Brussels, 10/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - When they meet in Brussels on Tuesday 15 February, member states' economy and finance ministers will state that “the consequences of the economic crisis, including the efforts towards rigorous fiscal consolidation, will still be predominant in 2012”. It is essential, the Council will say, that the European budget for 2012 “takes into account economic and budgetary constraints at the national level”. At the same time, it is essential that implementation of EU programmes and action, including the financing of initiatives to tackle the effects of the crisis and to promote growth, are continued. Therefore, “prioritisation of objectives and redeployments allowing the best allocation of available resources will be central elements of the 2012 budgetary procedure”, ministers say in the text they will adopt on budget guidelines for 2012.
The 2012 budgetary procedure is the second under the Lisbon Treaty. The Council stresses the importance of good cooperation between the two arms of the budgetary authority and with the Commission. It underlines that the purpose of the Conciliation Committee is to establish the EU budget for 2012, in line with Article 314 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU), and that “work should be firmly focused accordingly, avoiding issues not directly linked to the annual budget”. Last year, the Council became embroiled in difficult negotiations with the European Parliament on the 2011 budget and other issues raised by MEPs (budget flexibility, the next multiannual financial framework, new own resources).
The Council makes it clear that the 2012 budget “should remain strictly within the limits fixed in the current 2007-2013 financial framework” and calls for commitment and payment appropriations to be set so as to reflect real needs. The Council notes with great concern the volume of outstanding commitments (€194 billion at the end of 2010) and calls on the Commission to provide “realistic” budget estimates.
The Council expects all institutions to provide in advance all the necessary information for a “clear, comprehensive and consolidated” picture of all administrative expenditure. The Council is concerned at developments on appropriations for pensions and their impact on future administrative spending, and reiterates the importance of keeping the funding of Community agencies under firm control. (L.C./transl.rt)