2013 EU budget agreement endorsed

Brussels, 30-11-2012 — /europawire.eu/ — A “draft package” agreement on the 2013 EU budget and draft amending budget no 6 for 2012 was endorsed today by the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER)¹. The deal was reached between the Cyprus presidency, representatives of the European Parliament and of the Commission at a trilogue on 29 November. It provides for additional resources within the 2012 EU budget in order to address a shortfall of payments and puts the spending priorities within the 2013 EU budget on measures enhancing growth and jobs while taking account of member states’ consolidation efforts.

If the agreement is also endorsed by the European Parliament the application of the “provisional twelfths” scheme would be avoided. This scheme would have major consequences to the implementation of key policies and programmes since only one twelfth of the budget appropriations for 2012 could be spent monthly for each chapter or even less if the amount proposed by the Commission in the draft budget for 2013 is lower.

If the Committee for Budgets of the European Parliament endorse the agreement² the Council will formally approve the compromise reached with the European Parliament and adopt accordingly its position on the new draft budget for 2013³ and draft amending budget no 6 for 2012 on 6 December⁴. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the compromise on 13 December.
Negotiations on a first draft budget for 2013 submitted by the Commission in spring this year could not be concluded within the 21-day conciliation period which expired on 13 November (16182/12). In line with article 314 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU the budgetary procedure for 2013 had to start again with the presentation of a new draft budget by the Commission.

¹ The Permanent Representatives Committee is composed of the ambassadors of the 27 EU member states. Its role is to prepare decisions of the Council.
² The vote of the Committee is scheduled for the 4 December.
³ proposed by the Commission on 23 November
⁴ Within the Justice and Home Affairs Council.

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