European Council, 20-21 February 2020

Summary:

A special meeting of the European Council was held on 20-21 February 2020.

Further information:

This meeting was scheduled to hold negotiations and seek an agreement on the European Union's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period 2021-2027. Some of the main issues at stake in the discussions included:

• overall level;
• volumes of the main policy areas;
• financing, including revenues (own resources) and corrections;
• conditionalities and incentives.

The European Council also issued a declaration relating to the latest developments in Idlib (Syria), calling on all stakeholders to cease hostilities immediately.

The plenary of the European Parliament held a debate ahead and after the special summit to reassert positions concerning the MFF 2021-2027.

• Primary Source

Commentary and Analysis

Politico, 06/02/2020: EU budget battle joined ahead of summit showdown https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-budget-battle-joined-ahead-of-summit-showdown/

EurActiv, 18/02/2020: EU budget summit: Is the EU risking another ‘no deal’? https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/opinion/eu-budget-summit-is-the-eu-risking-another-no-deal/

Politico, 18/02/2020: EU budget talks: The essential guide https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-budget-talks-the-essential-guide/

Politico, 19/02/2020: Charles Michel plots ‘miracle’ EU budget deal https://www.politico.eu/article/charles-michel-plots-miracle-europe-budget-deal-mff/

EUObserver, 20/02/2020: These are the crunch issues at the EU budget summit https://euobserver.com/economic/147506

Euro|topics, February 2020: Tough negotiations over EU budget https://www.eurotopics.net/en/235462/

Euro|topics, February 2020: EU summit ends without agreement https://www.eurotopics.net/en/235803/

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News

Politico, 25/01/2020: Charles Michel calls special summit on EU budget https://www.politico.eu/article/charles-michel-calls-special-summit-on-eu-budget/

EurActiv, 27/01/2020: Divided EU leaders to hammer out budget at February summit https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/divided-eu-leaders-to-hammer-out-budget-at-february-summit/

EurActiv, 12/02/2020: Commission warns of Green Deal failure if Transition Fund not well financed https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/commission-warns-of-green-deal-failure-if-transition-fund-not-well-financed/

Euronews, 12/02/2020: Give me Green Deal funds or I'm not backing budget, warns EU chief Ursula von der Leyen https://www.euronews.com/2020/02/12/give-me-green-deal-funds-or-i-m-not-backing-budget-warns-eu-chief-ursula-von-der-leyen

Dutchnews.nl, 18/02/2020: The Netherlands sets out ‘frugal’ position ahead of key EU budget summit https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/02/the-netherlands-sets-out-frugal-position-ahead-of-key-eu-budget-summit/

EUObserver, 18/02/2020: EU countries enter final phase of budget talks https://euobserver.com/economic/147480

EUObserver, 19/02/2020: EU leaders face major clash on rule of law budget link https://euobserver.com/political/147495

EurActiv, 19/02/2020: Pressure mounts on EU leaders to reach MFF deal within days https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/pressure-mounts-on-eu-leaders-to-reach-mff-deal-within-days/

The Guardian, 19/02/2020: Tensions mount between EU members ahead of budget talks https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/19/tensions-mount-between-eu-members-ahead-of-budget-talks

The Wall Street Journal, 19/02/2020: EU Nations Square Off for Budget Clash After Britain’s Exit https://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-nations-square-up-for-budget-clash-after-britains-exit-11582138364

Politico, 19/02/2020: Merkel: EU budget talks will be ‘very tough and difficult’ https://www.politico.eu/article/merkel-eu-budget-talks-will-be-very-tough-and-difficult/

BBC News, 20/02/2020: Brexit complicates EU budget plans https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51560940

RTÉ News, 20/02/2020: Michel confident EU leaders will make progress on budget https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0220/1116443-eu-budget/

Associated Press, 20/02/2020: 4 EU nations refuse to budge on budget; new summit likely https://apnews.com/0948877e4bea92c47e3886d8dbcc33ad

EurActiv, 21/02/2020: Summit fails to narrow differences over EU’s seven-year budget https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/summit-fails-to-narrow-differences-over-eus-seven-year-budget/

RTÉ News, 21/02/2020: Significant gaps as EU budget negotiations to resume https://www.rte.ie/news/europe/2020/0221/1116657-brussels-budget/

Dutchnews.nl, 21/02/2020: Dutch stick to their guns over EU budget, no progress so far says Rutte https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/02/dutch-stick-to-their-guns-over-eu-budget-no-progress-so-far-says-rutte/

Deutsche Welle, 21/02/2020: European Union leaders fail to agree on new 7-year budget https://p.dw.com/p/3Y9qH

BBC News, 21/02/2020: EU budget: Talks end amid stand-off between 'frugal' and other nations https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51594002

The Guardian, 21/02/2020: EU summit collapses as leaders struggle to fill €75bn Brexit hole https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/21/eu-leaders-at-odds-over-filling-brexit-shortfall

EUObserver, 21/02/2020: EU leaders struggling to break budget deadlock https://euobserver.com/economic/147528

EurActiv, 21/02/2020: EU leaders fail to agree on first post-Brexit budget as divisions grow https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-leaders-fail-to-agree-on-first-post-brexit-budget-as-divisions-grow/

Reuters, 21/02/2020: 'Differences too big,' says Merkel as EU budget summit fails https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN20F2KV

EUObserver, 21/02/2020: No breakthrough at EU budget summit https://euobserver.com/economic/147529

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Official

European Parliament: Press Release, 07/02/2020: Long-term EU budget: The Union’s ambitions must be matched with sufficient reliable funding https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200207IPR72102/

European Parliament: Press Release, 12/02/2020: More than money: the long-term EU budget is a tool for Europe’s future https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200206IPR72013/

European Commission: News, 12/02/2020: Von der Leyen on EU long-term budget: our opportunity to make Europe fit for the future https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ac_20_241

European Commission: Speech by President von der Leyen in the Plenary of the European Parliament at the debate on the special meeting of the European Council of 20 February 2020 on the Multiannual Financial Framework (12 February 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_239

European Council: Remarks by President Charles Michel after the special meeting of the European Council on 20-21 February 2020 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/02/21/remarks-by-president-charles-michel-after-the-special-meeting-of-the-european-council-on-20-21-february-2020/

European Commission: Remarks by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with President Michel, following the Special European Council, 20-21 February 2020 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_309

European Parliament: Press Release, 21/02/2020: EP’s MFF negotiators disappointed by failure of EU budget summit https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200218IPR72807/

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