Parliament has consistently argued that in order for the EU to meet people's expectations and make good on its commitments and ambitions, it must have the necessary means to invest in the future of the EU.

One of the key questions is where EU funding will best serve Europeans. MEPs want to maintain funding for farmers and poorer regions at the current level. The Common Agricultural Policy is funded exclusively at EU level and aims to provide safe and quality food as well as decent incomes for farmers, while support for less developed regions promotes solidarity and ensures that everyone benefits from the single market.

But the EU faces other challenges that require adequate investment, such as migration and security and new ones such as the development of digital technologies. Parliament wants climate action in the EU budget to be stepped up and adequately financed, also to facilitate a just transition to a carbon-neutral economy, to ensure that nobody is left behind. In addition MEPs call for more investment in areas such as young people, research and innovation as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.

EU benefits outweigh contributions

The EU budget is an investment tool that brings added value and creates opportunities for people and companies across borders.

The EU Single Market, for example, removes barriers to trade and makes it possible for companies from any EU country to enter the market of other member states. Estimates quoted by the European Commission show that the benefits are much larger than the contribution each country makes to the EU budget.

Studies show that the existence of the Single Market has created 3.6 million jobs since 1990 and if it had not been there, the EU's gross domestic product would have been 8.7% lower. The average EU citizen gains €840 more per year thanks to the Single Market.