The socialists in the European Parliament have accused Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of offering only “window dressing” in the changes meant to placate MEPs opposing the draft €2 trillion budget plan.
On Monday, a fractured parliament called off a looming budget rebellion after von der Leyen suggested changes to her controversial plan to merge farm and regional subsidies in the next seven-year EU budget blueprint
“We have heard your concerns,” said von der Leyen as she met MEPs for the first time after offering the concessions. But Iratxe García, the president of the centre-left Socialists & Democrats group, was unimpressed.
“We’ve written to you. We’ve listened to you. We’ve made proposals to you that are clear, viable, and profoundly European,” said García. “But your response is still falling short given the historic times that we’re living in,” she said, adding: “Europe cannot be saved with window dressing.”
The Greens and liberal Renew groups both welcomed the concessions, but argued there are still serious shortcomings in von der Leyen’s spending plan.
Manfred Weber, chair of von der Leyen’s own centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), backed the Commission’s proposal during a Wednesday debate in the Parliament.
The EPP spearheaded the initial push to reject the reform but reversed course after the concessions, claiming a major victory for Parliament.
“We, as the European People’s Party, look at the [proposed EU budget] and see many of our priorities” said Weber, listing many positives and thanking von der Leyen for listening to Parliament’s demands. He said his party defends regions and farmers interests “tooth and nail.”
EU countries pour cold water on Parliament’s ‘budget win’
EU countries on Tuesday reaffirmed their control over the proposed €2 trillion EU budget for…
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(jp, aw)
