Commission sets right priorities / Health and environment will play a much stronger role in the future / Now implementation has to be done correctly

"The European Commission is setting the right priorities. After the corona crisis, it is very important that we strengthen the health systems in the European Union and invest the money in environmentally friendly technologies," states the spokesperson of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP/Christian Democrats) Dr med. Peter Liese about the European Commission's proposals for a new financial framework and the recovery plan after the Corona crisis. "It is extremely important for Europe to be able to act during this period. The Franco-German initiative has largely overcome the division between North and South. We must not deny our support to the states most affected by the corona crisis, e.g. Italy, because otherwise, the corona virus has the potential to kill Europe. It is important that we invest in the future. Ursula von der Leyen quite rightly says that the younger generation faces burdens with high debts. We must therefore not invest in outdated technology, but must invest in the future, which means above all in the protection of the climate. In that way the Commission has set the right priorities. However, I am somewhat sceptical as to whether the proposed instruments are sufficient to actually achieve the goals. In the European Parliament, we will take a close look at the matter and we will insist that the Member States indeed look to the future," said Liese.

Peter Liese explicitly welcomed a budget increase of the Just Transition Fund. This fund is intended to support coal-producing regions in their transformation from exiting coal and the transition to new economic models.
"It is particularly important that the transition plan is also intended and used to invest in and boost the production of critical goods such as medicines and protective materials in Europe. It is unacceptable that we are dependent on China and India for vital products," said Liese.

He also strongly supports the proposal to set up a separate European Union health programme with a significantly increased financial volume. "It was a serious mistake by Commissioner Oettinger to delete the health programme as a separate programme. The crisis has shown that we need to work together much better on health issues," said Liese.

In Liese's view, it is important that the pay back of loans is already considered now. "I think a simple increase of taxes in the Member States is wrong. Many people are facing heavy economic problems and thus, raising taxes for the general public would be toxic. However we need to ask those companies that are gaining a lot of money in the crisis, to pay: for example, digital companies such as Amazon have not paid significant taxes so far. Additionally, we need own financial resources of the EU, for example through a share of revenues from the emissions trading system or through a plastic tax. This would contribute in two ways to the concerns of the younger generation: namely more environmental protection and less debt," concluded Liese.