Most MEPs urged European Council President Charles Michel to ensure that the EU long-term budget reflects the climate neutrality goals agreed during the December summit.

During the debate on the results of the 12-13 December EU summit with Council President Charles Michel and Commission President von der Leyen, political group leaders representing a majority in Parliament welcomed the decision on the EU’s long-term climate strategy that would lead to the EU becoming climate neutral by 2050.

However, they heavily criticised the European Council’s unwillingness to agree to a viable solution on the 2021-2027 EU budget, which will need to provide appropriate funding not only for its traditional beneficiaries (citizens, regions, cities, farmers, researchers, students, NGOs and businesses), but also for the 2050 climate neutrality goals and the European Green Deal.

Many speakers asked for either the European Union’s own resources mechanism or the decision-making at Council level to be reformed, or both, to enable the EU to address key challenges on which no progress appears to be possible under current rules.

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