Back

Barroso urged to kick-start EU budget review

More open and transparent process essential, say groups

Brussels, 18 June - The Coalition for Sustainable EU Funds has today written to European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso requesting that new life is breathed into the EU budget reform process in order to ensure that a new green economy results from the billions of euros to be allocated across the European Union after 2013.

The coalition, comprising a range of European non-governmental organisations, specifically called on President Barroso to put discussions about the future of the EU budget back in the public domain via a clear and transparent EU budget reform process.

Markus Trilling, EU Funds coordinator for CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe said: “The EU budget is a chance to put the EU’s priorities into action. In these times of ongoing crisis and radical austerity measures across Europe, the European Commission must ensure that the EU budget works in the public interest. It can do this by kick-starting the stalled post-2013 budget review process with the necessary public participation and transparency.

“We're calling for the next EU budget to be fully in line with the EU’s long term commitments to fight climate change and that means using the billions to accelerate the EU’s transition to a renewable, resource efficient society in 2050. Building a new green economy out of the rubble of the old, ensuring that clean energy generation and sustainable consumption patterns get mainstreamed into the next EU budget, all of this requires the full participation of Europe's public – it cannot be left to bureaucrats.”

***

For more information, please contact:

Markus Trilling, EU Funds coordinator CEE Bankwatch Network/Friends of the Earth Europe, +32 2 893 10 31 Email: markus.trilling[at]foeeurope.org

Francesca Gater, Communications Officer, Friends of the Earth Europe, Tel: +32 2 893 1010, Mob: +32 485 930 515, Email: francesca.gater[at]foeeurope.org

***

Notes for editors:

1. See the letter to President Barroso online.

The Coalition for Sustainable EU Funds includes the following non-governmental organisations:
Bird Life International
CECODHAS – Housing Europe
CEE Bankwatch Network
E3G: financing strategic energy plan, low carbon fund, ETS
Energy Cities
Friends of the Earth Europe
Green Alliance, UK
Green Budget Germany
Transport & Environment

Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment,
unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups
and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.

Home