Brussels, 15/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - On the evening of Monday 15 December, in Strasbourg, the committee on budgets of the European Parliament adopted the compromise on the budgetary package successfully negotiated on 9 December. The Council confirmed the political agreement on Friday 12 December. The EP will formally adopt the budgetary package at its plenary session to be held in Strasbourg on Wednesday 17 December.
On the 2015 budget, the budgets committee adopted the budgetary amendments and one report. The total budget provided for is €141.2 billion in payment appropriations and €145.3 billion in commitments (the UK delegation abstained during the Council vote). In its adoption of the report by Eider Gardiazabal Rubial and Monika Hohlmeier, the budgets committee welcomed the fact that the overall level of payments for 2015 is an increase of 1.6% compared to the 2014 budget, and an increase of €1.2 billion compared to the initial Council reading.
Amending budget no. 3/2014 will increase, within the 2014 budget, the payment appropriations of a series of budgetary lines of a maximum amount of €4.246 billion, €3.168 billion of which will be mobilised by the 'contingency margin' for 2014. The text includes additional revenue (€1.6 billion) from fines. The Dutch, British and Swedish delegations voted against this amending budget.
Amending budget no. 4/2014 reduces the level of additional own resources required for the Union budget by €2.433 billion.
Amending budget no. 5/2014 provides for aid under the Solidarity Fund following flooding in Sardinia in 2013 (€16.3 million), an earthquake in Greece (€3.7 million), black ice in Slovenia (€18.4 million) and black ice followed by flooding in Croatia in 2014 (€8.6 million).
Amending budget no. 6/2014 revises the earmarked amounts regarding the traditional own resources and the VAT and RNB contributions (+€4.5 billion). The UK delegation abstained.
Amending budget no. 7/2014 provides for Solidarity Fund support following flooding in Serbia (€60.2 million), Croatia (€9 million) and Bulgaria (€10.5 million).
Amending budget no. 8/2014 budgetises the surplus (€1 billion) resulting from the execution of the financial year 2013. The EP and the Council also adopted decisions, notably on the mobilisation of the contingency margin in 2014 and the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument in favour of the Structural Funds programmes for Cyprus (mobilisation at a level of €83.3 million). (LC)