The Irish Presidency has reached an agreement with the European Parliament’s chief negotiator on the future EU budget for 2014-2020. The agreement on a budget of € 960 billion will then be voted on by the Parliament and the Council.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD has tonight in Brussels reached an agreement with the European Parliament’s chief negotiator on the EU’s budget for the next seven years.

The package includes:
– Flexibility to allow more efficient use of EU money 
– A review of the seven year budget before the end of 2016
– A method for carrying forward discussion on EU own resources
– Unity of the budget, to allow European taxpayers to see in a more transparent way where their money is going.

Agreement on the EU’s multi annual budget has been a top priority for the Irish Presidency.

The European Council in February agreed the €960 billion budget to be focussed on competitiveness, jobs and growth measures.  The Irish Presidency has been negotiating on behalf of EU member states with the aim of getting the European Parliament’s agreement on this budget.

There have been ten rounds of intensive negotiations, with the last round lasting over 24 hours.