Sittings · Document

OPINION (2024/2108(INI)) 2025-07-02

On the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

Committee on Budgets · Rapporteur: Johan Van Overtveldt

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Budgets submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible :

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. [opinion-giving committees];	33. Reiterates its view that the section of the TCA on UK participation in EU programmes, sound financial management and financial provisions constitutes a fair basis for UK participation and helps to ensure the protection of the EU’s financial interests; underlines the need for transparent budgeting and cost-sharing arrangements;

Amendment 2

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 a. Strongly welcomes the fact that, under Protocols I and II to the TCA, the UK is participating in Horizon Europe and the Copernicus component of the EU space programme and has access to services of the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking component of the EU space programme; highlights the benefits of third-country participation in EU programmes for the EU and its citizens;

Amendment 3

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 b. Reiterates, nonetheless, its concerns regarding the provisions in Protocol I concerning an automatic correction mechanism for the UK in relation to Horizon Europe, which were not agreed as part of the TCA itself; takes note of the fact that the UK correction mechanism applies until the end of the present multiannual financial framework (MFF) and is less favourable than the correction mechanism contained in the TCA;

Amendment 4

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 c. Stresses, moreover, the difficulties posed by high visa fees and the healthcare surcharge for EU researchers who benefit from Horizon Europe and wish to exercise their right to mobility by moving to the UK, and urges the UK to address this problem;

Amendment 5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 d. Regrets the fact that the UK has chosen not to participate in other EU programmes and its decision not to associate to Euratom and the Euratom Joint Undertaking Fusion for Energy (F4E), as originally envisaged in the Joint Declaration of December 2020; considers that UK participation in the ITER nuclear fusion project must be based on participation in F4E; deplores the decision to dismantle the Joint European Torus; urges the UK to reconsider its position on these matters;

Amendment 6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 e. Expresses its support for the UK to associate to Erasmus+; insists that this association must be consistent with the MFF and the TCA; recalls that any potential participation of the UK in EU programmes such as Erasmus+ should be assessed and designed in a manner that fully safeguards and promotes the interests of the EU, including ensuring clear added value for the EU and its citizens; calls on the Commission to provide timely and detailed information on the financial terms of future UK participation in Erasmus+ and on any financial implications of any future youth experience scheme;

Amendment 7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 f. Welcomes the progress made at the EU–UK Joint Committee meeting of 19 May 2025; stresses that any UK access to EU systems, databases or agencies under EU programmes relevant to the SPS Agreement must be conditional upon the full recovery of related costs to the EU budget; underlines that such participation must deliver clear benefits to the EU and its stakeholders, in line with the principle of budgetary proportionality; points out the unresolved situation with the rental agreement for the former premises of the European Medicines Agency following its move to Amsterdam and calls for the issue to be raised with the UK; notes the UK’s potential participation in mechanisms or systems related to the EU Emissions Trading System and highlights that any such involvement must be accompanied by a fair and proportionate financial contribution covering the EU’s administrative and programme-related costs; insists that EU financial and climate interests must be fully safeguarded in any future arrangements; recalls that structured cooperation between the EU and the UK in areas such as electricity interconnectors and offshore renewable infrastructure may intersect with EU funding programmes, including regional and energy initiatives; emphasises that any UK participation in such frameworks requires appropriate governance, compliance with EU rules, and appropriate financial contributions reflecting the EU’s investment; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information on any financial contribution to be provided by the UK in these areas;

Amendment 8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 g. Invites the Commission to swiftly explore any possibilities for mutually beneficial enhanced cooperation created by the SAFE instrument; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information as soon as possible on the conditions and details of any financial contribution to be provided by the UK; calls for the involvement of Parliament in the adoption of the agreement in accordance with Article 218(6)(a) TFEU;

Amendment 9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 h. Underlines the importance of strengthening EU-UK cooperation in supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and in tackling global challenges such as new technologies, including those of a digital nature, security, climate change, health, and development and humanitarian aid; believes that options for further UK participation in EU programmes in these areas should be further explored and encouraged;

Amendment 10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 i. Highlights the PEACE PLUS programme, a successor to earlier cross-border cooperation initiatives, and emphasises the programme’s vital role in promoting peace, reconciliation and socio-economic prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border region; notes that the programme is financed through substantial contributions from the EU and the UK;

Amendment 11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 j. Takes note of the conclusive political agreement between the EU and the UK on the core aspects of the future agreement between the two parties in respect of Gibraltar; takes notes that the creation of an appropriate financial mechanism to promote cohesion and support training and employment in the region has also been agreed; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information on that financial mechanism as soon as possible;

Amendment 12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 k. Welcomes the statistical cooperation arrangement signed between Eurostat and the UK Statistics Authority, enabling the exchange of statistical data relevant to the UK’s participation in EU programmes; considers that reliable statistical information provides an important basis for decision-making in this field and for verifying that the financial provisions laid down in the TCA are being respected;

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR FOR OPINION HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	24.6.2025
Result of final vote	+ : 23 - : 2 0 : 4
Members present for the final vote	Georgios Aftias, Rasmus Andresen, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Tomasz Buczek, Olivier Chastel, Tamás Deutsch, Angéline Furet, Jens Geier, Thomas Geisel, Jean-Marc Germain, Andrzej Halicki, Fabienne Keller, Janusz Lewandowski, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Matjaž Nemec, Karlo Ressler, Julien Sanchez, Hélder Sousa Silva, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs, Lucia Yar, Auke Zijlstra
Substitutes present for the final vote	Michalis Hadjipantela, Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová, Beata Szydło
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Laura Ballarín Cereza, José Cepeda, Ştefan Muşoiu