Ratas: We want a long-term EU budget that supports the continued growth of the well-being of the Estonian people

04.02.2020 | 00:00

News

Brussels, Belgium, 4 February 2020 – Dicussing the EU’s next seven-year budget with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said that it must be ambitious and support the Member States in addressing both current and emerging challenges.

“Achieving climate neutrality is an overall goal of the European Union and the next long-term budget must give it a decisive boost,” said Ratas. “The fair transition mechanism proposed by the European Commission, which must also support the Ida-Viru County, plays an important role here as well,” the prime minister said.

The prime minister pointed out that the decrease in funds from the cohesion policy and the increase of self-financing must be smoother than suggested in previous proposals in spite of the rapid economic development of Estonia. “The cohesion policy has been a very important support factor to our country in terms of investments and reforms, which has resulted in significant improvements in people’s lives. For example, it has been used to support the establishment of a school network, the promotion of entrepreneurship, as well as research and development of the e-state,” the prime minister said.

According to Ratas, the new EU budget framework must ensure a fairer treatment of Estonian farmers and a level playing field with other Member States. “Unfortunately, the rate of direct grants to Estonian farmers is among the lowest. They must be guaranteed fair treatment and competition,” the prime minister emphasised. He also stressed the importance of ensuring adequate funding for the rural development policy.

Ratas also highlighted the continued support for infrastructure projects and building of connections, bringing Rail Baltica as an example.

Michel, the President of the European Council, is leading the ongoing budget negotiations and in early February, he will meet with the heads of state and government of the Member States to submit his proposals regarding the EU’s next seven-year budget after consulting with them. On 20 February, the leaders of the Member States will gather at the extraordinary meeting of the European Council to agree on the next budget.

On the topic of the European single market, Prime Minister Ratas expressed his hope that at the meeting of the European Council in March, Member State leaders will be able to make ambitious decisions on how to thrivingly move ahead with the internal market and digital development. “In order to grow the European single market, we need to move forward firmly, creating uniform rules that support businesses and increase competition in the region. We need to focus on developing the cross-border services sector, the free flow of data, and new technologies such as the artificial intelligence,” said Ratas.

“In order for the European digital internal market to work better, a strong electronic identity should be created. Estonia has built a digital society and developed e-services for decades. It would benefit all Europeans and entrepreneurs in the single market,” the prime minister said.

Ratas and Michel also spoke about the security situation in the Sahel region in Africa and expressed concern about the worsening situation. Ratas noted that Estonia is committed to supporting the internal security of the Sahel countries by, for example, participating in the fight against terrorism in Mali alongside France.

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmLbxasg

Government Communication Unit

-