Brussels, 31/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - The EU member states have reached agreement on what each should pay into the 10th European Development Fund (10th EDF) in 2012, following revised calculation of contributions. The decision setting out the amount of the second tranche the respective contributions was adopted without debate by the Council of the EU on 24 July, on the sidelines of the final Foreign Affairs meeting before the summer break. The sums were established in line with the apportionment of effort among the various states and adjustment of initial needs forecasts for the EDF.
The annual contribution by the 27 member states for 2012 was set at €2.88 billion (€2.6 billion to be paid to the European Commission and €280 million to the European Investment Bank, EIB). For the second tranche, the total annual contribution is €550 million, broken down among member states as follows: Belgium: €19.805 million; Denmark: €11.140 million; Germany (the largest contributor): €115.610 million; Greece: €7.865 million; Spain: €41.165 million; France: €112.275 million; Ireland: €4,715 million; Italy: €70.410 million; Luxembourg: €1.505 million; Netherlands: €27.045 million; Austria: €13.495 million; Portugal: €6.145 million; Finland: €8.095 million; Sweden: €15.060; United Kingdom: €79.380 million; Bulgaria: €630,000; Czech Republic: €2.295 million; Estonia: €225,000 ; Cyprus; €405,000; Latvia: €315,000; Lithuania: €540,000; Hungary: €2.475 million; Malta: €135,000; Poland: €5.850 million; Romania: €1.665 million; Slovenia: €810,000; Slovakia: €945,000.
On 18 November 2011, the Council agreed figures of €3.6 billion to be paid to the Commission and €280 million to the EIB. Since the amount of contributions agreed in 2011 did not correspond to the real needs of the EDF, the Commission put a proposal to the Council that individual contributions be amended within the confines of the ceiling already set. Readjustment of this sort is provided for in the member states' internal agreement on the 10th EDF (Article 7, para.3). The 10th EDF funds development cooperation between the EU and the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) states and aid to the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) for the period from 2008 to 2013.
Budgetisation of the EDF, long called for by the European Parliament and supported by the Commission, is not on the agenda for the forthcoming EU financial perspective (2014-2020), but is likely to be given consideration for the period after 2020. (AN/transl.rt)