Commission’s new proposal for EU budget 2013

Brussels, 28-11-2012 — /europawire.eu/ — Commission’s new proposal for EU budget 2013

Ten days after the unsuccessful end of the conciliation period over next year’s EU budget, the Commission is presenting a new Draft Budget for 2013. The new proposal takes into account elements to facilitate convergence between the European Parliament and the Council as well as the imperative need to honour past commitments.

The level of commitment appropriations is set at EUR 151 billion (as opposed to EUR 150.9 billion in the original draft budget 2013 from 25 April 2012) whereas the total payment appropriations amount to EUR 137.8 billion (EUR 137.9 billion in the original draft budget 2013).

It has to be noted that the Commission’s proposal “amending budget 6”¹ is still on the table for the Council and the European Parliament to agree on.

EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget Janusz Lewandowski said: “The bulk of the EU budget consists of payments or reimbursements to hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries across Europe such as towns and regions, students, medical researchers, NGOs and businesses. At the beginning of the current financial period, national governments selected projects to be co-funded by the EU; now those projects are reaching completion and the EU will have to pay those bills. Our new proposal should help the Council (Member States) and the European Parliament agree on a budget by the end of the year”.

Comparison between new draft budget 2013 and the Commission’s original proposal presented on 25 April 2012.

Background information

On 25 April 2012 the Commission presented its draft budget for 2013.

On 25 July 2012 the Council adopted its position reducing the draft budget.

On 19 October 2012 the Commission updated its proposal through the Amending Letter Number 1/2013 (AL1) decreasing by EUR 25.1 million its original draft, in particular for agricultural expenditure.

On 23 October 2012 the European Parliament voted its reading, reinstating most of the Commission’s draft budget.

The 21-day conciliation procedure between the Council and the Parliament, with the Commission in the role of facilitator, ended without an agreement. The Lisbon Treaty (Art.314.8) states that in such a case the Commission has to present a new proposal.

For more information:

Janusz Lewandowski, Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/lewandowski/index_en.htm

EU Financial Programming and Budget: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/index_en.cfm