As negotiations continue on the EU budget from 2014 onwards, the regions Liberal Democrat MEPs Edward McMillan-Scott and Rebecca Taylor have been battling hard to make sure Yorkshire and the Humber is not disproportionally affected over its southern counter-parts by any budget squeeze.
Millions of pounds for local projects focused on job creation and research currently comes from the EU into our universities, cities and communities. Although a final deal on the 2014 budget is yet to be reached, the EU’s budget is expected to be a cut in real-terms for the first time in history.
The Liberal Democrat MEPs have welcomed the Coalition Government’s commitment to ensure that cuts to European funding from 2014 onwards will be shared in a fair manner across the UK.
Edward McMillan-Scott MEP commented:
“It is vital that northern regions, like Yorkshire and the Humber, are not disproportionately affected in an EU funding settlement over those regions closer to the M25.
“Countless examples exist in Yorkshire of the beneficial impact vital EU funding has in creating jobs and supporting research. Competition for this funding is always fierce between the UK’s regions but this is about making sure that northern regions get their fair slice of EU funding going forward.”
Rebecca Taylor MEP added:
“Liberal Democrat MEPs are lobbying our business and treasury ministers to ensure we have a fair system for allocating EU funding across the UK as we move forward. We must use these EU funds to effectively tackle the north-south divide.”
The Coalition Government has announced that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be subjected to an equal percentage cut of around 5% compared to the current 2007-2017 EU funding levels.
Ends
Note to Editors:
The final allocations for the EU’s long-term budget for 2014-2020 are subject to current negotiations between the European Parliament and government ministers from the EU’s 27 Member States.
Government announcement on the allocation of EU structural funding in the UK:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/allocation-of-eu-structural-funding-across-the-uk
In the Government’s response to the Heseltine Review on growth, pages 50 and 51 set out the framework for the delivery of structural funds in England in the next period:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/PU1465_Govt_response_to_Heseltine_review.pdf