In response to the mid-term revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), and the decision taken by EU leaders last February to use 2 billion EUR of decommitted funds from the Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument to fund other priorities, Wetlands International Europe joined more than 50 organisations in a statement in preparation of the EU’s next Strategic Agenda (2024-2029) and new MFF beyond 2027.
Organisations are highlighting how the mid-term revision of the EU’s long-term budget sends a damaging message to Europe’s partners, indicating that despite the extent of interlinked global challenges and despite the eradication of poverty being a stated aim of the EU, Europe’s primary focus lies in curtailing migration.
Forcing trade-offs between the EU’s internal and external priorities is a false dichotomy. In an increasingly competitive, multipolar world, continued engagement on global challenges is imperative.
The EU should bolster investment in international partnerships, in particular in fragile contexts. We need to protect and increase external action spending in the EU’s next long-term budget, and prioritize cooperation on global challenges in the upcoming Strategic Agenda.
Failure to do so will not only jeopardize the EU’s role on the global stage but also undermine the values and objectives it aims to promote.
See the full statement: Joint CSO Statement re. MFF MTR next mandate