Blow to EU talks on budget / EU faces budget freeze as talks stall

Efforts to resolve the European Union’s 2011 budget suffered an unexpected setback on the 11 November 2010 after a group of EU Member States refused to give ground in a special negotiating session to Members of the European Parliament on concessions that would give MEPs more say over future EU spending decisions.

On the 16 November 2010 it was reported that the European Union was now facing a budget freeze in 2011 after the failure of last-ditch talks the previous day aimed at reaching a compromise between EU Member States and the European Parliament.

Council of the European Union: Press Release: PRES/10/300: EcoFin Council (Budget) Continuation and Conciliation Committee Session, 15.11.10 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ecofin/117724.pdf

European Parliament: Press Release, 16.11.10: Q&A on Parliament's position on the budget negotiations http://www.europarl.europa.eu/en/pressroom/content/20101112BKG94668

PressEurop, 17.11.10: Parliament loses first battle of the budget http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/393251-parliament-loses-first-battle-budget

EUrActiv, 12.11.10: EU budget talks collapse http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/eu-budget-talks-collapse-news-499667

ESO: Background information: MEPs set to accept UK PM’s budget demands http://www.europeansources.info/record/meps-set-to-accept-uk-pms-budget-demands/

BBC News, 11.11.10: EU opens tough talks on 2011 budget rise http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11733644

EUObserver, 12.11.10: Breakdown in EU budget talks http://euobserver.com/9/31256

Council of the European Union: Press Release, PRES/10/298: EcoFin Council (Budget), Brussels, 11.11.10 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ecofin/117695.pdf

European Parliament: Press Release, 12.11.10: Buzek and Lamassoure disappointed at lack of progress in budget negotiations with Council http://www.europarl.europa.eu/en/pressroom/content/20101112IPR94312

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