Buzek, Barroso en Orbán overleggen over toekomstige meerjarig financieel raamwerk na 2013 (en) - Hoofdinhoud

EP President Jerzy Buzek i will meet European Commission President José Manuel Barroso i and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán i for the Council Presidency on Wednesday morning for a discussion on the future long-term budget framework for the EU after 2013. The Treaty indicates that a series of such meetings should be held as these plans are developed.

President Buzek said:

"This is the first such meeting stemming from article 324 of the Lisbon Treaty which says that the three Presidents should take all the necessary steps to promote consultation and the reconciliation of the positions of the institutions in order to facilitate the implementation of the MFF [multiannual financial framework] post-2013.

I strongly welcome this initial meeting as it will help to ensure that the post-2013 MFF is adopted with the interests of the Parliament on board. The MFF cannot be adopted without the approval of the European Parliament.

The Parliament has pushed for these meetings to take place now, well ahead of time, and I am happy that these will continue on a regular basis to facilitate the adoption of the long term budget."

The meeting takes place at 8am at the EP in Strasbourg.

Background:  Annual EU budgets are based on a longer-term multiannual financial framework (MFF) which sets the parameters and priorities for EU spending over a longer period.  The current MFF runs from 2007 to 2013 and work is beginning on drafting the framework for the next period.  One of the Parliament's main aims in the recent negotiations on the 2011 EU budget was to make sure that MEPs would be properly involved in developing the new MFF.  According to the Treaty, Parliament's approval is required for an MFF to be adopted.