Press Point Presentation of the Commission's Draft Budget 2020

SOUNDBITE (English), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources, We are proposing more investments for research and development than ever. Our programm horizon 2020 should have about 13.2 Billion for the next year.

SOUNDBITE (English), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources, It's a budget with commitments about 166 Billion for 2020 and payments is about 153 billion. 166 billion is about 0.99 percent of our EU28 GNI and payments is about 0.9 of our European 28 GNI. So we are accepting fully the ceiling coming form the Multiannual Financial Framework

SOUNDBITE (English), Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), Rapporteur for the annual budget 2020, The reinforcement of innovation and research is one of the most important goals of the European Parliament since now five years. We always underlined that Horizon 2020 and explicitly the programs in Horizon 2020 that are supporting future emerging technologies, supporting the innovation of SMEs (Small and medium-sized enterprises). 

SOUNDBITE (English), Vladim&#237;r MA&#327;KA (S&amp;D, SK), Rapporteur for other sections, It is very necessary to decrease bureaucracy and find, especially, the reserves in interinstitutional cooperation. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR), Chair of the BUDG Committee, If we have to increase the budget of the European Union we have to demonstrate that if we increase the budget of the European Union we do not increase public spending in Europe. That means we have to identify the European common goods: Defence, security, migration, climate, digital. And maybe to consider that at the national level, the public spending is not really efficient. And probably to transfer spending from the national level to the European level. 

SOUNDBITE (English), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources, Maybe if there is an exit of the United Kingdom without any agreement and we would miss for the moment - because the UK is a net payer, a so-called net payer - 12 billion. We have to close the gap immediately. And therefore we would need in October an amending budget and this would bring - no doubt - extraordinary discussions. 