Brussels, 04/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament budgets committee is opposing payment appropriation cuts by the Council to the EU budget for 2013. On Thursday 4 October MEPs adopted the budget amendments for the 2013 tax year and therefore restored the draft Commission budget, particularly in areas that can help to promote growth and job creation. In the area of research, entrepreneurship and employment, the budgets committee cancelled the €1.9 billion cut proposed by the Council. In the area of cohesion policy, MEPs restored the funding from the €1.6 billion cuts put forward by the Council and is planning on introducing an additional €16 million for small pilot projects. The same applies for agricultural spending, which has been placed at a Commission project level. Due to the conflict with the Council over the legal basis of decisions on Schengen area controls, the budgets committee decided to put 75% of funding in reserve for four Schengen related programmes, while waiting for a solution to the problem. In the field of external action, the Parliament is not only counting on restoring the €200 million planned for Palestine and the peace process but also an additional €100 million. The plenary will vote on the draft 2013 budget on 23 October and conciliation with the Council will begin on 26 October (final vote in November). (LC/trans.fl)