Bulgaria is among the biggest recipients of EU funds in the period 2014-2020

Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which are the poorest EU member states would also be the largest net recipients from the EU budget for the period 2014-2020, as a percentage of their gross national income, announced the EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget, Janusz Lewandowski, quoted by BTA (Bulgarian Telegraph Agency). Late last night, the European Commission approved the draft financial framework for the next programming period of the European Community. Serious debates over the document are expected in the coming 18 months.

The four countries are the top winners in terms of this budget framework, but in this way we guarantee our budget balance and the 7-year economic peace in the EU, commented also Lewandowski. Earlier, the EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva told the (Bulgarian National Radio) that Bulgaria can be granted some 10-15% more subsidies under the EU Funds in the period from 2014 to 2020 if it proves its capability of absorbing the money effectively.

The project also provides for the faster alignment of direct payments to Bulgarian farmers with subsidies granted by the old EU member states. That means a 70% increase in farm subsidies, provided that 30%of the budget be allocated to agricultural projects, clarified the Euro Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva.

The financial framework of the Community also provides for the creation of a new EU Fund for better connectivity of energy, transport and communication infrastructures. Due to its favourable location, Bulgaria could benefit from this Fund, while the EU member states have yet to discuss the parameters of the financial aid, Georgieva added.

Despite the demand of Britain, Germany and France for the freeze of the EU budget from 2014 to 2020, the European Commission proposed that it be increased by 1%. It is envisaged that the additional revenues be accumulated from a new type of a value added tax, which would be directly infused to Brussels as well as from a tax on financial transactions. The entire proposed amount for the next seven years comes to €1,025 trln. of costs and liabilities (1.05% of the gross national income of the EU) and stands at  971.5 bn (1% of the gross national income of the EU) in payments.

The European Union needs "an innovative budget," where every euro spent reaches its target, stated the Head of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, presenting the plans for the new budget framework. Under the plans, the funds raised directly via the application of the new measures, such as the pan-European VAT or tax on financial transactions worth about €30 bn per year, will lead to an increase of 40% of the EU revenues. At the same time, the contributions of EU member states, which currently amount to 76% of the total revenue will slump by about one-third. The rest of the budget will be financed by customs duties collected along the EU borders and a part of the VAT collected by member states.

The uniform VAT would be levied across all the 27 EU countries based on a fixed one percentage point and will be transferred directly to the EU as of 2014. Compared with the current budgetary framework for 2007-2013, Brussels proposed an increase in costs by 5 percent.
Meanwhile, the idea of ​​the uniform VAT was already rejected by London.

The Common Agricultural Policy, with an estimated fixed funding of €281 bn, remains strategically important for the EU economy and environment,  by contributing to the production of safe and wholesome foodstuffs as well as to rural development. It is envisaged that the differences in subsidies to the farmers from the individual EU member states would be reduced.

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