Members of the European Parliament voted for greater climate protection, sea rescue and youth projects to be part of the EU budget 2020.
MEPs want the budget for 2020 to be increased by three billion euros from 168 to 171 billion euros. Now the European Council will need to decide on the proposals.
MEPs called for investments of more than two billion euros in climate protection and around 500 million euros in the fight against youth unemployment and the Erasmus youth exchange programme. Due to efforts of the Greens/EFA group, the European Parliament also pushed for the first time for a budget line for an EU sea rescue mission.
Responding to the vote, Catherine Rowett (Green Party Member of the European Parliament for the East of England) said:
“I am delighted to see that the European Parliament has taken a bold step towards a more forward-looking and greener budget. The extra money will be used to protect the climate, our young people and the shared European value of openness and compassion.
“For those of us who have been concerned about what is happening to our planet for many years, the extra funding for projects that tackle climate change is as welcome as it is overdue.
“I am also pleased to see that the Greens/EFA Group’s suggestion to ensure that there is an EU sea rescue mission was carried. We cannot sit back and idly accept the humanitarian disaster that is occurring in the Mediterranean, with 1000s of migrants drowning each year. This funding is desperately needed, especially as we are likely to see more refugees in future years, if the climate emergency is exacerbated.”
