation has to be finalised by the end of 22. If there is a failure, the Commission will propose, make a proposal by July 24, with deliberation in the Council by 25th and they enter into force by 26th and then another step. But we with the same date for all the new own resources.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Press officer, Thank you very much. Before I close, I would just like to remind you that tomorrow there will be a press conference by the President Sassoli at quarter past three on the same topic, on the preliminary agreement on the MFF and the own resources. So tomorrow, 15:15, president Sassoli. Thanks a lot for coming and see you next time.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), Maybe a final word to correct myself, because in the beginning I said I was very proud the team with which I was able to work over the past weeks and I forgot something. I am at least as proud of the collaborators who have been working for us and with us, who have been working, I think, even more hours than we do. I think I speak for all six of us. We really appreciated what you're doing. And thank you very much for it. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, My question is probably close to the previous question. I apologize if too repetitive, but I am a little lost on the question of the interests of the stimulus plan. If I understand it correctly, it is under the ceilings, as the Council wanted. And what assurances did you getthat neither in this MFF Neither in the next, these payments that are so important in the MFF entity will be devolved to its.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), Thank you. Very quickly. True, the interests are in the ceilings, that means under the ceilings. Payment of debt is going to be as the Council wanted, but the future has been protected. There is a joint statement by the institutions that new own resources must be sufficient to pay the debt, with the aim of not reducing programs and funds.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), That means, and it's a principle. This is something that is clear. It is implicit, that it is impossible to accept that debt can in the future, cut programs and funds. Or then reduce the budget after 2027. We also have in this statement that what has happened and grant now does not prejudge what is going to be done in the next multi-annual financial framework. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), Moreover, in the inter-institutional agreement which is binding and the own resources have been put, we have the same wording. This means we need and pledged to have new own resources with the principle that the Council has accepted. The own resources objective, the basket, be sufficient to pay the debt and at the same time, this basket of own resources has the objective of not reducing programs and funds.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johan VAN OVERTVELDT (ECR, BE), And these new own resources will be applied for the next multiannual financial framework with this objective. This means we protected the payment of debt, we protected the future so that it was neither citizens to be charged with new taxes, nor programs have to be cut off. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Question from journalist, Thank you. Yes, so I have a double question is radio. You have a confrere on hunger strike, asking for a tax on financial transactions. Can you tell him today to stop his action? That's my first question. Excuse me for Mrs Marques, as a representative of the Social Democratic Group, but also for a country in the South really affected by the crisis. I would like to know what you think the tension that lasted all this week was worth it given the results, from the point of view of the risk of the delay blocking on the entry into force. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), Thank you, hello, thank you for your question. So, I think you are familiar with the situation in Portugal, the situation in Spain and the situation today in almost all the countries of the European Union. To us it was clear there was, we had a mandate, a mandate such as the the Chairman of the Budgets Committee recalled this at the outset and our aim has since the beginning been to increase European programmes, increase envelopes and finance European programmes.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), Because finally, for the July agreement that paid the bill, it was exactly the European programmes and our goal was to defend the future, the future of the European Union. The future budget of the European Union. This week's effort, of course, it deserved the trouble. We know exactly the complexity of the whole package. We have the fund, the stimulus fund, we have the MFF, the multi-year financial framework and the stimulus fund is supported by the multi-year financial framework.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), We have the rule of law mechanism. We want and we have it or we will vote in plenary. But already there is a political agreement on the creation of a rule of law instrument in order to protect the budget of the European Union. And that is, we still have to discuss. How will the stimulus fund be used by the Member States? And it is in this complexity that we worked. Our mandate was to reach agreement on the multi-annual financial framework.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), Every effort has been made to reach an agreement and reach a good deal. Today, we came to this good deal. Yes, we made all the necessary efforts. The problem that arises later is the entire package. But the European Parliament is fully committed to building and creating conditions for building and following up on the European response that was granted to the European Council in July. Because citizens know exactly what the European response in July is.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), But they are waiting for the European response to reach the Member States. That is why the European Parliament is very mobilized. We did, our mandate. I think we have succeeded in our mandate and now, beyond the multi-annual financial framework, the European Parliament is very mobilized to make the votes, to take the necessary decisions in the most limited time, so that the European response reaches the citizens.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margarida MARQUES (S&D, PT), And this is not only for the countries of the South, of course, but all the Member States of the European Union benefit from the stimulus fund and also from European programmes. European programmes are precisely those that give the European Union added value and can contribute to the future of the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), On the own resources part and answer your question on the financial transaction tax, but first of all, I would like to take this question to recall a long-standing position of the European Parliament. The European Parliament has a number of new own resources and in this basket there is indeed the financial transaction tax. But I would like to remind you of the list of this basket and the six new own resources that the European Parliament is defending and which are now in the agreement that has been agreed. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), The plastic contribution which we know will then enter into force on 1 January 2021, but also the carbon adjustment mechanism at the borders, the tax on digital giants, the greenhouse gas emissions trading system, the financial transaction tax and the common consolidated tax base on companies. All these new own resources have a dual purpose. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), The first, and it has been said, is to repay this stimulus plan because the stimulus must be paid not by European citizens, but by those who do not pay their fair share of taxes today, for example, the digital giants, who are known to emerge as winners of the crisis and which, on the other hand, pay half as much tax in Europe as traditional companies. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), This stimulus must be paid by speculating financial institutions. It must be paid by non-European companies that pollute. This is the European Parliament's course of action. First reason for setting up new own resources. The second reason to put in place the new own resources indicated in my previous remarks is to bring back tax justice. It is to have a link between the budget and the added value of European public policies, green own resources and own resources related to the internal market. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), The financial transaction tax has been the subject of fierce discussions with the German Presidency, and we managed to come across an agreement which is that the Commission makes a proposal in 2024 on the financial transaction tax. The Council will have to deliberate on this in 2025 with a view to introducing it in 2026. The Commission has also committed itself in case the discussions now about enhanced cooperation on the financial transaction tax, should it succeed by 2022, to immediately transform a proposal so that the revenue from this mechanism immediately becomes own resources.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), And this is also new because until now it had never been put on the table for discussions in the context of enhanced cooperation, since the financial transaction tax simply had to fuel national budgets and in no way become a new own resource. This is a key step, an additional step in the construction of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), The agreement that has been understood today with the various own resources is historic. It makes it possible to engrave in marble an additional step in European construction. Indispensable, marks a huge step in the assertion of the European Union and in European budgetary autonomy.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), In French, very quickly, we fought to put the interests out of budget, I did it in a particular way. Now it's 0.01 of the budget. After 2027, in the next multi-annual financial framework, it will be ten percent of the budget. It is because of this that we managed to see interest and the payment of the debt. Of course, it's going to be ten percent of the budget. That's why we have the statement that we need new own resources.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), It is possible to make the question. We wasted time, no. The issue was raised and we didn't waste wasted. We fought on principle. We did not waste time either because at first, the Council would like to give zero and still, we have 16 billion euros. Now we have given our opinion for the decision on own resources. We have a political agreement for the rule of law. We have a political agreement for the MFF. It's over. The Council's excuses are over. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), And now you and the citizens will see clearly who is delaying things because we, in Parliament, the decision that allows the Commission to go to the market called own resources decision. It was decided in September 16, the Council has not yet decided. It must decide unanimously. It is the decision that takes time because we need the ratification of national parliaments. And now we say it's when we're going to get the stimulus fund, when the Council wants to have it because it hasn't even started with the process.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), We are in time for everything. We could even decide the financial framework next week. We wouldn't have a problem with the political agreement. We will still give consent. We never delayed anything. But the Council has not yet decided something that is crucial for the European Union. The own resources decision, which allows the Commission to go to the market for the 750 billion. As of today, all the apologies of the Council are over. We'll see how much more time it's going to lose.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), What I think is absolutely structuring for the future of the European Union, is own resources. It is an absolutely structuring, structuring and intrinsically important issue for the future of the European Union. It's one, it's a long-standing battlehorse of the European Parliament. Why? Because for years, way too long, for 32 years, there has been no reform of the European Union's own resources system. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), And that's why, every seven years, we see Heads of State and Government exchanging bird names at the time of budget discussions. Why? Because everyone, including the most pro-Europeans, comes to the negotiating table with their national budgetary constraints. Tomorrow, with own resources, it will allow us to put aside its budgetary constraints and really focus on the future of the European Union, on a project structuring for the future of the European Union. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), And on what objectives, what ambitions, which projects are carried out for the European Union. This is the very spirit of the new own resources. It has been noted in the difficult negotiation which has been conducted with debate, to introduce two proposals by the Commission on voting dates in the Council, the date of introduction for each of these new own resources which I mentioned earlier. And then we negotiated, too. We negotiated the fact that it was already said by José Manuel, but I recall it and it is absolutely structuring for the future.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), It has been negotiated that the income from own resources would cover the burden of borrowing, but not only that. It has been negotiated that the burden of borrowing, that programs are preserved, but not only that again. We have also negotiated that the surplus of own resources will remain in the budget for the future. .

SOUNDBITE (Original), Valérie HAYER (Renew Europe, FR), It is absolutely structuring because the Member States will not be able to say we have revenues that are higher than the burden of borrowing and therefore we will use these resources to reduce, for example, our national contributions. Again, we change logic, we change our paradigm and we are going out of intergovernmental Europe. So yes, it's absolutely structuring for the future.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), Very quickly, I hope we won't get out of here with the idea that we managed a budget of 16 billion euros. We managed a budget that the Council had granted and added 16 billion euros that we added up for the period of 2021 to 2027. On the issue of own resources, yes, one and they are the agreement and in the impulsional agreement. It's binding. We have a binding agreement on own resources and I will not repeat so as not to waste time everything I have said and everything my colleague has said on this point.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), On the question of the entry into force of the stimulus fund, it depends on the advice. It's a shame, but it delays the decision. He could have decided already. It should be noted that the own resources decision requiring ratification requires national parliaments to take between one year and two years. We are in a different situation. Exceptional. It requires it to be quick.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), I'm asked it's possible that it's done in January. I'd say yes. It depends on the Council. It depends on the ratification of national parliaments. It's almost impossible. It's almost impossible, but that's why we need it to be fast. It must be very, very urgent. And the citizens of the European Union should know that the Council has on the table the possibility of unanimous decisions on the decision of own resources.

SOUNDBITE (Original), José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), Since September 16, it has not yet decided. It came with all the excuses. We need the rule of law. It's done. We need an agreement on the MFF. It's done. The excuses are over. I hope it's quick so that money arrives quickly to the citizens. Arrives quickly to the economy.