Rejecting calls by some member states for drastic cuts, the European Parliament voted on Wednesday to increase next year’s EU budget — including an extra 400 million euros ($505 million) for international development and humanitarian assistance.
By a 464-186 vote with 46 abstentions, members of the European Parliament decided Wednesday to raise the 2015 budget to 146.38 billion euros from the 142.14 billion initially proposed by the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm. The Parliament sided with the Commission against the Council of member states, which asked to reduce the budget by 2.1 billion euros.
In September, the European Parliament’s influential Committee on Development had warned against the Council-proposed cuts, and urged the EU to provide an appropriate budget allowing it to pursue its humanitarian aid actions.