Brussels
27 May 2020
On Wednesday 27 May 2020, the European Commission presented its recovery package. The 750 billion euros package is composed of 500 billion euros of grants and 250 billion euros of loans on top of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The European Green Party welcomes the fact that the European Commission has taken a bold step towards a mutualised debt instrument through the proposed Next Generation EU recovery package. Greens have been standing united in our call for a solution based on solidarity and debt mutualisation since the beginning of the crisis and we will continue to advocate for this, including at the national level, both where we are in government and in opposition.
Both regarding the recovery package and the MFF proposals, the ambition of the European Commission remains below that of the European Parliament. The Greens recall that the recovery must be closely aligned with the European Green Deal. Despite the reassuring words of President Von der Leyen during her speech, the proposal remains blurry to that regard.
Evelyne Huytebroeck, co-chair of the European Green Party, comments:
“What we are witnessing today is close to a historic moment! We have on the table three proposals of varying ambition from the European Parliament, from the Franco-German initiative and now from the European Commission. All these proposals foresee a mutualised debt instrument which is a major breakthrough for European solidarity. Member states must now live up to that historic moment by ensuring that the solidarity principles demonstrated in these proposals are enacted into EU action. They must also endorse the principle of mutualised debt and support an ambitious MFF with a new mechanism for own-resources.”
Thomas Waitz, co-chair of the European Green Party and MEP, comments:
“The European Parliament’s proposal remains the most ambitious both quantitatively and regarding the necessity of a fair, just and green recovery. The negotiations ahead of us are going to be long and difficult while the emergency does not leave us much time to act. There are still key battles that the Greens will fight in the upcoming months to ensure a successful recovery plan. Of course, we must ensure any proposal is closely tied to the European Green Deal and the EU’s environmental commitments. This is also valid for the billions of euros of state aid EU member states will be able to spend on their recovery. We also want to reassert that the recovery should not be conditioned to later austerity measures.”
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Valentin Dupouey
Head of the Communication Unit / Press Officer
E valentin.dupouey@europeangreens.eu
T +32 (0) 485 93 99 26
European Green Party
Rue Wiertz 31, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
www.europeangreens.eu