As we announced (see EUROPE 11676), the Council of the EU on Monday 28 November approved the agreement reached in mid-November on the Community budget for 2017 (see EUROPE 11670).
Three countries abstained from the vote: Italy, Greece and the United Kingdom. Italy is reported to have wanted more money for urgent challenges (migration, youth employment, Erasmus), which coincides with its position (reservation) on the multi-annual financial framework of the EU (see EUROPE 11669). Greece abstained on the 2017 budget for the same reasons as Italy.
The total amount of commitments has been set at €157.88 billion and payments at €134.49 billion. Taking account of amending budgets nos. 1 to 6, the 2017 budget of the EU will be up by 1.7% in commitments, but down by 1.6% in payments, due to the cut of 11.2% in funding under the cohesion policy. The payment appropriations under heading 3 (security and citizenship) rise by 25.3%.
In particular, the EU budget for 2017 includes: €500 million in commitments for the Youth Employment Initiative, €500 million to support the dairy sector and farmers (consequences of the measures laid down in the anti-agricultural crisis package of July of this year).
The Council also adopted a decision on the mobilisation of the contingency margin, to top up the commitment appropriations of the 2017 budget above the upper limits of commitments under heading 3 (security and citizenship) and heading 4 (Europe and the world) of the multi-annual financial framework (MFF). The aim is to respond to the needs stemming from the migrant and refugee crisis. The contingency margin has been mobilised at a level of €1.176 billion in commitments under heading 3 and €730.1 million (commitments) under heading 4.
On Thursday 1 December, the Parliament will adopt the 2017 budget, including the amending budgets for 2016 and the decisions on mobilising the flexibility instrument and the contingency margin. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)