Saxon SPD MEP Matthias Ecke has warned of the far-reaching consequences of centralizing responsibilities in the EU. The proposal presented by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for 2025 threatens the Free State of Saxony with enormous losses in the new funding period from 2028, Ecke made clear in Dresden. In the current funding period, Saxony receives around 3.8 billion euros from EU funding pots. In future, half to three quarters of European funding could be lost, depending on the basis of calculation.
"We really are at a turning point," said Ecke. More and more tasks had been accumulated by the European Union and allocated to the member states. But at the same time, the resources have not grown. "And now we have a situation where cuts are to be made to the very programs that have made regions like here in Saxony strong." Von der Leyen's proposal means "less planning security, less regional influence and significantly less funding".
