Brussels, 04/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 4 September, the EU Council of Ministers formally adopted its negotiating position on the EU's budget for 2016.
This confirms the agreement in principle reached at the committee of member states' representatives (Coreper) on 9 June (see EUROPE 11356). The Council's position in effect gives a mandate to the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council for negotiations from the end of October until mid-November with the European Parliament.
The Council says that a total of €153.27 billion in commitment appropriations and €142.12 billion in payment appropriations would enable the EU to achieve its political objectives in 2016. This is €563.6 million less in terms of commitments and €1.4 billion less in terms of payments than proposed by the European Commission. The Council backs the funding proposed by the Commission in a number of priority domains, viz. the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), measures for dealing with immigration, humanitarian and Erasmus. The Council's position also reflects the payment plan agreed with the European Parliament in May 2015 to gradually pay off payment arrears for cohesion programmes in 2007-2013.
If the European Parliament adopts amendments to the Council's position at the plenary at the end of October, then a three-week conciliation process will begin on 29 October 2015 with the aim of the three EU institutions agreeing on the budget by 18 November 2015. (Lionel Changeur)