The EU Budget Review

Key points

The EESC:

• suggests that the "juste retour" principle must be abandoned as it is contrary to the values of solidarity and mutual benefit which underpin European integration. Rather, the subsidiarity principle needs to be applied;
• congratulates the European Commission on proposing a return to the principle of own resources which can be newly created or substituted for national taxes;
• finds that the European budget must be strengthened and have a leverage effect. National and European budgets should complement each other in order to achieve economies of scale;
• recommends more systematic recourse to EIB loans, public-private partnerships and the creation of Eurobonds for investment;
• underlines that the only way to make a success of an ambitious budget is to win the battle of public opinion;
• would like studies to be carried out and published on the cost of non-Europe, highlighting duplication in national budgets.