European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF)
The Future of Europe debates in the European Parliament, 2018-19: A synthesis of the speeches by EU Heads of State and Government
The debates held in the European Parliament on the Future of Europe offered a unique opportunity for Heads of State or Government to present their views on the future direction that the EU-27 should take. This exercise showed, on the one hand, that the question of which policy areas are of compelling importance differs among the speakers, and, on the other hand, that they have converging views on many issues. Continue reading
The Juncker Commission’s ten priorities: An end-of-term assessment
As the European Parliament reaches the end of its 2014-2019 mandate and the European Commission approaches the end of its term, it is timely to look back at the commitments made by the Juncker Commission when it took office in 2014 and assess to what extent it has delivered. Continue reading
How the EU budget is spent: Spending programmes under the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework
The EU budget corresponds to around 2 % of total public spending in the European Union, and its impact on the economy is debated, with many analysts deeming it relatively small in size in comparison with the wide range of policy areas in which the EU has responsibilities. However, the EU budget has features that can amplify its impact, starting with the underpinning idea that pooling resources at EU level can be more efficient and effective in a number of policy areas than individual expenditure by Member States. Continue reading
How the EU budget is spent: Fight against fraud: Pericles 2020, Hercule III and AFIS
Member States share an obligation with the EU to protect the Union’s financial interests and to counter fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities affecting them under Article 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), on which the EU anti-fraud programme is based. Continue reading
EU policies – Delivering for citizens: Agriculture [Policy Podcast]
The common agricultural policy (CAP) is one of the oldest common policies in the EU. Its significance is reflected in the proportion of the EU’s budget devoted to it, representing approximately 40 % of the total. Continue reading
EU policies – Delivering for citizens: Security and defence [Policy Podcast]
Security and defence policy in the European Union is predominantly a competence of the Member States. At the same time, a common security and defence policy, which could progressively lead to a European defence union, is enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty. Continue reading
EU policies – Delivering for citizens: Future financing of EU policies [Policy Podcast]
The principle of subsidiarity means that the European Union (EU) should act where it can do so more effectively than its constituent Member States individually, and this also holds true in the area of public finance – the EU’s budget together with off-budget tools for financing EU policies. Continue reading
European Parliament Plenary Session, March I 2019
The agenda for the first plenary session in March features, for this month’s debate on the Future of Europe, the attendance on Tuesday morning of Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic. Continue reading
Nuclear Safety outside the EU: Proposal for a new Council regulation [EU Legislation in Progress]
In the context of the Commission’s proposal for a multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the 2021-2027 period, the Commission published a proposal for a Council regulation establishing a European instrument for nuclear safety complementing the neighbourhood, development and international cooperation instrument on the basis of the Euratom Treaty on 14 June 2018. Continue reading
The InvestEU programme: Continuing EFSI in the next MFF [EU Legislation in Progress]
Since its launch in November 2014, the Investment Plan for Europe (IPE) has had considerable success in mobilising private investment across Europe. Despite its success, investment levels in Europe remain below pre-crisis levels. Continue reading
EU anti-fraud programme 2021-2027 [EU Legislation in Progress]
proposal for a regulation establishing an EU anti-fraud programme under the new 2021 to 2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF). Continue reading
The EU’s long-term budget framework [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Since May 2018, European Union governments and the European Parliament are negotiating the next long-term budget for the bloc, the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027, in a bid to secure sufficient resourses for new priorities such as security, defence and migrationm and to respond in a realistic way to the financial consequences of the the UK withdrwal from the EU. Continue reading
Economic and Budgetary Outlook for the European Union 2019
This EPRS study, the third in an annual series, provides an overview of the economic and budgetary situation in the EU and beyond. It summarises the main economic indicators in the Union and euro area, and their two-year trends. Continue reading
EPRS Event: Europe’s challenges in 2019: Ten issues to watch
How can collective intelligence help tackle social inequalities? What is Europe’s role in the current trade wars? How can the EU27 move forward? These questions and many more were discussed during the EPRS roundtable discussion ‘Europe’s challenges in 2019’ following the publication of the third edition of the annual EPRS ‘Ten issues to watch’. After … Continue reading
European Parliament Plenary Session, January 2019
January is traditionally the month to look forward, and consider the issues to watch for the year ahead. The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, will speak in the session on Wednesday morning, for the latest instalment in the series of debates on the Future of Europe. Continue reading
Outcome of the meetings of EU Heads of State or Government, 13-14 December 2018
The meetings of EU Heads of State or Government that took place on 13-14 December 2018 dealt with a more extensive agenda than originally planned. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, December 2018
The December plenary session was marked by theterrorist attack that took place in Strasbourg on 11 December. Continue reading
Outlook for the European Council and Euro Summit, 13-14 December 2018
On 13 and 14 December, EU Heads of State or Government will hold their last meeting of 2018. Their discussions will mainly focus on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the single market and migration. Continue reading
Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 14 June 2018, the European Commission published a proposal for a regulation establishing the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) III as part of a set of external action instruments under the new 2021 to 2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF). Continue reading
European Defence Fund: Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 [EU Legislation in Progress]
In June 2018, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal on a European Defence Fund, including a budget allocation of €13 billion in current prices for the 2021 to 2027 period. Continue reading
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