BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Artjoms Uršuļskis, Parliamentary Secretary at Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, took part in the General Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) on Friday, where an initial exchange of views was held on the European Commission’s proposal for the EU’s long-term budget after 2027, Trend reports.
The proposal was officially published on 16 July and marks the beginning of member state consultations.
During the meeting, Parliamentary Secretary Uršuļskis emphasized the need for an ambitious multiannual financial framework that addresses both traditional EU priorities and new emerging challenges.
“We see the overall budget proposed by the European Commission as a good starting point for discussions, taking into account the current needs. We welcome the increased funding for security, defense, and connectivity, and the long-term support allocated for Ukraine. However, we believe there is still significant uncertainty regarding allocations to individual Member States,” Uršuļskis said.
Uršuļskis expressed concern over the merging of Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy funds, noting that current proposals do not adequately account for the disproportionate socio-economic impact of the war in Ukraine on EU countries neighboring Russia and Belarus.
The European Commission’s proposal, published earlier this week, will now serve as the basis for negotiations between EU Member States.
A final decision on the long-term financial framework will require unanimous agreement among Member States, as well as the consent of the European Parliament. A detailed review of the proposal is already underway.
The General Affairs Council is responsible for overarching EU matters that span multiple policy areas, including EU enlargement negotiations, European Council preparations, the multiannual financial framework, and institutional and administrative issues.