Their message is that the EU executive is not yet ready to make compromises to appease lawmakers and national capitals.
Although the Commission’s statement did not directly refer to Fitto’s comments, the note came hours after the Italian politician publicly suggested that “we [the Commission] are open to improve this part of this proposal” during a session of the Committee of Regions, a Brussels body that represents local entities.
In his remarks, Fitto referred to a number of provisions in the budget proposal that could be amended to give regions — as opposed to national governments — more powers in handling EU public funding.
While his remarks were hardly explosive, they underline the simmering tensions over one of the most divisive files in Brussels — as well as von der Leyen’s tough treatment of whomever defies the official line.
The Commission put forward its proposal for the EU’s long-term budget in July. The EU’s 27 governments and the European Parliament have to unanimously approve the plan.
As part of the budget negotiations, von der Leyen’s European People’s Party (EPP) is threatening to reject a controversial plan to merge agriculture subsidies and funds for Europe’s poorest regions into single pots controlled by national capitals.