European Commission launches public consultation on the future of the EU budget
The European Commission has launched a public consultation in preparation of its proposal for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) post-2020, ESPO said in its press release. Within this exercise the Commission is asking stakeholders in 6 different policy areas for their input. The different policy areas are:
Strategic Infrastructure
Migration
Investment, Research & Innovation, SMEs and Single Market
Security
Values and mobility
Cohesion
While the upcoming Brexit runs the risk of substantially decreasing the overall budget of the EU, new political priorities and ambitions in the field of migration and security will additionally tighten the budgets for other sectors.
The consultation on Strategic Infrastructure covers Transport infrastructure, Energy, Digital economy and society, Environment, Climate action and will be relevant for the budget of the future Connecting Europe Facility (CEF II).
CEF is the main financial instrument to realise the TEN-T network. To complete the core network by 2030, the Commission estimates the investment needs for 2021-2030 at about EUR 500 billion for the EU28, while completing the Core Network Corridors by 2030 could generate some EUR 4,500 billion of cumulated GDP over that period.
In order to make a substantiated contribution to the consultation, ESPO has commissioned a study on the investment needs of ports. The study will be finalised during the coming weeks. The public consultation is open until 8 March 2018 and open to all citizens, organisations and stakeholders with an interest and/or involvement in issues related strategic infrastructure.
The European Commission is expected to present its proposal for the next MFF and for CEF II end of May 2018. If the timetable is kept, the ESPO Conference 31 May-1 June 2018, in Rotterdam “Investing in the Port of Tomorrow” will be a first chance to discuss the budget proposal with the Commission and stakeholders. Registrations will open in the coming weeks.
