Bertie Ahern
Ceist:34 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to raise at the European Council the future funding of the European Union. [9178/96]
Written Answers. - Funding of EU.
Future funding of the European Union will not be an issue for the European Council later this month.
The Edinburgh Council in 1992 settled the framework for the Union's finances up to 1999 in the Financial Perspective. The European Council in Madrid last December called on the Commission to undertake a detailed analysis as soon as possible of the EU's financing system in order to submit, immediately after the intergovernmental conference, a communication on the future financial framework of the Union as from 31 December 1999. This communication will begin the process of negotiating the new Financial Perspective which will apply from the year 2000 to 2005. The detailed negotiations which will be required between the Commission and member states are expected to commence in the second half of next year and conclude towards the end of 1998.
The Government's strategy in the negotiations will be to secure the best deal for Ireland, to enable us to maintain and build on our achievements to date.