During the EP plenary session (24-27 October 2016) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the draft general budget of the European Union for 2017. Statements by Jens GEIER (S&amp;D,DE) and Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA,EE) , Rapporteurs&nbsp;

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

TARAND, Indrek (Greens/EFA, EE)

GEIER, Jens (S&D, DE)

EU budget 2017 (T)

Draft general budget of the European Union for 2017: statements by Jens GEIER (S&D,DE) and Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA,EE) , Rapporteurs

SOUNDBITE (English), Jens GEIER (S&amp;D, DE), Rapporteur, The European institutions all agree that the more pressing issues are growth and jobs on the one hand, and to cope with the migration crisis on the other. The European Parliament wants to show what can be done if all the things are mobilised for the budget and money is given. So what we hope is a connection with a revision on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) that would allow to put a little bit more money into the budget and, when you ask me for an example, we have the Youth Employment Initiative that helps a lot combating youth unemployment in Europe, and it works. Youth unemployment rates have dropped, 17% of youngsters that have been inside some scheme that has been supported by the European Youth Employment Initiative find a new job after they have been in the scheme. So what we do is now asking for more money and more on that budget line to help more youngsters. And what we want is 1.5 billion in order to get something really done against youth unemployment.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jens GEIER (S&amp;D, DE), Rapporteur, If we agree on the priorities, priorities have to be supported in a priority way. And it doesn&rsquo;t make any sense to make small cuts &ndash; I have to admit they are small cuts &ndash; but they target priority budget lines. So if we agree that growth and jobs are a priority, and 51% of the cuts that the Council has made correspond to the category, to what is exactly on that issue, they are acting inconsequently. And that is what we have politically attacked.

SOUNDBITE (English), Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA, EE), Rapporteur, The governments should understand that their contributions are only 1% of national GDP, which is a marginal, sort of small sum of money compared to what is the size of their economies. So for instance, when my daughter has ten euros for weekly pocket money, and she doesn&rsquo;t buy lemonade for all of it, and saves three euros, I as a father don&rsquo;t ask it back at the end of year. I just let her save it for other purposes. And the Member States, instead of fighting each other on how much can we get back from the European Union&rsquo;s budget, should do the same.

SOUNDBITE (English), Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA, EE), Rapporteur, We talked about 1.5 billion euros, which is a little bit less than the European Parliament&rsquo;s own annual budget, but this money could be spent to all young people in the European Union. For instance you have INTERRAIL connexions. And I still do remember, in 1992 my student friends,who were EU citizens, took a train and went to Barcelona. But I didn&rsquo;t have the money to get on the train. So I stayed there. So I remember the feeling, and I still do believe that these kind of programs are exactly what Europe needs to do. Erasmus, I mean, when I was 26 I couldn&rsquo;t even imagine I would ever cross the Soviet Union&rsquo;s border, not to speak about studying abroad. Now we have this opportunity, and if we look again at the sums, compare it to &ndash; let say &ndash; cohesion funds, agriculture funds, it&rsquo;s not much. And we shouldn&rsquo;t be mean on that, we shouldn&rsquo;t block the possibilities for the coming generations.

SOUNDBITE (English), Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA, EE), Rapporteur, This budget for 2017 in my opinion and in the opinion of many other members, is stronger, greener and more democratic. So, the green aspects I love them. The strength aspect, I can agree with that. And more democracy that&rsquo;s sort of my religion. If we see an abuse or waste of public funds, we should react. And that&rsquo;s what we did.