Barroso regrets Lisbon budget cuts, but looks to future

Brussels, 24 Jun 2005

Commission President José Manuel Barroso has described the expected reduction to the proposed EU budget for 2007 to 2013 as 'regrettable', and warned that Europe's Lisbon agenda ambitions will have to be tempered accordingly.

Reacting to the presentation of the UK's EU Presidency Programme by Prime Minister Tony Blair on 23 June, Mr Barroso told MEPs: 'It is regrettable that the heaviest cuts to the current negotiating box fall on precisely that heading which most supports Lisbon-related policies.'

The Commission President expressed his belief that such a situation would not have come about if the 'so-called 1 per cent club' had not fought to reduce Europe's ambitions.

However, given the reality of the situation, Mr Barroso is keen to reach a swift compromise and move forward: '[T]here is now a real urgency to get an agreement to avoid paralysis in the Union beyond 2006. Paralysis which will have a negative effect on our policies and on Member States - particularly the new ones. And the new members of the EU expect and deserve concrete action, not just words, on solidarity.'

As such, Mr Barroso does not feel that now is the right time to question the balance of the EU budget - for instance the proportion spent on research versus agricultural subsidies - but he argues in favour of inserting a review clause into the next Financial Perspective, as 'we can't know exactly what the world will be like in 2013'.

For its part, the Commission plans to present a 'Community reform programme' over the summer, setting out the different legislative and financial priority actions that need to be adopted at EU level to support the Lisbon Agenda, Mr Barroso revealed. He concluded by calling on the UK Presidency to support the Commission in driving forward the updated agenda, and particularly in encouraging closer collaboration between the EU and Member States.

For further information, please consult the following web address:
http:///europa.eu.int/growthandjobs/index _en.htm

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