Lords to ask Commission if the EU Budget is no longer fit for purpose
Next Tuesday 24 June a House of Lords Committee which deals with economic affairs will quiz senior officials from the European Commission on the proposed 2015 EU budget.
Peers will ask Nadia Calviño, Director General, DG Budget (BUDG), European Commission, and Silvano Presa, Director, Expenditure, DG Budget (BUDG), European Commission, whether or not the mechanics of setting the budget are in need of major reform.
The EU Sub Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs will also ask the witnesses their views on the UK's opposition to using the EU's “rainy day funds”, the Contingency Margin.
Other questions they will face include:
- How do you justify the proposed increase for 2015?
- Why is there a need to access another 4.7bn euros for the 2014 budget? How did this come about?
- Are you considering the Contingency Margin for areas that do not constitute ‘a reaction to unforeseen circumstances'?
- Has the relationship between payments and commitments broken down?
- What do such apparently intractable problems indicate about the efficacy of the EU budgetary process? What reforms are necessary?
The evidence session will start at 10.40am on Tuesday 24 June in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords.
