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16:33 GMT
BRUSSELS, Nov 16 (KUNA) -- European Commission President Jose Manuel
Barroso expressed here Tuesday "extreme disappointment" over failing talks
between the EU Council and the European Parliament on the 2011 budget.
"I regret that a small number of EU member states were not prepared to
negotiate in a European spirit. Indeed, given the advanced state of the
negotiations and the progress made, a solution should have been possible last
night," he noted in a statement.
The last attempt to approve the EU budget for 2011 ended in failure early
on Tuesday, as the EU Council, which represents European Union governments and
the European Parliament (EP), remained locked in a power struggle.
Talks broke down, despite the EP having agreed to Council demands to limit
budget increases to 2.9 percent, rather than the 6.2 percent the EP had asked
for.
In return, the EP asked for a "legally-binding" promise to be involved in
future discussions on long-term EU financing, giving them a platform to call
for an EU-wide tax.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, will now submit another
budget proposal, hoping an agreement can be reached on it at next month's EU
summit, scheduled for December 16-17.
"Those that think they have won a victory over 'Brussels' have shot
themselves in the foot. They should know that they have dealt a blow to people
all over Europe and in the developing world. This is not a budget for
'Brussels'. It is the beneficiaries of EU programs (citizens, businesses,
towns, cities, regions and rural communities) who will feel the impact of this
failure to reach agreement," said Barroso.
Meanwhile, EU budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski told reporters today
"we start preparations on a new draft budget. It will take time. Probably
2011, we will start."
He added that the delay in the budget approval is affecting many important
programs of the EU, such as financing the new External Action Service and also
compensation payments made to European farmers. (pickup previous)
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