For this, FRA consulted over 35 experts with a wide range of expertise during webinars on 8 and 15 May.

They included representatives from State authorities such as border guards, the European Commission and EU agencies (Frontex, EASO). They also represented international organisations, such as the UN Refugee Agency, Council of Europe, Red Cross, National Human Rights Institutions, the European Court of Human Rights Registry, civil society and academia. The practical guidance will identify concrete actions that border guards and other competent authorities should take to uphold fundamental rights in their daily work.

FRA will officially launch it at the upcoming European Migration Network conference, organised in cooperation with the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council.

The conference takes place online on 24 June. 

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In the resolution by rapporteur Pierre Larrouturou (S&D, FR), adopted by the Committee on Budgets on Thursday by 33 votes against 4, with 1 abstention, MEPs emphasise that “the Union and all of its Member States must show full solidarity with those most in need, pulling together as a community and ensuring that no country is left to fight this pandemic and the aftermath on its own, including through a 2021 budget commensurate to this historical challenge.” Next year’s budget “should be the first of an updated, reoriented and very ambitious 2021-2027 MFF”, they add.

European Green Deal and digital transformation paramount

MEPs expect the Commission to present a draft 2021 budget that is an important part of the recovery plan which “needs to be built on the European Green Deal and digital transformation of our societies to rebuild our economy, ensure resilience and inclusion (…), protect people’s wellbeing and health from further risks and environmental impacts, create high-quality jobs and ensure social, economic and territorial cohesion and convergence”, according to the resolution.

MEPs’ priorities for next year’s EU budget

• The current crisis should “not reduce the ambition of moving towards the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, requiring cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared with 1990 levels by 2030”;

• EU-funded research should be increased, be it in relation to COVID-19 to develop vaccines and treatments or with regard to the EU’s climate goals. MEPs remind that “many excellent proposals for research cannot be implemented not because of their bad quality but due to significant under-funding of the programmes”;

• Boost support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), including special emphasis on the digital transformation of SMEs. SMEs “are most likely to be the most affected companies by the economic downturn due to the COVID 19 outbreak”, MEPs underline.

• Fully implement the European pillar of social rights in the 2021 EU budget, considering the immediate and long-term major negative social impacts of the current situation;

• Provide an adequate level of resources in the budget 2021 to tackle the increased migration pressure, also by supporting third countries from which migration flows originate;

• The Commission must propose an MFF contingency plan by 15 June 2020 in order to protect beneficiaries of EU programmes and ensure continuity of funding in case the new MFF is not in place on time for 2021.

For more information on these and other priorities, please check the compromise amendments at the back of the voting list, which have all been adopted, as long as the consolidated report is not available. The draft report and other documents can be found here.

Next steps

The full house will vote, during the 17-19 June plenary session, on the draft guidelines adopted in committee today. The Commission is expected to present its proposal for the 2021 budget towards the end of June. Next year’s budget has to be agreed between the Council and the Parliament by the end of the year.

Background

The budget guidelines are the first document that Parliament produces during the annual budget procedure. It sets out the line that Parliament expects the Commission to take when drawing up its budget proposal.

The draft report by rapporteur José Manuel Fernandes, (EPP, PT), who recommended that the assistance be approved, was adopted by 38 votes in favour, none against and without abstentions.

The €279 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) would be allocated as follows:

• The Azores (Portugal) were hit by hurricane Lorenzo in October 2019 (€8.2 million);
• A rare meteorological phenomenon described as “isolated high altitude depression” affected four regions in the south-east of Spain in September 2019, leading to flooding (€56.7 million);
• Most of the Italian territory was affected, between October and November 2019, by a series of connected extreme weather events, leading to severe damage and culminating in the disastrous flooding of Venice (€211.7 million);
• In November 2019, the south-west of Austria suffered from severe flooding, particularly in Carinthia and Eastern Tyrol, both Alpine areas bordering on Italy (€2.3 million).

More information here (Commission proposal) and in the EP draft report.

Quote

Rapporteur José Manuel Fernandes, (EPP, PT): “Following a series of natural disasters last year, the European Parliament is committed to helping Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria. With urgent financial aid amounting to €279 million, our aim is to rebuild infrastructure and boost the economy of the regions most affected, especially outermost regions. This is a small but important step towards the recovery and revival of local and national economies. I welcome Austria’s request to the European Commission for assistance in mobilising the Fund. It is proof that Austrians – like all Europeans – benefit from European solidarity.”

Next steps

The European Parliament as a whole still needs to approve the proposal for EU Solidarity Fund assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria in June. Once plenary and Council have endorsed it, the financial aid can be paid out.

Background

The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was created after the severe floods in Central Europe in the summer of 2002. Since then, it intervened following 88 disasters covering a range of different catastrophic events including floods, forest fires, earthquakes, storms and drought. 24 different European countries have been supported so far with a total amount of more than €5.5 billion. In addition to intervening following natural disasters, since 1 April 2020, the scope of the Fund was broadened as part of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative, to include also support in case of public health emergencies, such as the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Member states hit by a natural disaster can request different kinds of short- and long-term EU support. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism can be activated during a crisis by a member state. To strengthen short-term EU crisis response, the EU adopted a new system called RescEU in March 2019. RescEU establishes a new European reserve of capacities that includes firefighting planes and helicopters.