Bernd Kolmel: The ECR Group propose to cut the EU budget by up to 750 million euros

ECR Group budgets spokesman Bernd Kölmel has introduced comprehensive proposals for reform of the EU budget on behalf of the Group.

ECR Group budgets spokesman Bernd Kölmel has introduced comprehensive proposals for reform of the EU budget on behalf of the Group.

These proposals, adopted by the ECR Group today, amend the 2017 budget with savings of 225 million euros. “We do not, like the other groups, make only cosmetic changes and content ourselves with the fact that everything is running as usual. We want to promote real reform in Europe,” said Kölmel. The EU-Turkey agreement is critical and therefore approximately 500 million euros are to be redeployed from the budget line foreseen in the reserves. For the agreement to be useful then money will need to be spent towards delivering it.

Proposals are also being submitted to save 200 million euros in cohesion policy. “Endless structural spending without clear targets and inefficient support of large corporate agrarian industry to the detriment of small farmers has come to an end. According to this, we need clear shifts in the EU budget,” stresses Kölmel. Further savings were also found related to the administrative, travel and entertainment costs in the EU institutions and the funding for political parties and foundations at European level.

About 10 million euros, however would be additionally issued for the EU border agency Frontex and the safety authority Europol. “Rapid, accurate crisis intervention such as in the current migration and refugee crisis requires the corresponding budget,” explains Kölmel. Given also the application is part of the establishment of a relief fund for victims of terrorism, which, for example, is intended to benefit the victims of terrorism from Munich.