Brussels, 05/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - The proposal to revise the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework (MFF) to be able to transfer commitment appropriations not used in 2014 is seen by the European Parliament's budgets committee as a “technical” matter (see EUROPE 11246).
MEPs on the committee held a brief discussion on this issue on Thursday 5 February. Isabelle Thomas (S&D, France) noted that Article 19 of the MFF regulation allows this kind of transfer. She gave examples to show the extent of the problem: 99% of programmes in the Czech Republic are affected, as are 53.9% of British programmes and 66.5% of Italian programmes. “Revision is a way of avoiding losing this funding.” In her view, it is no more than a technical revision and “matters must not be delayed”. She said, however, that, with this proposal, the issue of payments has again been raised: this delayed use of payment appropriations is the opportunity for the Parliament to point out that there is an agenda to discuss the payments crisis, Thomas said.
Jan Olbrycht (EPP, Poland) highlighted the risk of losing some funding. The proposal would transfer 2014 or 2015 commitments, he pointed out, except for those programmes where the N+2 rule applies (this includes asylum programmes and the internal security fund). “These are technical issues”, even though some MEPs are concerned about the effect of the proposal on payment appropriations, said Olbrycht. The European Commission believes that the effect on payment appropriations will be nil.
The draft report by Olbrycht on the revision of the MFF (with a view to transfers) will be presented to the budgets committee on 26 February and adopted on 1 April.
In the view of the rapporteur on the 2015 budget, Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D, Spain), “there isn't much to say” about the draft amending budget No2/2015 which accompanies the proposed revision of the MMF. She did say, however, that the EU ended 2014 with €25 billion in unpaid bills.
Budgets committee chair Jean Arthuis (ALDE, France) said that, with regard to payments, initiatives would have to be taken to “push the Council to take account of clearance of unpaid bills that is needed”. Jean-Claude Juncker's investment plan is based on confidence, he stressed, too (our translation throughout). (LC)