Brussels, 18/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - As previously announced (see EUROPE 10888), on Thursday 18 July, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of member states to the EU adopted the Council position on the EU's draft budget 2014. Compared to the budget 2013, this budget envisages a cut of 6.15% in commitment appropriations and a rise of 1.35% in payment appropriations.
This is the first annual budget relating to the period of the new multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2014-2020. This position, which still needs to be formally adopted by the Council (at the beginning of September), thoroughly respects the expenditure ceilings of the new MFF while keeping appropriate margins in order to meet possible unforeseen expenditure needs.
The Council's position amounts to €142.23 billion in commitments (€141.77 billion if specific instruments outside the multiannual financial framework are excluded; this would leave a margin of €769.25 million); €135.00 billion in payments (€134.80 billion if specific instruments outside the multiannual financial framework are excluded; this would leave a margin of €1.06 billion).
Compared to the 2013 EU budget as amended by amending budget no 1/2013 (funds for Croatia), commitments decrease by €9.33 billion for 2014 or 6.15% and payments increase by €1.79 billion or 1.35%. Compared to the amounts proposed by the Commission, the Council's position provides for a reduction by €240.68 million in commitments (including -60 million from the section on growth), -153 million from administrative spending and -17 million for external action and €1.06 billion in payments (-426 million from growth, -202 million from cohesion, -112 million from natural resources, -156 million from external action and -153 million from administrative spending). New programmes and actions, such as the youth employment initiative, are exempted from reductions. Once it has been formally adopted, the Council's position will serve as a mandate to the Lithuanian Presidency to negotiate next year's EU budget with the European Parliament, which is expected to adopt its amendments to the Council's position in the week starting on 21 October. If the Council's and the Parliament's positions diverge, a three-week conciliation period will start on 24 October (until 13 November inclusive) to reach a compromise between the EP and Council. (LC/transl.fl)