A large majority of the European Parliament believes that the EU deal still needs to be adjusted. Early Tuesday morning European leaders reached an agreement after days of negotiations. Parliament does not yet agree with the European multi-annual budget that is currently in place: there would be, among other things, too little investment.
For example, five out of seven groups believe that more money should go to health, science, climate and youth. Parliament also wants to guarantee, for example, that countries that do not uphold the rule of law do not receive subsidies. Parliament threatens to vote against the budget if no adjustments are made.
While the negotiations Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán opposed the link between the budget and the rule of law. Orbán threatened to block all agreements if EU leaders made firm agreements on the rule of law. According to the Netherlands, countries that take a break with the rule of law, for example through political appointments of judges, should be able to cut money that comes from Brussels.
Prime Minister Rutte said afterwards that the agreement offers that possibility, but not everyone agrees. Some say the text is now far too vague.
EUR 1100 billion
European leaders reached an agreement on Tuesday about the corona repair fund and the EU’s new multi-annual budget. The long-term budget comprises some EUR 1100 billion. The corona package contains EUR 750 billion, of which EUR 390 billion in subsidies and EUR 360 billion in loans.
Subsidized countries must meet certain conditions and implement reforms. That was one of the requirements of the Netherlands. Less money will become available for innovations (research and development) than the Netherlands would have liked. Prime Minister Rutte previously spoke of a “comprehensive and good package in which Dutch interests are properly safeguarded”.
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