Loud and clear: Parliamentarians firmly reject potential cuts to EU aid budget
Europe’s leaders are negotiating the next long-term EU budget for 2014 to 2020, and over the past weeks we are hearing increasingly worrying news that concrete proposals for €51 billion of EU aid to the world’s poorest are coming under serious threat. Several governments are considering cuts to lifesaving EU aid programmes ahead of a leaders’ summit on the budget that is scheduled for 22-23 November.
More than 100,000 European citizens have already signed our petition asking leaders to protect EU aid in these budget negotiations. We’re happy to share with you that as of this morning, the European Parliament’s Budget Committee has joined our fight! Today, the Committee adopted a report on the 7-year EU budget and included a strong statement that defines that the current Commission proposals for those funding lines that include development and humanitarian aid (the European Development Fund and Heading 4) must be considered the ‘bare minimum to achieve Europe’s ambition in the world’.
Eloise Todd, Brussels Director of ONE said:
“EU development aid must be saved from cuts: that is the message from MEPs today. The majority of Europeans support these lifesaving funds so the Parliament is on the side of public opinion. Thanks to the commitment of MEPs like Charles Goerens, Ivailo Kalfin, Reimer Boege and Goran Farm, the Parliament position is as strong as it needs to be to make sure effective aid spending is protected. In just over a month, presidents and prime ministers will meet to decide where in the EU budget cuts should fall. The message is now loud and clear: protect aid for the world’s poorest – those cuts would cost lives.”
Once adopted by the full Parliament in a vote scheduled for 23 October, the report adopted today will guide the Parliament’s position in talks with EU Member States over the final terms of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Check out our “Lifesaver of the Century” campaign and help us protect €51 billion of EU development aid to the world’s poorest now: www.one.org/lifesaver
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