Highlights – 2022 Budget: committee debate with EU agencies in the context of the pandemic – Committee on Budgets

The Committees on Budgets and on Budgetary Control will go over the European Court of Auditors’ review on financial contributions from non-EU countries to the EU, with ECA Member François-Roger Cazala, on 12 July. These contributions are based on agreements through which non-EU countries gain access to EU programmes and activities and/or to the EU single market. In 2019, they amounted to EUR 1,9 billion, meaning 1% of the total EU revenue.

The Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affair will hold their second Recovery and Resilience Dialogue with Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President for an Economy that Works for People, and Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, on 14 July. The debate is expected to focus on the Commission’s assessment of national recovery and resilience plans submitted by Member States.

The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality will go over its opinion on the EU Budget for 2022, on 12 July. Amongst other things, the draft asks for an increase in the European Institute for Gender Equality’s budget and an independent budget line to the objective dedicated to promoting gender equality in the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme. The Committee will then vote on its opinion on the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, on 13 July.

The Committee on Development will discuss the global humanitarian and food security situation with UN World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley, on 13 July. According to the latest Global Report on Food Crises, the number of people facing acute food insecurity and needing urgent assistance hit a five-year high in 2020. The debate will feed into the Committee’s work on an upcoming report on food security in developing countries.

The Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport will hold debates with Chief Veterinary Officers from Lithuania, Italy, France and Hungary, on 14 and 15 July. The aim is to share experiences with the implementation of the Council Regulation on the protection of animals during transport. The debate should also give the opportunity to go over the challenges faced by Member States, and their recommendations to the Committee with a view to improving the current framework.