On Wednesday 12 December in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted the 2019 EU budget, which increases funding for students, unemployed young people, researchers and refugee crisis management (see EUROPE 12157).
The Assembly thus adopted the 2019 budget in plenary, with 451 votes in favour, 142 against and 78 abstentions. Next year's budget was signed immediately after by European Parliament President Antonio Tajani.
3.2%. The total amount of commitment appropriations is €165.8 billion, an increase of 3.2% compared to the 2018 EU budget. Payment appropriations amount to € 148.2 billion (2.4%). A margin of €1.3 billion remains available under the ceilings of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), to allow the EU to respond to unforeseen events and needs.
Parliament Budget Committee Chairman Jean Arthuis (ALDE, France) stressed on Wednesday that this latest budget of the current European Parliament mandate is the one that “best responds to European Parliament priorities, with major advances in favour of research and the Erasmus+ programme, which has seen its allocation increased by 80% in five years”. According to him, it is a rigorous, economical and efficient budget.
Daniele Viotti (S&D, Italy), main rapporteur, noted that “we will be able to better protect the environment, fight climate change and manage migration. Parliament can be proud of the budget obtained”.
Enjoy the momentum. “The European Parliament can be satisfied with this budget”, said Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger the day before. He considered that this “momentum” should be used to negotiate an "ambitious" EU MFF for 2021-2027. He hoped for a political agreement on this issue by the end of 2019 (see other news).
“We have been on the verge of a budgetary crisis”, noted Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D, Spain), referring to the Council's refusal to use the new Article 15(3) of the Financial Regulation, which allows amounts released in the field of research to be reinjected into the budgetary procedure. An agreement was reached at a trilogue between institutions on 5 December, after the 21-day conciliation procedure had expired. Mr Viotti regretted that the Council had “not had the courage” to implement what it had decided in the Financial Regulation.
Main elements of the 2019 budget. The Horizon 2020 programme receives €12.3 billion (9.8% compared to 2018); - the 'Connecting Europe Facility' receives €3.8 billion (37% more than in 2018); - Erasmus+ receives €2.8 billion ( 19.5%); - the Youth Employment Initiative receives an additional €350 million; - the 'Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund' will be entitled to €1.1 billion ( 55.9% compared to 2018); - the 2019 EU budget will contribute €1.45 billion to the 'EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey'; - as in 2018, it was decided to reduce Turkey's pre-accession funds by €146.7 million.
Finally, the 2019 EU budget reinforces action in favour of the environment and climate by making available €558 million under the LIFE programme, 6.7% more than in 2018. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)