In Brussels everyone can mutually agree that it is high time that we take a critical look at the current budgetary system. In the coming period the EU will face many new challenges. And how will we fill the gap that exists as a result of Brexit? According to Commissioner Günther Oettinger it will be a balanced budget with new priorities.
The way things are looking now the budget will have to be restructured. The largest policy areas such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will have to hand over a part of their budget to new priorities like migration, environment, data and safety. Additionally, the way the EU generates revenue will have to change. A relatively smaller proportion of the budget will be derived from the member state’s GNI and VAT. Instead the EU will focus more on, among others, the European Emission Trade System* (EU ETS) and the Consolidated Corporate Tax Base. To sum up, the overall message on European level is positive, but what can we expect on a Euregional level?
According to the parliament, the money will have to be spent on the programmes that directly benefit the Europeans. For instance, migration, support for SMEs, and a larger budget for youth employment, education and innovation. These favourable winds coming from the European Parliament make pressing demands to the European Commission regarding the budget. In the report concerning the Multi-annual Financial Framework (2021-2027) the parliament makes clear that they demand a considerable increase in budget for the aforementioned priorities.
For the Euregion Meuse-Rhine who positions itself as a knowledge-based economy this is exceptional news. Education, research and SMEs are the economic foundations of the Euregion Meuse-Rhine. Institutes, businesses and universities such as the Brightlands Campuses, DSM, RWTH Aachen, High Tech Campus Eindhoven, TUe, IMEC Leuven, Forschungzentrum Julich, ULg and the University of Maastricht will most likely prosper from these budgetary increases. Not to forget the benefits that will come to the SMEs in our region if it were for the parliament. Nevertheless, the Euregion Meuse-Rhine is already among the most innovative regions in Europe. This is why the new priorities for innovation and research will benefit the Euregion as a whole. In the light of cross-border cooperation, Interreg EMR will take the initiative in the upcoming period. The core values of Europe as well as the ambition for a stronger and flourishing Europe will remain centre in Interreg’s mission. With the support from Brussels, the Interreg programme can deliver an even larger impact to this region’s strengths.
