Prague, May 9 (CTK) – The Czech Republic has good prospects to push through its interests in the EU budget for 2021-2027, Czech EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova said at a press conference after the government’s meeting on Wednesday.
She said she considered the budget that the European Commission (EC) submitted on May 2 reasonably balanced in view of Brexit.
“I can see the negotiating of good prospects for the Czech Republic very realistic. If I had stated the opposite, I would have undermined the Czech negotiating position,” Jourova said, adding that Czechs should join forces with other members states to push for their interests.
The EU wants to more fund the security area as well as programmes of the development of digitisation, artificial intelligence and applied research, Jourova pointed out.
“Those are all chances for the Czech Republic to use the money,” she said.
Brussels is now debating the division of finances within the cohesion and agriculture policies, she added.
The EC has proposed the long-term EU budget outlooks for 2021-2027 with 1,135 billion euros in commitments, which makes up 1.11 percent of its GDP.
Within the budget, which is to react to new challenges, the funding of border protection, migration and asylum policy is to triple. The EC has also projected a special mechanism to strengthen the connection between the EU financial flows and the observance of rule-of-law principles.
In the 2014-2020 programme period, the Czech Republic can draw 23.9 billion euros from the EU funds.
