Commenting on the European Parliament’s resolution, adopted today, on the EU Recovery Plan and EU budget which will lead to tough negotiations between the EU institutions, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said
“The European Parliament is right to attack the European Council’s proposed cuts to the EU budgets for solvency support, health and the Just Transition Fund. Trade unions strongly support MEPs in demanding these budgets are restored, and to stand firm against the pressure they will come under from national governments.
"The ETUC and national trade unions, and no doubt many others, will be pressing Ministers and the European Commission to support the Parliament’s demands.”
The ETUC and national unions will be pressing for
- restoration of the funding for Solvency Support, the Just Transition Fund, ReactEU, Horizon Europe and EU4health
- all EU budget funds for social and environmental spending to be protected
- the EU Council not to be able hold up National Recovery Plans for a long time as a way to delay payment, and not to be able to impose damaging conditions like the disastrous austerity measures following the last crisis
- an immediate start to discussions on EU own resources and common taxation, to enable the EU to set up quickly a repayment plan for the recovery bonds and loans which will finance the EU Recovery Plan
- ensure that EU Recovery Plan and EU budget funding to member states is linked to respect for the rule of law
Additionally, the ETUC demands the European Pillar of Social Rights, the partnership principle and social dialogue to be binding conditions for all funding under the Recovery Plan and the EU budget.
