Yesterday, the EU Commission presented the draft budget for 2022. The draft foresees commitments totalling 311.3 billion euros, of which 167.8 billion euros come from the regular budget and 143.5 billion euros are from the Corona recovery programme.

Bavarian MEP Henrike Hahn (Alliance 90/The Greens), shadow rapporteur for the EU budget 2022 Section III and industrial policy spokesperson of the German delegation, comments:

“Our Green priorities for the budget, namely climate protection, biodiversity and research and development, are represented in the Commission’s draft budget. However, we will advocate to further strengthen these areas in the upcoming negotiations with the Council.

For example, the 2022 draft provides an increase of the Horizon Europe innovation programme of 5.8% to 12.2 billion euros, which is also largely due to the negotiation success of the European Parliament and the Greens in last December. We also demand that start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises should particularly benefit from the EU innovation programmes.

Other EU programmes that are particularly important for our group are also strengthened in the draft budget. Erasmus+, for example, is to be increased to 3.3 billion euros, which represents an increase of 26.4% compared to the previous year. Creative Europe, which particularly benefits the cultural and creative sector, which was hit hard by the Corona crisis, will also be increased by 30.9% year-on-year to 401 million euros.

Since the 2022 EU budget is part of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, it must provide at least 30% of spending on climate protection. This year, due to the Corona recovery programme, the spending quota will reach almost 54%. This is in line with our Green demand for at least 50% climate spending. However, once the Corona recovery programme ends, a much lower climate quota is expected in the coming years. We will continue to fight for at least half of the budget to be allocated to climate protection.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is particularly relevant for meeting the spending quotas for climate protection and biodiversity. We must do everything we can to make an ecological reform possible here, as otherwise the spending quotas will be difficult to meet.

In the following days and weeks, we will conduct a deeper analysis of the draft 2022 budget and closely examine whether it meets the high standards of the climate targets and the socio-ecological transformation.“