By Martin Banks - 16th November 2010
It leaves me speechless
Marta Andreasen
Commission president José Manuel Barroso has accused some member states of "dealing a blow" to Europe by blocking a deal on the 2011 budget.
Speaking on Tuesday, he said, "A small number of member states were not prepared to negotiate in a European spirit. I'm extremely disappointed. A solution should have been possible last night.
"I regret that a small number of member states were not prepared to negotiate in a European spirit."
His comments come after some countries rejected parliament's demands for pledges on future EU funding and on the assembly's future role in budget talks.
Barroso did not name the countries concerned but they are thought to include the UK.
The talks ended in deadlock late on Monday, making it likely that the 2011 budget will be frozen at this year's level.
MEPs have been swift to react to the breakdown in the budget negotiations and also to Barroso's attack.
Ukip deputy Marta Andreasen, an economic and monetary affairs committee member, branded his comments as "an emotionally blackmailing little diatribe".
She said, "The cheek of the commission calling on nation states to slash their budgets while demanding an increase in the budget and powers of parliament is incredible.
"It leaves me speechless, that he would call countries who are trying to slow the increase in the EU budget, as failing to negotiate in a 'European spirit.' Emotional blackmail won't work this time."
Parliament's president Jerzy Buzek appeared to back Barroso, saying he regretted that "a few member states closed the door" to an agreement.
However, ECR budgets spokesman Lajos Bokros, a Hungarian member, called on MEPs to "understand why national governments are unwilling to make long-term commitments on financing at a time when they are facing extremely tough decisions regarding national deficits and the eurozone crisis".
He added, "MEPs must not be carried away by their injured pride and self-esteem. With the eurozone crisis and enormous structural deficits is it any wonder that some national governments are inflexible about making long-term commitments regarding EU spending?
"Parliament needs to be careful that in these uncertain times it is not asking for anything more."
UK Conservative budgets spokesman James Elles said, "The situation is a mess. Effectively we are now in a new process under the Lisbon treaty.
"Whereas before the budget came for a first, second and sometimes a third reading, under the new rules this important process of scrutiny has been curtailed.
"How we proceed from here is uncharted territory."
Further comment came from Polish EPP member Sidonia Jedrzejewska, parliament's rapporteur on the budget, who said, "There is a growing discrepancy between what member states expect the EU to do and the willingness of EU countries to finance those new tasks."
"It is very unfortunate to see that although we tried to find an agreement on the figures, the council refused even to talk about own resources."
Greens/EFA budgetary spokesperson Helga Trüpel said, "The negotiations on next year's EU budget are at a dead-end due to the dogged intransigence of a handful of member state governments and we cannot continue banging our heads against a brick wall.
"Parliament has gone far more than halfway to meet the demands of the council but, regrettably, member states offered no flexibility."
Meanwhile French EPP deputy Alain Lamassoure, who chairs the budgets committee, said parliament had agreed that the EU could not escape the austerity measures taken in the case of national budgets.
But, he said, "At the same time the seriousness of the budgetary crisis in all of Europe necessitates an in-depth reflection on the future financing of policies on which all EU countries have agreed."
