Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Agreement was reached yesterday on Horizon 2020, the plan for the research and innovation budget. The overall European Union budget for the period in question is a very substantial €960 billion for the period up to 2020. That funding is critical for the programmes it will underpin.

The issue of own resources was one of those raised by the Parliament and agreement in that regard was not achieved at European Council level, including on the question of a financial transaction tax. The package agreed to by Mr. Lamassoure and me proposes that there be a declaration which would provide for a discussion over the lifetime of the MFF on the issue of own resources. That discussion would involve the Parliament, the Commission and the Council, make provision for the involvement of national parliaments and provide for reportage at six monthly intervals.

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