During the plenary session (11 - 13 November 2020) of the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate Multiannual Financial Framework (including Own Resources), Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism and the Recovery Fund for Europe. Opening statement by Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration. The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

statement

debate

plenary session

EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (T)

HAHN, Johannes (AT, EC)

Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 (T)

Multiannual Financial Framework (including Own Resources), Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism and the Recovery Fund for Europe. Opening statement by Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Thank you, Mr President, honourable members, I have to say today it's a great honour and pride to be able to address this plenary. Yesterday, I think we all together made history. The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission negotiating teams reached an unprecedented agreement on the MFF and Next Generation EU and on own resources.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, We started this journey in 2018 with Brexit as the biggest challenge for the next EU budget at that time. Of course, nobody could have imagined that the covid-19 pandemic would have sadly taken, threatened the lives of our citizens, put a strain on our economies, businesses and internal market. This new context has been very present in our MFF negotiations.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, We are demonstrating that Europe is up to the challenge, that European institutions can live up to their responsibilities in the face of this unparalleled crisis. Unprecedented circumstances call for unprecedented responses. That is why, once adopted the new long term budget, the Next Generation EU will represent the largest package ever financed by the union budget with a total of one point eight billion euro.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, This package will help member states' business regions and citizens face the pandemic and rebuild a post covid-19 Europe, a new Europe, which will be cleaner, more digital, more resilient and better fit for the current and forthcoming challenges. These negotiations have been lengthy and difficult but yet, thanks to the constructive spirit of all institutions, including this Parliament, which I thank we have managed to reach a good deal for institutions and most importantly, for our citizens.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, May I say on a personal note, I would in particular thank the key representatives of the Parliament in these negotiations, we all know it was not always easy to get an agreement to find a common position, but at the end of the day, you made it. We made it. And I think this is something I really would like to honour, to salute and to acknowledge.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, It's a good deal for the Parliament. I have to acknowledge, and I am grateful for this, because you have attained a number of achievements, including the reinforcement of 50 billion for specific programmes compared to the 21 July European Council agreement. This includes flagship programmes of our union and key priorities of this parliament, such as Horizon Europe, Investible Erasmus plus Creative Europe, Health for Europe, you name it.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, The increase is very substantial for programmes such as the Rights and Values and as I mentioned already, EU for Health, which will respectively double and triple compared to the level agreed by member states in July. Moreover, 30 percent of the EU funds will be spent to fight climate change, the highest share ever and the key priority of this parliament, while they do not harm principle, applies to the whole of the EU budget.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Let me just underline that we must also endeavour to translate this ambition into sectoral legislation. The agreed package also pays attention to biodiversity and gender mainstreaming. The agreement boosts the modernisation of our policies. Considerable funding will be allocated to research and innovation for climate and digital transition, while the transition fund and the Digital Programme Preparedness, Recovery and Resilience where the Recovery and Resilience Facility rescue and then the mentioned EU for health programme.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, The Parliament called several times for flexibility and this budget will have increased mechanism to guarantee it has the capacity to address unforeseen needs. The flexibility instrument has been increased further by one more billion. The overfunctioning for special instruments is preserved even with a new set of special instruments which followed the European Council agreement.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, The Commission has also committed in a declaration to present a review of the long term budget by 1st of January 2020 and as appropriate, a proposal for a revision. Another big achievement that parliament and the union as a whole that I salute is a clear roadmap towards new own resources to repay the borrowing for Next Generation EU.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Reform of their own resources was not undertaken since the 80s, and we have also succeeded in this during these difficult times. Another collective achievement is our agreement on a rule of law mechanism giving us more power to protect European Union taxpayers' money. This will be accompanied by an integrated and interoperable information and monitoring system to ensure the collection and comparability of information on the final beneficiaries to avoid and counter conflicts of interest, irregularities, issues of double funding and criminal misuse of funds.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, So I count on your support in translating these provisions into the sectoral legislation. Honourable members, with all this good news, we must not forget one thing. We still have essential steps to make for the MFF and Next Generation EU to be in place indeed as of January 2021, such as agreed, the annual budget and completing the sectorial instruments.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Time is extremely short and the covid-19 conditions remain extremely challenging. Our citizens and businesses need the EU budget support. We are in the final sprint and once again, I thank you for your strong commitment and dedication. Thank you very much.