European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
EU budget
Understanding EU financing for external action
In the face of the changing nature of the geopolitical environment in the past decade and its own internal challenges, the EU has reflected upon and adjusted its vision for its global role. Continue reading
Economic and Budgetary Outlook for the European Union 2021
Growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in Europe collapsed in 2020 as a result of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading
Ten issues to watch in 2021
The year ahead of us is critical in many ways: 2021 is the first year of recovery after the coronavirus pandemic hit the world in 2020. In the five-year European political cycle, it is a year in which progress towards significant action and implementation are expected, after a first year generally more focused on declarations and planning. And global events and geopolitical tensions make it no less critical at international level. Continue reading
Adoption of the European Union’s 2021 Budget
During the December plenary session, the European Parliament is due to adopt the European Union’s general budget for the year 2021. Continue reading
Parliament’s consent to the 2021-2027 MFF
During the December part-session, Parliament is due to vote on giving consent to the Council Regulation that establishes the EU’s next multiannual financial framework (MFF). Parliament consent requires a majority of its component Members (353 votes). Continue reading
EU financing for 2021-2027: Political agreement on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the Next Generation EU (NGEU) recovery instrument and new own resources
This briefing provides a graphic presentation of the political agreement reached on 10 November 2020 between the Parliament and the Council Presidency, enabling the EU to finance the extraordinary needs in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. It highlights the improvements that the European Parliament achieved in particular. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 10-11 December 2020
On 10 and 11 December, EU leaders will meet for their 13th meeting of 2020, bringing to a close a year of exceptionally intensive activity for the European Council. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – November II 2020
During the second November 2020 plenary session, Parliament held a number of debates with Council and the European Commission. Discussions concerned fundamental rights issues such as abortion rights in Poland, the new LGBTIQ equality strategy, and Hungarian interference in the media in Slovenia and North Macedonia. Continue reading
InvestEU programme: The EU’s new investment support scheme [EU Legislation in Progress]
The InvestEU programme is a single investment support mechanism for the 2021-2027 period. It would bring together various EU financial instruments for internal policies that are currently supported by different funds and programmes of the EU budget. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council video-conference of 19 November 2020
Initially planned to discuss only the EU response to the coronavirus pandemic, recent developments required EU leaders to dedicate attention to other issues during the European Council video-conference meeting of 19 November 2020. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – November I 2020
During the first November 2020 plenary session, the main debate followed Council and Commission statements on the multiannual financial framework (including own resources), on a rule of law conditionality mechanism and the recovery fund for Europe, subsequent to the agreements recently reached by Parliament’s negotiators in trilogue negotiations. Continue reading
Thirty years of European territorial cooperation [Policy Podcast]
Established in 1990, the first European territorial cooperation initiative, Interreg I, focused on cross-border cooperation. Continue reading
European Parliament Plenary Session – October II 2020
Parliament’s second plenary session in October will be the first ever to be held entirely virtually, due to the ongoing pandemic. Continue reading
Outlook for the European Council of 15-16 October 2020
Only two weeks after the last European Council meeting, EU Heads of State or Government gather again on 15-16 October 2020, to address future EU-UK relations, EU-Africa relations and climate change. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Brussels, October I 2020
During the first October 2020 plenary session in Brussels, Parliament held a debate on the rule of law and fundamental rights in the context of introducing conditionality measures in the framework of the 2021‑2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) and Next Generation EU. Continue reading
European Parliament Plenary Session – September 2020
While Parliament and its Members were hopeful that the plenary session would return to Strasbourg this month, the significantly higher Covid‑19 health risks for the local population as well as Members and staff mean that the 14-17 September 2020 session will take place in Brussels. Continue reading
EU budget and recovery fund: Is it a done deal? [What Think Tanks are thinking]
After nearly five days of tough negotiations, the European Council agreed on the EU’s next seven-year budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), worth more than one trillion euros from 2021 to 2027, and crucially, on an additional 750-billion euro fund to help countries recover from the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading
Outcome of the Special European Council meeting of 17-21 July 2020
After almost five days of negotiations, the European Council finally reached a political agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021 to 2027 and a specific recovery instrument following the coronavirus crisis – Next Generation EU (NGEU) – together totalling €1 824.3 billion. Continue reading
Future financing of the Union: MFF, Own Resources and Next Generation EU
On 21 July, EU Heads of State or Government reached a political agreement on the future design of EU finances. Continue reading
Negotiations on the next MFF and the EU recovery instrument: Key issues ahead of the July European Council
The current multiannual financial framework (MFF), also known as the EU’s long-term budget, comes to an end this year. Continue reading
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