We need to be realistic. Across the EU, national governments are looking at their deficits and public spending. They are concluding, and rightly so, that painful and unfortunate cuts must be made – I repeat, must be made in order to balance budgets and reduce national debt.
The European Council agreement earlier this year, to restrict the rise in the EU's budget to 2.9% – excellently negotiated by Prime Minister David Cameron – is a clear indication that the people of Europe do not want to see the EU blatantly ignore the difficult fiscal situations they face in their home Member States.
The need to implement difficult austerity measures is something we all have to face up to. In individual Member States hard decisions are being made on an almost daily basis about where to make cuts and which sectors of government should be hardest hit. It goes without saying that we must ensure the health of our citizens is maintained, we have to push hard to increase growth and job prospects, and we must do our upmost to prevent a decline in prosperity.
I have a profound respect for cultural diversity in Europe and I do recognise how important cultural traditions can be for national solidarity and social cohesion. That being said, we need to prioritise our financial commitments. In areas where nations are best placed to conduct their own policies, as well as instigate cooperation with neighbours and other Member States, the EU should streamline its commitments, ensuring that in every instance projects and schemes add value to those already taking place at a national level.
This is why I believe that to ask for a year-on-year increase of 5.4% in spending (amounting to over €136 million) on the culture budget flies in the face of the actions Member States are being forced to make. In many areas, it will not add value; it will duplicate actions that can be done at Member State level; it is excessive at a time when national budgets are being severely cut; and it only serves to remind people just how out of touch with the economic reality the EU really is.
I would remind Members that many of your own governments are having to cut their budgets – in the UK our Department of Culture, Media and Sport has faced a 25% budget reduction – an action which is being echoed across the EU.
Now, clearly, in areas such as lifelong learning and volunteering, the EU can bring added value by supporting and supplementing Member States in their actions. This has a positive effect on mutual understanding, cultural education, and societal cohesion – and I certainly don't want to see those areas limited by financial constraints.
But I must repeat the stark reality that, given the economic circumstances we face, can we continue to justify calling for increased budgets year after year. I ask you – is it right for the EU to spend more money on what amounts to cultural vanity projects? Is it right that we ask to spend €2.5 million extra “informing” the media of EU activities, which basically amounts to propaganda? Is it right that we are asking to spend almost €3 million on visits to the Commission? Is it right to sit back and see Member States slash their own budgets whilst we lavish additional spending on cocktail parties for Europe Day, Wind Art Festivals, 3D Whale displays, nomadic dance troupes, puppet theatre projects – I could go on and on.
The EU must not be immune to budgetary cuts and, as Members, we should be showing solidarity with our home governments, rather than embarking on wasteful and unnecessary spending on projects which will do little to get us out of our economic difficulties.
I would ask other Members, especially in the Culture Committee, to look again at the Council decision earlier this year which highlighted the need to address spending issues in line with national governments. Our priority must not be to arbitrarily raise budgets in areas that do not add real value – our only goals must be to balance our resources and re-prioritise our initiatives – and I would encourage Members to make changes to the current proposed budget along these lines.
