POLICY WATCH
EU progresses in relation to health, research and budget policy Since the election of the new European Parliament and the confirmation of the European Commission last year, work has been underway setting out the future programme of work for the EU, in relation to health and research, as well as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). In this article, Alzheimer Europe Policy Officer, Owen Miller, examines the developments over the summer. In May 2019, elections were held to elect members to the European Parliament, marking the beginning of the transition towards the new cycle of the EU. Following the election, the process of selecting the new President of the European Commission and the European Commissioners began, identifying those who would to lead the EU over the coming years. The changes in leadership and move into the next cycle have taken place during uncertain
and unprecedented times, with the global COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing negotiations about the future relationship of the UK and the EU creating much uncertainty about the future. Almost 18 months on, negotiations on the EU’s future budget for 2021–2027, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), as well as future policies on health and research, remain under negotiation.
Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the Next Generation EU Recovery Fund European Commission budget and recovery instrument proposal Negotiations on the MFF 2021–2027 started as early as May 2018, when the Commission first published its budget proposal. However, little progress was made in the months which followed, with the European Parliament calling for higher spending and the European Council pushing for an overall percentage reduction in spending. Following the outbreak of the coronavirus and the considerable economic impact on countries, the European Commission produced a new budget proposal in May 2020. In addition to the MFF, the Commission also proposed the Next Generation EU, a recovery fund which sought to address the economic impact of the pandemic. 20
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Combined, the proposal totalled EUR 1.85 trillion, comprised of EUR 1.1 trillion for the MFF and EUR 750 million for the Next Generation EU. This included a dedicated Health Programme (EU4Health) and commitment to maintain Horizon Europe funding at the levels proposed in the Commission’s original proposal. Details on the funding and contents of these programmes are outlined below. EUCO meeting In July 2020, the European Council reached an agreement on the levels of spending for both the MFF and the recovery instrument. Whilst the total funding package agreed remained largely similar (EUR 1.84 trillion), the implications for funding, both in terms
