Negotiations on the EU financial plan 2014 – 2020 in Denmark

Horsens, 11 June 2012 – The Ministers of European Affairs of the EU member states met on June 10th and 11th, for informal negotiations about the EU multiannual budget 2014 to 2020 at the invitation of the Danish EU Presidency. The Secretary General in the Austrian Foreign Ministry, Johannes Kyrle: “The next EU budget aims at finding the optimum balance between promoting growth and the current budgetary constraints.” Against the background of the ongoing debates about the EU financial plan, Vice Chancellor Spindelegger recently proposed the establishment of an EU Growth and Innovation Fund where financial funds are to be combined and made more easily accessible. The fund should be mainly used to support small- and medium-sized companies.

The proposal made by the Danish Presidency is a good basis for further negotiations. “Austria, as a net contributor, finds the current proposal of the Commission is excessive”, Kyrle said on the sidelines of the meeting in Horsens. Austria explicitly supports the financial transaction tax as a possible means of financing the EU budget.

The atmosphere at the meeting in Denmark, which was also attended by representatives from the European Parliament, was good.

Contact:
Federal Ministry for
European and International Affairs
Press Department
Tel.: ++43 (0) 50 1150-3262, 4549, 4550
Fax: ++43 (0) 50 1159-213
e-mail abti3(at)bmeia.gv.at