During a meeting of the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) at the European Parliament in Brussels, an exchange of views took place with Piotr Serafin, Commissioner for Budget, Public Administration, and Anti-Fraud, on the regulation on the multiannual financial framework, the interinstitutional agreement, and the decision on own resources. Bogdan Rzońca, the ECR Group’s coordinator on the Budget Committee (BUDG), spoke during the discussion.
The PiS MEP addressed questions to Commissioner Piotr Serafin regarding the direction of the European Union’s budgetary policy, the functioning of the Common Agricultural Policy, and the “levy” on used electrical and electronic equipment.
MEP Bogdan Rzońca pointed out that the current proposals contained in the European Union budget raise serious concerns about the direction in which European integration is heading. “Today we see an increasingly clear dynamic: the European Commission and national governments, bypassing the Union’s community dimension,” said Bogdan Rzońca, ECR Group coordinator on the Budget Committee, expressing his concerns.
The Polish politician also referred to letters received by the European Commission regarding the coordination of the Common Agricultural Policy. “The ECR Group has clearly indicated that there is a serious problem with CAP coordination. If relations are conducted directly between the European Commission and the governments of member states, this could lead to conflicts. We are concerned about situations in which different financial resources will be allocated to agricultural sectors in varying ways, which will create unnecessary competitive pressure among countries,” said the MEP
The MEP also addressed the issue of the EU’s new own resources, including the planned “levy” on electronic waste. “Of course, the ECR will oppose these new own resources. Do you have any information regarding electronic waste? Are there any estimates of how this will be distributed among individual countries?” he asked Commissioner Serafin. He pointed out that Poland has had very negative experiences following the introduction of a plastic tax, as it incurs very high costs as a result. “So how will the revenue from this ‘levy’ be distributed among EU member states?” he asked.
