Parliament votes to invest in climate protection, youth and sea rescue

Today, Members of the European Parliament have just 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.

Rasmus Andresen, shadow rapporteur of the Greens/EFA group for the EU budget 2020 and member of the European Parliament's negotiating team for the Multiannual Financial Framework for the years 2021 to 2027, comments:

"The European Parliament has taken a bold step towards a more forward-looking and greener budget. Those Member States who are serious about fighting climate change, youth unemployment and the catastrophe in the Mediterranean must now agree to putting more money where it's needed.

"The investments demanded by the European Parliament across political groups, are for expenditure on protecting the climate, our young people and our European values. A historic increase in the EU budget will lead to more climate protection and greater youth employment."

More:

In the Parliament's position on the European Commission's proposal, MEPs call 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 pushed for the first time for a budget line for an EU sea rescue mission.