Council agrees additional funds for 2013 budget
14 October 2013
The Permanent Representatives Committee has agreed the Council's position on a package of three draft amending budgets for 2013. The funds represent the second tranche of the €11.2 billion demanded by MEPs earlier this year in exchange for approving the cut to the EU's long-term budget for 2014-20.
By approving its position on the package the Council's objective is to
1. meet outstanding payment needs in the 2013 EU budget;
2. show solidarity with Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, hit by extreme flooding in May and June this year, and with Romania which suffered from drought and forest fires in summer 2012;
3. revise the forecast of this year's budget revenue (the so-called own resources).
The Council still needs to adopt its position formally. The draft amending budgets then need the approval of the European Parliament.
The package agreed today consists of the following elements:
On the expenditure side
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Draft amending budget no 8: the Permanent Representatives Committee approved an increase of the 2013 EU budget by €3.9 billion in order to cover outstanding payment needs. This amount complements the €7.3 billion of draft amending budget no 2 approved by the Council on 9 July. The Council's position on this draft amending budget is subject to the European Parliament's consent to the regulation setting out the EU's multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020.
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Draft amending budget no 9: the Permanent Representatives Committee approved the mobilisation of €400.5 million in commitments and payments out of the EU solidarity fund to the benefit of Germany (€360.5 million), Austria (€21.7 million), Czech Republic (€15.9 million) and Romania (€2.5 million). The payments are covered by redeployments identified by the Commission in the so-called global transfer.
On the revenue side
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Draft amending budget no 6: the Permanent Representatives Committee approved the revision of the forecast of own resources. As compared to the previous forecast, the financing from net customs duties and from the own resources based on the value added tax decreases (-€4.0 billion and -€383.8 million respectively) while the financing from the own resources based on the Gross National Income and from fines increases (€3.1 billion and €1.2 billion respectively).
Press release
“The Permanent Representatives Committee has shown the resolve to respect the Council commitments and deliver additional payments to the 2013 budget. We hope that it sends a signal for the European Parliament vote on the EU multi-annual budget for 2014–2020. We have also demonstrated solidarity with the Member States that have suffered from floods and drought", said chair of the COREPER ambassador Raimundas Karoblis.
Press release
See also: Rapporteurs Anne E Jensen / Monika Hohlmeier - Report on the Council position on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2014
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