Brussels, 08/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - After two budget trialogues, the EU institutions announced in Brussels on Monday 8 December that they were very close to an agreement on the amending budgets for 2014 and on the EU budget for 2015. The compromise presented by the European Commission, which provides for mobilisation of €4.7 billion in 2014 (particularly) for payment of invoices, will be discussed by the committee of member states' permanent representatives, Coreper, on Tuesday 9 December.
If all goes well, the European Parliament will be in a position, at its plenary session in Strasbourg next week, to adopt the EU's budget for next year and the various amending budgets relating to payment of outstanding invoices and aid from the EU solidarity fund (€126.7 million for Serbia, Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece and Slovenia).
In a press release, the Council speaks of “fruitful discussions” at the most recent meetings among institutions following the failure of the conciliation procedure, the three-week period for which expired on 17 November without agreement being reached. (LC)