by Christian Micallef , Parliamentary Assistant of MEP David Casa

A few days ago, the European Parliament gave the go-ahead to the setting-up of a new special and temporary Committee on EU budgetary reform. It will bring together MEPs from various fields in order to discuss and decide on the EU Budget following the economic crisis.

MEP David Casa has been appointed as a member on this Committee. "In the aftermath of the global economic and financial crisis, we have to put forward sensible ideas on how to secure stable finances at EU level for the years to come - in this regard an in depth analysis of the EU Budget is a good place to start from," said David Casa. 

As of July 2010, this Committee will commence a thorough analysis of Parliament's budget priorities and bring forward proposals on how the EU budget should be financed in future.

The Committee will be composed of 50 MEPs and its main task will be to prepare work on the EU's financial perspective - this being a periodic long-term budget framework for the EU.

More specifically the Committee will be tasked with defining Parliament's priorities for the EU's next financial perspective, in both political and budgetary terms as well as formulating estimates concerning the amount of money the EU will require in order to meet its objectives. The Committee will also be responsible for defining the duration of the next financial perspective.

Guidelines will also be set on the allocation and distribution of resources within the various parts of the EU Budget.

"Within the EP there is currently a special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis - the term of which is now coming to a close. A fundamental role of the new Committee will be that of following up on the results of the special crisis Committee. We have seen that a great deal of good work coming of such Committees. I am pleased to have been chosen and I'm looking forward to start working on these dosiers within the new Commitee", concluded Mr Casa.