Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

23 June 2026

BUDG European Parliament

Follow its sittings
02:34 - 02:44
Speaker 1
I need to try to call, I'll text.  Enjoy the show, it should be maybe a little bit more news.  Maybe I can call again to say, hey, can you just tell me it's okay?  I'll try to slow it down. 
05:12 - 06:28
Speaker 5
Good morning to everybody.  Can we start our meeting?  Thank you all for being here for the Budgets meeting of Tuesday, June 23.  Let me first of all say that item number five of today's agenda, the Budgets mission to London, that will be postponed to a later Budgets meeting.  Taking notice of that change, I ask whether there are objections to the agenda. 

If not, the agenda is deemed adopted.  Interpretation in 12 languages.  Third point, adoption of the minutes.  If there are no objections, the minutes of June the 3rd are deemed adopted.  Thank you. 

Point number four, the establishing the conditions for the implementation of the Union support to the Common Agricultural Policy for the period 28 to 34.  I give the floor for three minutes to the rapporteur, Mr. Negrescu.  Please. 
06:28 - 09:19
Speaker 7
Thank you, Chair.  Dear colleagues, thank you for the opportunity to present this draft budgetary assessment on the future Common Agricultural Policy.  Let me start with a strong yet simple point.  Whatever our political affiliation or national perspective, we all agree that farmers need predictability and rural communities need protection.  They need a policy that is stable, adequately financed, and capable of responding to today's challenges. 

As AGRI is the lead committee on this file, our role in Budgets is to focus on what we know best: the adequacy of the financial envelope, budgetary transparency, traceability of spending, and the role of Parliament as budgetary authority.  This is why as rapporteur I focused on several key budgetary priorities.  First, financing.  The Commission proposed a ring-fenced envelope of 295 billion euros. 

We believe this is insufficient.  The report therefore calls for increasing the CAP budget to 433 billion euros in current prices, a position which I fully support as rapporteur.  In order to preserve the real value of support, strengthen food security and maintain vibrant rural communities, adequate resources are indispensable.  Second, food security.  Recent crises have demonstrated that agricultural production is not only an economic issue. 

It is also a matter of resilience, strategic autonomy and preparedness.  I believe Europe must retain the capacity to produce food across all Member States and to withstand future shocks.  Third, rural development.  I call for a clearly identifiable and adequately funded rural development envelope.  I believe rural communities are essential for territorial cohesion, generational renewal and economic vitality. 

People in rural areas deserve dedicated and visible support.  Fourth, convergence of direct payment.  Parliament has repeatedly supported fairer conditions between Member States.  Progress towards full external convergence remains necessary to reduce disparities and strengthen cohesion across the Union.  Finally, budgetary governance. 

The future CAP must remain transparent and accountable.  We therefore call for a sufficiently detailed budgetary nomenclature and oppose merging CAP and fishery expenditure into a single budget line.  Parliament must retain full oversight of how European taxpayers' money is being spent.  This report focuses on what our committee must safeguard: sufficient resources, transparency, traceability and sound financial management.  I look forward to working with all shadow rapporteurs to build broad support before the vote. 

09:19 - 09:22

Victor Negrescu

Thank you so much.

09:22 - 09:26

Speaker 3

Thank you, Mr. Negrescu. Ms. Carbery, please.

09:26 - 10:38

Nina Carberry

Thank you, Chair. I want to thank the rapporteur, Mr. Negrescu, for your work on this budgetary assessment. The CAP, the next CAP really matters. It is not just about the next seven years. This CAP will shape Europe's food security, farm viability and rural communities for a generation.

We need a strong, common and well-funded CAP. Farmers have absorbed rising costs while helping keep food affordable for consumers. Now they need certainty, predictable payments, protected funding and a CAP that remains clearly visible in the next long-term EU budget. I welcome the report's focus on a stronger CAP budget, clear budgetary visibility, rural development, traceability of funds and a proper parliamentary scrutiny. And at the same time, there are areas we should strengthen: keeping CAP money for CAP priorities, avoiding delays in farmer payments and keeping controls proportionate, and ensuring rural development funding, including LEADER, remains visible and predictable.

We also need to be careful when tabling amendments to respect the boundary between CAP regulation and the NRP regulation. I look forward to working constructively with my colleagues on this file. Thank you.

10:38 - 10:41

Speaker 2

Thank you. Mr. Nordqvist, please.

10:41 - 12:13

Rasmus Nordqvist

Yes, thank you, and thank you too to the rapporteur. I think also when we talk about this file, we have to be aware that with the new architecture, it's really an idea to link the CAP with the NRPPs, with the work being done in the Member States, so that the CAP is aligned with other priorities. And here I can point to my own Member State where there's a lot to be done when it comes to nature restoration, to the environmental protection of the environment. And what we see is that the pressure from the agricultural industry is heavy. So how do we make sure in the budget that the idea behind the NRPPs to actually align the different policies with each other also follow through in what we're doing here in the Parliament?

And I think that would be be very important, especially from from Budg perspective, that we make sure this alignment is there across across the budget and and we don't have issues where things are working in in different directions. And then also, of course, and that's a bit linked to to what's happening in in another committee, the Budg Control, I mean, we have to make sure that when we do this budget opinion, that that it's it's assessment, that it actually also have the right design. So so we're not going to see the problems we have faced with the CAP over the last many many years. That's it for now, thank you.

12:13 - 12:25

Johan Van Overtveldt

Any other one MEP wanting to take the floor? If not, I pass the floor to the Commission, to Ms. Christiane Canenbley.

12:25 - 14:14

Christiane CANENBLEY

Thank you very much, Chair, and thanks to all the colleagues here and also for the work and for this exchange, much appreciated. I think we we all agree very much on the important role of the CAP for the future, for the Common Agricultural Policy. On this one, full agreement and full alignment. Just let me looking at the comments made, just make some some small remarks. The one part was really on on the amount dedicated to the Common Agricultural Policy.

Just to recall again, we have here the 295 billion as a minimum requirement. There are other parts which can contribute also to the CAP, so we have here the means to secure the stability of the payments, which was also one of the comments we just heard. But we think with the integrated programming, really building on the synergies with other parts of what we are funding here, even more can be done. Also other possibilities really to finance specific parts which benefit the farmers at large and also the rural areas. I want here also to refer back to the rural target, which is integrated in the proposal, the 10% of the rural target, which helps, of course, the rural areas and rural development measures as well and can contribute there.

In addition, we have the commonality of the agricultural policy ensured via having all the various objectives, the specific objectives related to food security and other parts integrated into the proposal. So they will need to be effective. And as there was a question on the nomenclature, just to be clear, we will come with a more detailed nomenclature with the budget in 2028 once we propose this one, and that will reflect, of course, then also the state of play on where we are in the inter-institutional discussion on this file. Thank you.

14:14 - 14:18

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. Mr. Negrescu, you want to conclude?

14:18 - 15:51

Victor Negrescu

Well, thank you for your comment and constructive contributions. Our discussion confirms that despite the different perspectives, there is broad agreement on several essential principles. Farmers need certainty, rural communities need support, and the future Common Agricultural Policy requires sufficient resources and clear budgetary governance. And indeed, we would like to get additional resources to agriculture and to rural areas in comparison to the proposal made by the Commission. We are happy that the Commission adapts its proposal, but you are adapting your proposal because the Parliament pressured you to adapt the proposal.

And we are happy that you are commenting on the nomenclature. That means that we have a good influence. Now you realize that you have to change the nomenclature. So the objective of this assessment is to ensure that whatever political choices are made, they are supported by a credible, transparent, and adequately financed budgetary framework. So a strong CAP is not only about agriculture, it's about people, it's about farmers and citizens living in rural areas.

So indeed, we are going to also try to emphasize the need to correlate these policies with other policies, in particular the European Competitiveness Fund. So I will carefully consider all amendments and will constructively work together in reaching a balanced compromise. But I'm confident the position of the Budget Committee will be a strong one and will support a strong Common Agricultural Policy that is fair, predictable, and properly funded.

15:51 - 15:54

Speaker 18

Thank you.

15:54 - 16:27

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. Let me also recall that the deadline for amendments is June the 3rd at noon and that the vote in BUDG is June the 30th. Sorry, June 30 at noon and that the vote in BUDG is planned for September the 10th. Thank you. We skip point number five as indicated at the start of this meeting.

We go to point number six, the budget section 3 2024 DEC 10. I give the floor to Ms. Filipkova from the Commission. Please.

16:27 - 18:19

Ms. Filipkova

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and good morning to everyone. Let me now shortly present the 10th transfer of this year, which is a transfer from the reserve to the operational line for the fisheries agreements. So we are proposing to transfer 5.8 million in commitments and 2.8 million in payments to fulfill the European Union's obligation arising from the new protocol under sustainable fisheries partnership agreements with the Republic of Seychelles. So the Commission proposal for the Council decision was proposed on 12th of May. At the same time, it was also sent to the European Parliament for information.

The Council is expected to agree on the signing and provisional application of the protocol in July with the final signature planned for September once all the necessary appropriations are made available. Just for information, the old six-year protocol expired in February. The new negotiation on the new protocol started in April and in May it started to has been formalized. On the procedure, you know and I've explained before that we can only sign the agreement once we have the appropriations on the line and therefore we are coming with this DEC before you have your chance to express your consent on the protocol itself, but in any case we have to start paying for the provisional application. There's difference between the commitments and payments because we have the full protocol per year is 5.8 million in commitments, but we have to pay immediately for the access to the fisheries waters in 90 days after the signature of the protocol and therefore we need the 2.8 million in payments already now.

Thank you very much.

18:19 - 18:33

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. We don't have the rapporteur present, so I ask whether there are any comments or questions by other MEPs. Jean-Marc Germain, please.

18:33 - 18:53

Speaker 25

No, just to say that on behalf of Nils Ušakovs, who is shadow rapporteur, we agree for this transfer and we also agree for the mechanism to put the money in reserve and then once the agreement, the protocol becomes an agreement, it goes to the operational line. Thank you very much.

18:53 - 19:36

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. The vote is scheduled for July the 15th. This ends point number six of our agenda. Point number seven, budget other sections. Briefly to briefly represent the different requests, I give the floor first of all to Mr. Federico Rossi, Deputy Director for Human Resources and Finance at the European Economic and Social Committee, then also for the European Committee of the Regions, Mr. François Filipek, Deputy Director of HR and Finance.

19:36 - 19:38

Speaker 21

Please, go ahead.

19:38 - 21:41

Federico Rossi

Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Good morning. The proposal concerns the transfer of approximately 1,3 million euros from remuneration and allowances to several operational budget lines. This transfer is made possible by savings on staff expenditure, notably due to unplanned retirements and some delays in recruitment.

The transfer supports three main priorities. First is training. Training for staff to prepare the transition to the inter-institutional financial system that is called SUMMA in 2027. The ESC will onboard SUMMA and we need to prepare our financial community. The second priority is about financing IT investments, including cybersecurity, infrastructure renewal, and also the Digital Twin program, a program that consolidates data and systems into a single user-centric environment.

And in this context, let me stress that our IT resources are mainly managed together with the Committee of the Regions through a Directorate for Innovation and Technologies. And in addition, part of the expenditure covers also services provided by the European Commission. So all this to inform that we make a systematic use of inter-institutional arrangements and also we strive for economies of scale. The third priority is to transfer money for some budget for financing communication activities, that is one of the three priorities for 2026 for the ESC. The budget items receiving the transfers are item 1612, 2100, 2102, and 2600.

We answered written questions that were addressed to us and of course I'm here at your disposal for any further questions. Thank you.

21:41 - 23:47

François Filipek

Dear Chair, dear Mr. Rapporteur, honorable members of the Parliament, I'm here to represent the Committee of the Regions with a twofold request for transfers total amount 1.4 million euros. The first one aims to support our digital resilience, operation efficiency, and the second our communication capacity. On the digital side, as also already explained by the ESC, we need to replace some of our fragmented IT equipment and tools with a more integrated and user-center environment to reduce administrative burden, improve decision-making process, and create a more efficient service for our members and staff. The program that was already presented, the Members 360, is designed around interoperability and institutional control of data and processes, thereby also fully respecting the principles of European technological sovereignty. The transfer will also support cybersecurity reinforcement, the renewal of our critical infrastructure with new servers, and the development of specific business applications, including the register of rapporteur experts, which responds directly to recommendations made by the European Court of Auditors.

On the communication side, we would like to proceed with the transfer to strengthen our web accessibility, the outreach, and data-driven engagement with stakeholders, with specific attention to accessibility compliance, responsible use of AI under human oversight, and improved management of our stakeholder relations, enhanced governance, and analytical capabilities. Both transfers would be possible also thanks to savings on the budget line 1200 due to a little higher than anticipated average vacancy rate in 2026 compared to 2025 and also because we have a little bit more retirements than expected, including at management level. Thank you very much for your attention.

23:44 - 24:39

Matjaž Nemec

Thank you, Chair. As the rapporteur of for the section for 2026 budget, I can confirm that we have carefully analyzed the request for the transfer of the corresponding replies. As our assessment is that the request is well justified and reflects the need and changing environment of the institution, I can therefore confirm that as rapporteur responsible, my recommendation for the budget is positive, and I ask the committee to support this request. Similarly to the previous request, we have carefully analyzed these two proposals from the Committee of the Regions and follow-up replies. Our assessment is also a positive one and well justified.

Therefore, I also ask the committee to vote in a favor of these two transfer requests. Thank you, Chair.

24:39 - 24:49

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. Mr. Agius Saliba, you want to take the floor?

24:49 - 24:54

Michalis Hadjipantela

I was in the other committee. I agree with the suggestions of the colleague.

24:54 - 25:14

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. So there are a few questions raised. I go back to our two, Mr. Rossi and Mr. Filipek, please.

25:14 - 25:21

Speaker 22

Apologies, but we didn't hear the questions.

25:21 - 25:51

Johan Van Overtveldt

My mistake. No questions, so we can we can proceed to the next point, point number eight on our agenda, the building policy. This morning for building policy, we have a request for prior approval from the Commission for the extension of the usufruct contracts of five buildings in Brussels. I first of all give the floor to our rapporteur, Olivier Chastel, please.

25:51 - 27:05

Olivier Chastel

Merci, Monsieur le Président. Chers collègues, donc notre commission est donc saisie d'une demande d'approbation de la Commission européenne concernant la prolongation de contrats d'usufruit pour cinq immeubles occupés actuellement par la Commission, et ce pour une durée maximale de 24 mois à compter du 1er février 2027. Ces cinq immeubles font partie, vous vous en souviendrez, du lot des 23 immeubles vendus par la Commission à l'État belge en 2024. La prolongation du contrat d'usufruit était clairement prévue dans les contrats de vente. Et elle se comprend, vu la rareté de l'offre des immeubles correspondant aux critères de l'OIB dans la zone de prospection.

Cette prolongation permettra également à l'OIB de poursuivre sa stratégie immobilière avec moins de pression tout en garantissant la continuité des activités de la Commission. Le budget total de ces deux prolongations sur deux ans, donc jusqu'en 2029 pour ces cinq bâtiments, est de 41,300,000 euros. Je pense que nous pouvons marquer notre accord sur cette extension.

27:05 - 27:14

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. I pass the floor now to the shadows, if present. First of all, Ms. Hohlmeier.

27:14 - 28:17

Monika Hohlmeier

So thank you very much. I fully agree with the rapporteur. Thank you very much. But I would have some questions to the Commission about the situation, ongoing situation of the further prolongation that you already announced, and why this cannot be planned in a better way, and how are the investigations ongoing?

Is this delaying the procedure furthermore? Because I see there a lot of questions what is happening if you have two times prolonged. The second time when you prolong, this will be more costly. And if this becomes then, if this comes at an end and you haven't finalized, what are you doing then? I have at the moment, I don't have a very good impression about the time planning of the Commission, of the OIB in this area.

28:17 - 28:20

Speaker 24

Thank you. Mr. Ušakovs, please.

28:20 - 28:59

Nils Ušakovs

Yeah, thank you, Chair. In the documentation we received, the Commission states that it has contracted virtually every compliant building that could be readily delivered in 2027-2029, and there remains a general scarcity of suitable buildings within the prescribed prospection zone of the European Quarter. And furthermore, the Commission adds that it has proved to be impossible to secure the required replacements in time for the buildings foreseen to be released in '26 and '27. So what is the fallback scenario in case there are still no buildings available and no more extensions are also possible? Thank you.

28:59 - 29:18

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. What a surprise. No other MEPs wanting to intervene? If not, we go to Ms. Sara Lekkonen, Head of Office Department on Management of Real Estate for the Office of Infrastructure and Logistics in Brussels. Please.

29:18 - 31:29

Sara Leckonen

Dear Chair, dear Vice-Chair, Monsieur le Rapporteur, honorable members. In reply to your questions, of course these extensions are needed to ensure business continuity of housing the concerned services and DGs until their future move to their future new buildings. And that's why we would like to very much to extend the usufructs. These usufructs are also foreseen in our budget planning in the 2027 budget proposal and they're fully programmed for the years to come. However, and this is the part of the reply, in parallel we are actively working really with all our best abilities to secure the timely availability of replacement buildings.

And we are trying to reduce as much as possible the impact of the extensions and the terms thereof. Firstly, in this regard, we have agreed in 2025 December to extend the prospection zone. So now the prospection zone in Brussels is one kilometer from the axis between the metro stations Arlon and Montgomery. It used to be 500 meters. And this is really to widen the building offer and the prospection area.

Secondly, we have already presented to you during the first quarter and we will present in second quarter this year for prior information other building files to procure new buildings. And that would be for a total of around 67,500 square meters gross floor area. And then there will be another two buildings for a total of 39,000 square meters. And these files will be submitted for your approval in the third quarter of 2026, so still this year. We are very confident that these solutions will be sufficient to have replacement buildings, especially in the crucial year of 2028.

31:29 - 31:50

Speaker 27

And that would really lessen the extension period finally required and the costs in relation. And finally, towards 2030, this would allow us to reach the very ambitious greening goals and the target set for buildings. Yeah, I think that was it. Thank you for your attention.

31:50 - 32:10

Johan Van Overtveldt

Thank you. Monsieur Chastel, you, no? No further comments? Then we can also close off this point. We have a voting session in something like 12, 13 minutes, so we take a break until then.

And the voting session will be chaired by Vice-Chair Hohlmeier. Thank you.

39:40 - 40:48

Speaker 30

Are there any comments or objections to the agenda? I see none. The agenda is adopted. The second item is the approval of the minutes of our previous meeting. Are there any comments or corrections to the minutes?

I see none. The minutes are approved. The third item is the Chair's announcements. I have a few announcements to make. First, I would like to inform you that the next meeting of the Committee on Budgets will take place on the 12th of October.

Second, I would like to remind you that the deadline for submitting amendments to the draft budget for 2024 is the 15th of September. Third, I would like to inform you that the Committee on Budgets will be holding a public hearing on the future of the EU budget on the 20th of October. That's all for the Chair's announcements. Now we move on to the fourth item on our agenda, which is the presentation of the draft budget for 2024 by the European Commission. I would like to invite the Commissioner for Budgets and Administration, Mr. Johannes Hahn, to present the draft budget.

Mr. Commissioner, you have the floor.

40:48 - 41:14

Johannes Hahn

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, everyone. It is a pleasure to be here today to present the draft budget for 2024. The draft budget for 2024 is a budget for a stronger and more resilient Europe. It is a budget that focuses on our key priorities: the green and digital transitions, the recovery from the pandemic, and the security of our citizens.

The total amount of the draft budget for 2024 is 189.3 billion euros in commitments and 143.1 billion euros in payments.

46:45 - 55:55

Monika Hohlmeier

So, dear colleagues. Dear colleagues. I try to start the voting. Thanks a lot for your understanding. So we start with the point nine of our agenda, the draft amending budget number one 2026.

Before we start the voting session, we try to do first our test.

And I open the vote for the test. If you agree that it is too hot, please vote yes. Let's see. Still some missing. Still two missing.

Now nobody's missing anymore. Okay, 18 are of the same opinion as I have. So, we start with number nine, draft amending budget number 1/2026, entering the surplus of the financial year 2025, rapporteur Andrzej Halicki. We have a roll call vote. We open the vote.

I close the vote. 25 plus, three minus, and four abstentions. Then number 10, mobilization of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania regarding the floods, and to Cyprus following wildfires, and Spain following wildfires. I start with the voting, one moment. So, amendment number two, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions, adopted. Three, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, adopted.

Amendment number five, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, adopted. Then amendment number six, who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions, adopted. Seven, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, adopted. 10, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions, but that's not clear. I have to verify. Open the vote on 10, amendment number 10. I close the vote.

It's adopted. Then amendment number nine, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, adopted. Amendment number 11, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions, rejected. Number 12, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, adopted.

13, who is in favor? Against? Abstentions, adopted. 14, who is in favor? Against?

Abstentions, adopted. 15, who is in favor? Against, abstentions, adopted. One, who is in favor? Against, abstentions, I think rejected, but we check it.

I open the vote. Close the vote. Ah, it's adopted. Then we go to the final vote, a roll call vote. I open the vote.

Close the vote. Oh, 31 plus. Wow. That's rare. No abstentions and no.

Okay. Number 11, mobilization of the European Globalization Adjustment Fund application EGF/2026 technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission. We start with amendment number seven, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, rejected.

Five, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, rejected. Six, who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions, adopted.

Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Five, who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions rejected. Six, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted. Eight, who is in favor?

Against? Abstentions? Rejected that. Open the vote because it was not clear what EPP... Okay, we close the vote now.

We are becoming more like 33, so 26 minus. Then that was very clear. This was number... So we go to nine. Who is in favor?

We continue with nine. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. 10, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions rejected. 12, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected.

11, who is in favor? Fabienne is for yes. Who is against? Abstentions. It's adopted, Fabienne.

13, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. 14, who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions adopted. Then we go to 16. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted.

17, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. 18, who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions. It's I think adopted. Let's check it because I didn't see it really. 18, please raise the hands, that makes it easier. Everybody voting.

Vote is open. Close, so everybody has voted. No, it's in favor. Everything fine. So 19, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Compromise number one. Who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions adopted. Then amendment four, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Three, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions. I think it's adopted, but we can check it. Check amendment number three, we open the vote. The colleague Kaletski is in favor of his own amendment.

That help him. 19 plus and so eight minus and five abstentions. The final vote is a roll call vote, I open the vote. I close the vote. 26 plus, two minus and five abstentions.

Now we have a very big one, but with only one vote.

We go to number 12, establishing the European Competitiveness Fund, including the specific program for defense research and innovation activities. We vote on the compromise by showing up hands and then on the full report by roll-call vote. Compromise one, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions?

It's adopted. Now roll-call vote on the whole...

55:55 - 55:57

Speaker 32

Compromise two is deemed adopted.

55:57 - 56:57

Monika Hohlmeier

Compromise two is deemed adopted with compromise one. It's included. I was explained. I trust the secretariat, so check. Okay, roll-call vote on the full report.

I open the vote. I close the vote. 22 plus, 8 minus, and 3 abstentions. Congratulations. Now 13, establishing Horizon Europe, the framework program for research and innovation for the period 2028 to 2034, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination and repealing regulation 2021/695.

I heard that Helder would like to take the floor as rapporteur.

56:57 - 58:14

Hélder Sousa Silva

Thank you, thank you, Madam Chair. We have a technical amendment on compromise amendment one, article six, paragraph one. I mean, it's a question of language, but we need to clarify and the language should be aligned to the agreed common compromise. The article should then read, and I quote, "the program envelope for the implementation" instead "the program envelope". And the rest, I will read all the proposal is the following: "the program envelope for the implementation of the program for the period 28-34 shall be 200 billion 3 million 562 thousand euros in current prices, representing in the 177 billion 10 million euros in 2025 prices".

I mean, the figures are the same, only the adjustment of the language in the beginning of this amendment. Thank you so much.

58:14 - 01:00:33

Monika Hohlmeier

Everybody understood? So, no comments? Then let's vote first on compromise number one. Who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions? Adopted. Then compromise two this time. Who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions? Adopted. And compromise three. Who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions? Adopted. Now vote on the final text as amended, roll-call vote, I open the vote. Close the vote. 29 plus, 4 minus, and one abstention.

Now we are going to 14, establishing the specific program implementing Horizon Europe, the framework program for research and innovation for the period 2028 to 2034, laying down the rules for participation and dissemination under that program. Rapporteur is Olivier Chastel, do you would like to address the floor? No. Then we directly go to the first compromise. Who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. Then compromise two. Who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted.

Compromise three. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted.

Now vote on the final text as amended. Roll call vote. I open the vote. Close the vote. 26 plus, three minus, and four abstentions.

Thank you very much and congratulations to the rapporteurs. Now we go to the establishing point 15, establishing the Connecting Europe Facility for the period 2028 to 2034, amending Regulation 2024/1679 and repealing Regulation 2021/1153. Our rapporteur Janusz Lewandowski, would you like to take the floor?

01:00:33 - 01:00:36

Janusz Lewandowski

Voting time, madam. Let's go.

01:00:36 - 01:03:27

Monika Hohlmeier

Ready to start, dear rapporteur. So, compromise four. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions?

Adopted. Then compromise two. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions?

Adopted. Compromise three. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions?

Adopted. Now it's compromise one. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions?

Adopted. Now the final vote on a roll call vote. I open the vote. I close the vote. Sorry.

28 plus, five minus, and one abstention. Now I go to the establishing the single market on the agenda point 16 and customs program for the period, and I don't say everything on it because it's a lot of numbers. Would the rapporteur like to take the floor? No, Danuta does not want. So we start with compromise four.

Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. Then we go to compromise two.

Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. Compromise three.

Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. Compromise one.

Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. Now final vote as roll call vote.

I open the vote. I close the vote. 26 plus, six minus, and two abstentions. Now we are coming to point 17 of the agenda, Union Civil Protection Mechanism and Union support for health emergency preparedness and response and repealing the decision 1313. Nicolae, you don't want to speak.

Fine. Let's start with compromise two. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions?

Adopted. Now compromise one. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions?

Adopted. And that's it already. Final vote as roll call vote. I open the vote. Close the vote.

22 plus, seven minus, and four abstentions. Let's go to 18, on point 18 on the agenda, establishing the Erasmus program for the period of 2028 to 2034. Our rapporteur is Lucia Yar.

01:03:27 - 01:03:30

Speaker 34

Would you like to raise the floor? Yes, Lucia, you have the floor.

01:03:30 - 01:04:43

Lucia Yar

Thank you. I will, I'll break this because everybody constantly keep on saying that the Erasmus is the greatest success story. So I think it is also for us and for this committee to say that if we want for more Europeans, young Europeans to benefit from it, we must address the biggest obstacle to participation and it is money. And this is precisely why the budgetary committee was working on it so hard. I wanted to thank all the shadows and technical team because it was not an easy job to put all the things together.

And I'm very happy that we managed to consistently throughout this file deliver the message that the Erasmus grants often fail to match the costs of accommodation, living costs and travel and why we are addressing it. And the conclusion of our budgetary assessment is really helping stepping up and creating the truly inclusive Erasmus Plus. So thank everybody who was involved.

01:04:43 - 01:13:47

Monika Hohlmeier

Thanks a lot, dear Lucia. We start with compromise two. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted.

And then compromise one. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted. Now final vote as a roll call vote.

I open the vote. I close the vote. And it's adopted 27 to 4 and 3 abstentions. Now we go to number 19 of the agenda, establishing the temporary decarbonization fund. Our rapporteur is Danuș Seneru-Dov.

No, she doesn't want to speak. So let's start with the compromise one. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions and it is adopted.

We go further with 13. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, it's rejected. 14, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstention, it's rejected. Then 15, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted.

16, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. 17, who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions rejected. 18, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. It's 20, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions rejected. 21, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted.

22, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. 23, who is in favor? Against?

Abstentions rejected. 24 in favor? Against? Abstentions rejected. Three, who is in favor?

Who is against? Abstentions adopted. Four, who is in favor? Against? Abstentions adopted.

Five, who is in favor? Against? Abstentions adopted. 27, who is in favor? Against?

Abstentions rejected. 28, who is in favor? Against? Abstentions rejected. Six, who is in favor?

Against? Abstentions rejected. Seven, who is in favor? Against? Abstentions rejected.

Eight, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted. 25, who is in favor? Who is against?

Abstentions rejected. One, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions adopted. 26, who is in favor?

Against? Abstentions rejected.

Adopted. 25, who is in favour? Who is against? Abstentions? Rejected.

One, who is in favour? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. 26, who is in favour?

Against? Abstentions? Adopted. Two, who is in favour? Against?

Abstentions? Adopted. Final vote as roll-call vote, I open the vote. I close the vote. 21 plus, 11 minus, and no abstention.

Yes. We continue with the amending regulation 2023/956 under agenda point 20 as regards the extension of its scope to downstream goods and anti-circumvention measures. Rapporteur Sandra Gómez López, you would like to take the floor? No. So, then let's continue.

We start with amendment number seven. Who is in favour? Who is against? Abstentions? It is rejected.

Number eight, who is in favour? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Nine, in favour?

Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Number 10, who is in favour? Against?

Abstentions? Adopted. Compromise number one, who is in favour? Against? Abstentions?

Adopted. Then 16, who is in favour? Against? Abstentions? Rejected.

17, in favour? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. 18, in favour?

Against? Abstentions? Rejected. 19, in favour? Against?

Abstentions? Rejected. 20, in favour? Against? Abstentions?

Rejected. 21, in favour? Against? Abstentions? Adopted.

Compromise two, who is in favour? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. Now we go to amendment two, who is in favour?

Who is against? Abstentions? Rejected. Three, who is in favour? Against?

Abstentions? Adopted. Four, who is in favour? Against? Abstentions?

It's rejected. Five, who is in favour? Against? Abstentions? It's rejected.

Number six, who is in favour? Who is against? Abstentions? Adopted. 26, who is in favour?

Against? Abstentions? Adopted. 27, who is in favour? Against?

Abstentions? It's adopted. One, who is in favour? Who is against? Abstentions?

Adopted. Now the final vote as roll-call vote, I open the vote. I close the vote.

It's 23 to 10 and one abstention. That was it? No. The next one, one moment, I give this to the table first. So, we have some further.

So, 21 now. The next one on the budget section 3 Commission, DEC 8/2026. It's a roll call vote. I open the vote. I close the vote.

34 plus, no minus. DEC 9/2026, roll call vote. I open the vote. I close the vote. 27 minus 1 and abstention 6.

Then we have 2026 budget other sections, EESC INF 2/2026, roll call vote. I open the vote. Close the vote. 27 plus 4 minus 3 abstentions. Then Committee of the Regions, two votes.

One vote, I said yes, two. Yes. I open the vote, the roll call vote. I close the vote. 27 plus 5 minus 2 abstentions.

Then building policy, we have the OIB extension of the usufruct contract for five buildings, a roll call vote. I open the vote. Close the vote. 27 plus 6 minus and one abstention. Now we have to...

That's this afternoon. Yeah, we stop here. So we can close and we reconvene at 2:30 for workshop on own resources in the digital... And Mr. Stefanuta... Ah, Nicolae!

One moment, dear colleagues.

01:13:47 - 01:14:28

Nicolae Ștefănuță

I simply wish to be put on record on the Erasmus file that we support and we congratulate Lucia Yar for the Green and Socialist group have supported an amendment to reflect the cost of living as regards the individual Erasmus scholarships that was deemed unacceptable by the presidency of this committee, which I still believe it shouldn't be the case. This is the Budget Committee. It is not a non-technical committee. We can make inferences as regards budget, we can make inferences as regards cost of living for students across the Union. Thank you.

01:14:28 - 01:14:30

Speaker 37

Thanks a lot. I close the meeting and we see us this afternoon at 2:30.

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