EU Budget less than Europe needs but more than might have been expected after December

5 April 2006

The deal between the Austrian Presidency and the European Parliament on the EU's budget is "less than Europe really needs but more than might have been expected after the December Summit" said Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, President of the Party of European Socialists. "It is an acceptable deal."
 
The deal adds an extra €4bn to the budget agreed for  the years 2007-2013  at the European Summit in December. It is less than the additional €12bn demanded by the European Parliament. 
 
The extra €4bn, spread between a number of important initiatives, "is good for a stronger European effort to boost education, training and  research" added Rasmussen. "That is good for the people of Europe." 
 
 
For more information
Julian Scola, Press Officer, Party of European Socialists, gsm 0486 117 394,