2013 EU budget and MMF: the EU must show real vision and a clear strategy out of the crisis.
Today MEPs will vote on the Parliament����s position on the 2013 EU budget and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2014-2020.
In a time of crisis and serious difficulties for many European citizens, it is of crucial importance that Europe shows that it really has a long-term vision. Clearly, difficult times can also be seen as an opportunity to remedy all the economic issues that require solutions, for the better. But this of course is only possible provided there is a clear strategy behind it. Simply making cuts as asked by the Council will not lead us out of the current crisis and risks making life even harder for many people across the Union.
Europe must therefore be clear about what it wants to achieve and which future it really wants to offer to its citizens.
In order to make the transition to a green economy reality, stimulate the creation of green jobs and protect our precious natural resources, the Greens/EFA group advises the European Parliament to continue allocating an appropriate level of resources to R&D, structural funds and other economy-stimulating measures. As for the MFF, the group is also asking for the introduction of a meaningful system of own resources for financing the EU budget to end the damaging annual haggling����
The group also asks for an end to all plans that waste large sums of taxpayers` money such as that of the ITER nuclear fusion research pipe-dream and demand that any European funds in the area of nuclear energy be used exclusively to accelerate the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. EU money should not be spent on projects that threaten the lives and local environment of its 500 million people but should rather facilitate the fast and sustainable transformation of our economy and our energy sector and support all the promised ambitious climate-related activities. Green spending must therefore take the centre ground.
In the last years, there have been several good examples of EU money well spent, which have helped stimulate the economy while protecting the environment. Europe must continue supporting great initiatives of this kind to stimulate economic recovery, rebuild confidence among its citizens and make the transition to a greener, more efficient Europe finally come true.