The financial prospects for 2007/2013 "do not offer Europe a budget that will increase prosperity, solidarity and security". These are the outspoken words of German Euro-MP Reimer Böge, speaking about the subject, who today should invite the Budget Commission of the EU Assembly to reject the agreement reached last December at the summit of the Heads of State and Heads of Government of the 25 member states, which fixes the long-term budget resources at 1.045% of the European Gross Domestic Product. The Commission, which will meet in the afternoon, opens the budget approval procedure, under which an agreement should be reached between Parliament and the Council, the two budget decision-makers. Just after the December meeting, the president of Parliament, Josep Borrell, had stated that "we cannot extend the EU if we reduce its resources". The Euro-MPs have insisted on several occasions on the fact the position taken by the governments does not keep into due account the need for investments in training, research and technological innovation, areas that are considered essential for economic competitiveness and to implement the Lisbon Strategy. Even the EU Conference of the Peripheral Maritime Regions (Crpm, which is composed of 154 local and regional bodies) stated, in a letter sent to Borrell, that "the budget lacks ambition". Crpm president Claudio Martini (president of the Region Tuscany) wrote that "it is essential to keep a consistent budget, otherwise we risk falling prey to a completely negative euro-scepticism".
