Brussels, 25/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 24 March, the European Parliament (EP) budgets committee approved the estimates for the EP's own 2012 budget. The €1.725 billion total represents an increase over 2011 of 2.3%, “well below the EU27 inflation rate of 2.8%”, the EP says in a press release.
With its approval of its budget guidelines on 9 March, the EP undertook to keep the increase for 2012 below inflation. By staying well below the current EU27 inflation rate of 2.8%, “Parliament shows its budgetary responsibility and self-restraint in the light of the difficult economic and budgetary conditions in the member states”, says the report by José Manuel Fernandes (EPP, Portugal). This approved estimate means Parliament's budget represents 19.70% of the EU institutions' total administrative spending foreseen for 2012, as compared to 20.03% in 2011.
Savings. To restrict the increase to 2.3%, the Bureau (consisting of Parliament's President, Vice-Presidents and Secretary-General) and the budgets committee agreed on savings amounting to €13.7 million. These include cutting funding for political parties and foundations, information campaigns, IT and maintenance of buildings. They also scrapped 11 additional posts that were initially planned.
MEPs want to see the estimated running costs of €6,9 million (excluding staff) for the House of European History reduced and ask for a long-term business strategy. The costs in 2012 of refurbishing and extending the Konrad Adenauer Building in Luxembourg are estimated to be €13 million lower than originally anticipated. Provisions for 18 new MEPs, a direct result of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, and costs relating to Croatia's EU accession preparations, have been postponed until the final decisions are taken.
The budget estimates will be put to the vote in the Parliament plenary session in April. On 20 April, the European Commission will present the draft 2012 budget, which will include Parliament's budget. (L.C./transl.rt)