MEPs adopted their position on the 2020 EU budget, it should pave the way for the new long-term 2021-2027 EU budget, the so-called multiannual financial framework (MFF).

MEPs have boosted the Commission’s draft budget by adding altogether more than €2 billion to protect the climate. Furthermore, they increased the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and the Erasmus+ programmes and approved further support in line with Parliament’s priorities in areas such as SMEs, research, digitalisation, migration and external policy, including development and humanitarian aid.

Parliament voted on a budget amounting to almost €171 billion in commitment appropriations (what the EU commits to invest in 2020 or the years beyond, as projects and programmes run over several years), representing an increase of around €2,7 billion compared to the Commission’s draft budget. It sets the payment appropriations (what will be concretely spent in 2020) at €159 billion.