Repair and prepare for the next generation

At the end of May, the European Commission published its long-awaited proposal for a recovery plan. The figures are impressive: 1.8 trillion Euros are foreseen to be spent in the following years.

Energy Cities looked at the available documentation on the European Commission proposal for the post-crisis recovery. In this position paper, you will find our verdict on both components of the Commission recovery plan proposal, which are the recovery package and the revised EU budget (MFF) proposals for the period 2021-2027.

Big figures can only have a big impact if the real actors of the economy are involved. While the proposals of the European Commission are a step forward in terms of solidarity between Member States, they are also a step backwards in terms of strategic thinking. The Commission’s proposals are business as usual, and do not provide the necessary springboard to profoundly enhance the resilience of our economies.

We are also concerned about democratic accountability, as the proposals set up a solely bilateral negotiation process between the Commission and Member States, thereby effectively bypassing the European Parliament. Getting citizens into the driver seat is not only an option, but it is a must.

Read our position paper attached to this article (in English):