Government office chief: Hungary ready to contribute more to EU budget

Hungary is ready to increase its contribution to the European Union’s budget to 1.2 percent of its gross national income for the next funding cycle, as Brexit will place heavier burdens on fewer member states, the government office chief said in Brussels on Monday.

With the UK’s exit, the EU will be left without one of its most important members to take on the challenges it faces, János Lázár told a conference. In order for the bloc to succeed at this, member states will have to contribute more to the budget, Lázár said.

“We are convinced that you can’t have more Europe from less money,” Lázár said.

The government office chief said he was expecting the European Commission to draft an “offensive, bold and proactive budget” for the 2020-2027 funding cycle, arguing that the current budget had been a “defensive” one drawn up in response to a crisis.

Lázár said the EU needed to boost its security and competitiveness in order to get stronger.

The budget needs to be made simpler and more transparent, he said, adding that the rebates that had been negotiated by the UK should be scrapped.

He said that even net contributors had benefitted from EU cohesion funds because they had turned out to be profitable investments. Lazar added that the government wants Hungary to also become a net contributor as soon as possible.

featured image: MTI

Source: MTI