Europe investing too little in security and too much in Turkey

In its draft budget for 2018, the European Union is planning to spend more than EUR 160 billion for the first time ever: a historical record. “While all Member States have to make do with less, for the EU it is still a story of more, more, more. I am mystified as to how that will strengthen support for the Union. Especially because there are still far too few investments in security,” says MEP Sander Loones with regret. “And the decision to pay EUR 640 million to Turkey in 2018 is a whole new level of inexplicable. I assume that for that reason alone the other MEPs will hit the brakes hard, together with the N-VA.”

“Europe’s duty is to set out a policy together with Member States that provides our citizens with as much protection against terror as possible,” says Sander Loones. “However, we just don’t see that priority in this budget.” For example, the European Commission is only providing 2.2% of the total budget for security measures in 2018. “That’s not even in the ballpark of what’s necessary. If you include the measures to strengthen the asylum policy, that’s just 8.2% of the total budget,” Sander Loones calculates.

Meanwhile, Europe continues to give money to Turkey hand over fist: EUR 640 million in accession support, including a budget increase to EUR 217 million for support for political reforms. “Who will the EU give that to?”, Sander Loones wonders. “At the end of the day it will simply disappear into the Turkish autocratic black hole. These are expenses that Europe can use much more effectively to strengthen its own border controls.”

Offering significant added value

“The proposed draft budget is once again a compromise to try and keep all parties satisfied,” says MEP Anneleen Van Bossuyt. “Applying the method of small cutbacks everywhere is not sufficient by any means. What we do need is a Union that dares to make real choices and prioritises investments in those areas where it can deliver significant added value.” As an example she cites the Erasmus+ educational exchange programme, which is getting a budget increase of 9.5% over 2017. “For young people, training and education are important for their development and opportunities on the jobs market. Furthermore, Erasmus+ is more effective in the long term when you compare it with the initiatives that the EU is taking to counter unemployment among young people.”