Brussels, 03/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - Despite the turmoil in the European Parliament over approving the draft budget package for 2013 and the amending budget for 2012, Coreper gave the go-ahead for endorsement on Friday 29 November (see EUROPE 10741). On the basis of the draft trialogue agreement by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of Ministers, representatives of the Parliament and the Commission on Thursday 29 November, Coreper gave its informal approval. It is on Wednesday that it will give its political agreement and on Thursday that the Council will give its formal approval in a Point A decision at the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council - if, and only if, the Parliament gives its approval on Tuesday 4 December. The Parliament budgets committee was initially scheduled to meet on Monday but this meeting has been postponed to allow time to persuade the MEPs who are not fully satisfied with the draft agreement. Only €6 billion are proposed to amend the 2012 budget, compared with the €9 billion tabled by the Commission and backed by the Parliament. The 2013 budget should amount to €132.8 billion in payment appropriations and €150.9 billion in commitment appropriations.
If no spanner is thrown in the institutional works, Parliament will still have time to endorse the 2013 budget package and the 2012 amending budget in plenary session in Strasbourg on 13 December. It is important not to forget that it is a package and that the 2013 budget and the 2012 amending budget are intimately linked. Agreement must be on the whole, as rejection of even one of the sections will mean rejection of everything. (MD/transl.fl)