The European Commission has published the draft EU budget for 2017 worth €134.9 billion in payments.
The Draft EU budget seeks to focus on "growth, jobs and a solid response to the refugee crisis" according to Budget Commissioner and Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva.
The money specifically for supporting economic growth is proposed to total €74.6 billion in commitments in 2017, compared to €69.8 billion in 2016.
This breaks down as follows:
- €21.1 billion on growth, employment and competitiveness. This includes €10.6 billion for research and innovation under Horizon 2020, €2.0 billion for education under Erasmus+, €299 million for small and medium sized-enterprises under the COSME programme, and €2.5 billion under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
- €2.66 billion for the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the vehicle behind the Investment Plan for Europe. The Fund has so far secured €106.7 billion in investments in 26 EU Member States, including in the UK, in less than a year.
- €53.57 billion to support productive investments and structural reforms to foster convergence among Member States and among regions via the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).
- Support to European farmers is proposed at €42.9 billion.
The
Draft EU Budget includes about €3 billion to fund actions within the EU, such as:
- The setting up of the European Border and Coast Guard (which will not directly apply to the UK);
- The proposal for a new Entry-Exit System to strengthen border management;
- The proposals to review the Common European Asylum System, including a reform of the Dublin mechanism;
- The establishment of an EU Agency for Asylum.
It also includes €200 million for the new instrument to provide humanitarian assistance within the EU.
The UK's gross budget contribution in 2017 is proposed to be €17.3 billion, minus a proposed rebate of €4.85 billion. This represents 12.51% of the EU's proposed 2017 budget, compared to 21% by Germany, 16% by France and 11.77% by Italy.
The UK remains a member of the EU with all rights and obligations. Consequently, the results of the UK referendum have no impact on the proposed Draft EU Budget 2017. The UK will be expected to make its full budgetary contribution in the normal way. In turn, UK partners remain eligible for all EU funding programmes.
The European Parliament and Member States will now jointly discuss and agree the Commission's proposal.
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