“Member state leaders failed to conclude EU budget negotiations because they do not want to pay their bills. Because they remain selfishly focused on their national interests, the EU is in arrears. The Juncker affair has shown that EU countries compete on lowering tax rates because each one only wants the best for itself. The budget dispute is further evidence of this policy of national self-interest and brutal competition. This is not the way to build a community.

Countries like Britain, which above all seek to lower their contributions, try at the same time to squeeze the EU. On the other hand Portugal has paid more than necessary, even though the people there are suffering under the cuts dictated by the Troika. This policy will be derailed in the long term because the majority of the population is losing all confidence in the EU.

The EU urgently needs to pay €4.7 billion, but the governments want to use an existing €5 billion EU budget 2014 surplus for themselves. The member states make political promises; projects and orders are issued, and end up not paying. The outstanding payment obligations of the EU will rise to about €27 billion at the end of the year if there is no agreement soon. Since the EU may not take on any debt, right now small businesses, NGOs, local authorities and research institutes aren't receiving the money they already spent and have no further financial resources to cover their expenses and pay their employees. Students will also remain in their home countries because universities need to stop Erasmus exchange programmes.”

The GUE/NGL group is made up of 52 MEPs from across Europe working for peace, solidarity, social justice, equality, democracy and human rights in Europe and beyond. It is the only gender balanced group in the European Parliament.

 

GUE/NGL Press:

David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20