The European Parliament has withdrawn more funding for the deprived

The pandemic has exacerbated the situation of marginalized groups.

The European Parliament (EP) approved in Brussels the release of additional food and basic necessities for the most deprived people in the EU in 2021 and 2022, with several MEPs, pointing out that the new coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated marginalized groups. The amendment to the regulation on the European Aid Fund for the Most Deprived Persons (FEAD), which MEPs agreed with Member States' representatives in the EU Council in December, voted in favor of 649 MEPs, seven against and 31 abstentions. The new rules will allow EU countries to continue to support people in need in 2021 and 2022, including through additional REACT-EU resources for post-pandemic recovery from COVID-19. Member States may thus decide to increase funding for food aid and basic necessities for the most deprived persons. In order to alleviate the current pressure on national budgets, the form of REACT-EU assistance will not be subject to mandatory co-financing by Member States. Pre-financing by the European Commission will also be possible, which should help the aid reach the recipients more quickly. Once adopted in plenary by the EP, the new regulation must also be approved by the ministers of the member states (EU Council) and the approved text will not enter into force until it has been published in the Official Journal of the EU.