Opinion on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025 - all sections

4.9.2024

Mr Johan Van Overtveldt

Chair

Committee on Budgets

BRUSSELS

Subject: Opinion on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025 - all sections (2024/0176(BUD))

Dear Mr Chair,

Under the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Constitutional Affairs has been asked to submit an opinion to your committee. At its meeting of 4 September 2024, the committee decided to send the opinion in the form of a letter.

The Committee on Constitutional Affairs considered the matter at its meeting of 4 September 2024. At that meeting, it decided to submit the opinion set out below to the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible.

Yours sincerely,

Sven Simon

A. Whereas 2025 will be the post European election year and the start of the new legislative term of the EU institutions;

1.Notes that no increase in funding was proposed for ‘Commission Representations’, nor for the ‘Communication services for citizens’; suggests a 5% increase of the commitment and payments appropriations for both of these budgetary lines as compared to the 2024 levels; deems this increase necessary for the purpose of encouraging proactive dialogues and enhancing citizens´ participation, especially the youth on EU matters in the Member States at the beginning of the new legislature, and developing communication activities to fight disinformation and misinformation;

2.Highlights that, following the conclusions of the European Council the challenge of future EU enlargement cannot be met without increasing the EU budget with additional own resources; calls for the start of discussions of the relevant financial reforms in 2025 in parallel with the ongoing accession negotiations ensuring that the EU budget is fit for the future and that European responses are given to European challenges;

3.Points that the EU budget for 2025 should provide the necessary resources for the implementation of the pending Treaty changes procedure;

4.Urges the Committee on Budgets to incorporate the above mentioned budget lines augmentations in its position, as they serve the purpose of delivering concrete results and quality communication to citizens.