Towards the 2012 budget

Solidarity with the Japanese people and commitment on the part of the EU and member states “to furnish all the necessary assistance and support” to the Asian country following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear incident of Fukushima: that’s the position expressed by the European Parliament which approved a resolution by a large majority at the end of its plenary of 23-24 March. The session of the EP, held in Brussels, also included a debate in the run-up to the European Council (24-25 March).Budget, major objectives. The parliamentary session examined the guidelines for the EU budget in 2012: MEPs insist that the budget should be targeted at growth, development and employment. The Italian MEP Francesca Balzani, rapporteur for the budget, declared: “The text submitted to our examination is not only on the priorities for the next budget, but is especially a strategic document on the new role that the EU budget must have in the framework of stronger economic governance”. The EU budget for 2012, according to the resolution approved by the EP, ought to “have as its aim the realization of the five objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy: employment, innovation, research, climate and energy, education and social inclusion”. The Parliament considers that the Council’s request to under-finance some items on the budget, “especially those relating to policies of cohesion, citizenship and foreign affairs, could put at risk the effectiveness of existing programmes, if unexpected events should occur”, such as the disorders registered in some countries of North Africa, and if “the political priorities should have to be altered as a result”.A few additional billions? The EU budget is especially aimed at funding projects that are developed over several years, such as those in the sector of research, regional development, the protection of the environment and the realization of infrastructures. Next year will be the sixth year of the financial perspectives currently in force (2007-2013) and “so many projects are in a terminal phase, with the consequence of a growth of payments over the previous years”. For this reason, MEPs consider an increase of the budget in 2012 appropriate and possible. According to the European Commissioner for the Budget Janusz Lewandowski, this increase “could be around 6 or 7 billion euro more than in 2011”. The European Commission will present its own proposal for the 2012 budget on 20 April, thus initiating the procedure for its adoption which needs the joint approval of European Parliament and Council. The budget ought to be adopted by December 2011.Serious accusations, resignations. The opening of the session of the EP, however, was not one of the most reassuring. The President of the EP, Jerzy Buzek, had in fact commented on the situation following the accusations published by the British paper “The Sunday Times” the previous week, according to which some MEPs had accepted bribes from fake lobby-journalists in exchange for promises to table amendments to some EU regulations. The President reported: “One of our colleagues, the Hon. Thaler, has offered his resignation and another colleague, the Hon. Strasser, has announced his intention to do so in the days ahead”. A third MEP, Adrian Severin, has left his political group, but has not yet resigned from Parliament.Integrity and “zero tolerance”. “These resignations are the result of grave accusations that have appeared in the press due to the irregular conduct on the part of some deputies of this Parliament”, said Buzek. The Office of Presidency is following the case, which could have further repercussions: “Speaking on behalf of the Office of Presidency and, I believe, of the majority of my colleagues seated in this chamber – said Buzek -, we are determined to show zero tolerance for actions of this kind that have led to the resignations of our colleagues. As President, I am determined to maintain the integrity of this Assembly and of all its members”. The Polish politician promised vigilance in investigating the accusations, commitment to discovering the truth, and full cooperation with the competent authorities. “The Parliament must also reinforce its code of conduct” and introduce “a legally binding code for lobbies within the institutions of the European Union”. The problem will be re-discussed during the next plenary, scheduled to be held in Strasbourg from 4 to 7 April. On its agenda are: governance and partnership in the single market, credits to exports, efforts to curb violence against women, fishing policy, fourth UN Conference on the less developed countries, and progress of the candidate countries (Iceland, Macedonia).