The European Commission proposes the overall amount for the next seven years: €1,025 billion in commitments (1.05% of the EU GNI) and €972.2 billion (1% of EU GNI) in payments. Horizon 2020’s budget is confirmed at €85 million, and new aid regimes are introduced, like the paneuropean program for infrastructure, transport, energy and ICT ‘Connecting Europe Facility’.
As some members States express opposion to expanding the European budget the Commission proposes to reduce national contribution while raising its ‘own resources’ by new taxes like the so-called ‘Tobin Tax’ (although the famous economist refuse any realtionships between this tax and his theories) on capital transfers. A new category of ‘transition Regions’ have been included, and partnership agreements between the Commission and each single State have been proposed to coordinate and integrate all the policies on Structural Funds.
Member States aim to close the negotiations by December 2012. Read more.
