Brussels, 21/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 21 April, the Council formally adopted (without debate) the regulation revising the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework authorising the transfer (to years 2015, 2016 and 2017) of €21.1 billion of commitment appropriations that remained unused in 2014. €16.5 billion will be transferred to 2015 (by means of an amending budget, which was also adopted by the Council), €4.5 billion to 2016 and €100 million to 2017.
“The decisions taken by the Council keep the total expenditure ceilings for the period 2014-2020 unchanged and involve no additional money”, according to a Council press release. The countries that have had the largest sums transferred are Italy (€4.1 billion), Spain (€3.4 billion), the Czech Republic (€3.2 billion), Romania (€3.1 billion), France (€1.48 billion) and the United Kingdom (€1.25 billion).
The Council also adopted amending budget number 2 for 2015. It increases commitment appropriations by €16.47 billion for sub-heading 1b (cohesion) and headings 2 (natural resources) and 3 (security and citizenship). It also adds €2.5 million in commitment appropriations for the instrument for pre-accession assistance heading 4 (Europe in the world). The European Parliament still has formally to approve this text. (Lionel Changeur)