Solidarity and sobriety

Funding is given -in limited amounts owing to the ongoing financial and economic crisis – to development, innovation, employment, the environment, migration flows, support to the progress of democracy in Arab countries. Although much more could be done with more resources… EU Parliament and Council, Europe’s budgetary authorities, recently adopted – at the end of lengthy debates – the 2012 budget with which the EU finances its territorial cohesion policies, for the promotion of sustainable agriculture, to boost security, to protect consumers and much more. The general rapporteur of the European Parliament for the new year is Italian MEP Francesca Balzani, lawyer, with former responsibilities in the civic administration of her city of residence (Genoa). She was elected at the Assembly in Strasbourg in 2009, a member of the Socialist and Democrat group. Gianni Borsa interviewed her in Strasbourg for SIR Europe.In a snapshot, 2012 figures are: 129.1 billion euro for payment and 147.2 billion for expense commitments; amounting to approximately 1% of EU27 GDP. Increases have been limited as requested by Member States, owing to the ongoing recession. Are there sufficient resources to implement EU community policies? “The EU budget is always considerable, although when compared to the EU with 27 Member States and 500 million citizens figures come into smaller proportion. In the ongoing difficult economic and financial phase we have tried to limit requests and in this sense a balance with the Council was reached. But the budget is due to increase in the coming years in order to comply with the EU bodies’ commitments for European citizens stipulated in the treaties”.Which are the general features of this budget? “First of all I must say that it’s a solidarity budget. Approximately half of all funding is for cohesion and structural funds, namely, to tools and opportunities aimed at ensuring that the EU proceeds at a joint pace, thereby promoting territorial development and granting more aid to the communities that are most in need. It could be best described as a redistribution budget, for equality between member states, regions and local bodies. The chapter that focuses on the financial question, on cohesion, envisages measures for the establishment of infrastructures, for transport, research, employment, education. Thus there is no investment shortage…”.At community level, there is much talk of the Europe 2020 strategy for growth, employment and innovation. But it’s not always easy to identity its concrete aspects. Does the budget account for this? “Europe 2020 was a major item debated by the European Parliament in the budgetary negotiations, delivering remarkable results. We decided to increase funding for only a few areas which in fact – in line with Europe 2020 – are those area regarding competitiveness, research, Digital Agenda, education, youth, and to combat poverty. Special emphasis is placed on the funds for the Lifelong Learning program addressed to all age brackets”.Spending on agriculture, rural development and natural resources accounts for 40% of EU budgetary expenditure. Even though by tradition the European Community thrived also on agricultural activity and rearing, aren’t these sums too high considering the importance of this sector within the larger framework of EU economy? “In reality, agriculture today means food security, independent supplies, protection of the soil, water and forests. It’s a sector which is undergoing rapid changes under the banner of environmental sustainability to which we ascribe a primary role for consumer heath protection. Funding for agriculture should be understood from this perspective”.There are also other chapters of the budget, albeit much less consistent, for citizenship, migration flows, justice, Foreign affairs. What the decisions have been taken in the latter area? “We took the EU’s presence on the world scenario as our benchmark, along with neighbourhood policy and support to the so-called Arab spring, humanitarian aid and the promotion of human rights, which includes funds for support to the Palestinian population”. All considered, administrative expenditure for the “bureaucratic apparatus” of the EU is a small part of the budget. Moreover, there is an anomaly as relates to the Parliament, whose activities are carried out in three seats: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg. Would you be in favour of closing the seat of Luxembourg, as largely requested, despite its symbolical value for European integration? “Yes, I would be in favour of focusing European Parliament activities in the Brussels’ seat. In times of crisis and budgetary restrictions some sacrifices should be taken into account, like eliminating the costs – that are also environmental -of the transfer of all MEPs once a month from Brussels to Strasbourg”.