The European Council and Parliament have reached an agreement on the 2020 Community budget, which provides total commitments for 168,7 billion equal to an increase of 1,5% compared to the 2019 budget. The amount allocated has been calculated net of Brexit, i.e. on the (now taken for granted) condition that the UK continues to finance and implement the 2020 budget. another 1,5 billion were available under the spending ceilings of the 2014-2020 budget, which will allow the EU to face unforeseen needs. Total payments amount to 153,6 billion, +3,6% compared to 2019: the objective, the Council indicates, is to ensure timely payments to beneficiaries and avoid the accumulation of payment requests in the coming years, especially for cohesion policy.
ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
The agreement provides for increase attention to pro-climate measures in different areas: research and development (Horizon 2020), transport and energy infrastructure (Connecting Europe Facility) and external action. Additional funds have also been allocated to the Life programme, which will receive €590 million, and to the European Environment Agency for the recruitment of new staff (+6%) to support the fight against climate change. Still uncertainty instead on the future of the CAP, the common agricultural policy: amid protests from many countries, including Italy (which would lose 3,5 billion), have already been announced 12% cuts in the 2021 budget, while the entry into force of the new CAP is postponed to 1 January 2022.
Among the elements of the agreement, which must be formally approved by the EU Council and Parliament within 14 days, is the support for growth and competitiveness with 25,3 billion euros (+7,9% compared to 2019), which includes higher funds for Horizon 2020 (€13,5 billion in total, +8,8%), European satellite navigation systems (EGNOS and Galileo with €1,2 billion euro, +74,8%), the energy component of the Connecting Europe Facility (1,3 billion euro, +35%). Erasmus +, the university exchange programme, will instead receive 2,9 billion (+3,6%) to support youth exchanges. To tackle youth unemployment in the most affected regions, the budget has been set at €145 million.
MIGRANTS AND FOREIGN POLICY
In the areas of security and migration, 949 million have been allocated for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund euros, including support to Member States that are on the "front line", including Italy. The Internal Security Fund will receive 501 million. Additional funding compared to 2019 will be foreseen for several agencies, including for the recruitment of new staff by Frontex (+191 million), the European Asylum Support Office (+82 million), Europol (+24 million ) and the European Public Prosecutor's Office (+10 million). Eurojust will receive an additional 3,7 million.
Then the tools for external action were strengthened to cover the EU contribution for Syria and to tackle the root causes of migration through the North Africa window of the EU Trust Fund for Africa. As in 2018 and 2019, the pre-accession funds for Turkey have been significantly reduced compared to the draft budget proposed by the Commission (-85 million euros), taking into account Turkey's departure from EU values. More funds, however, have been foreseen for the Western Balkans.
