The EU Council of Ministers underlines, in its budgetary guidelines for 2020 to be adopted on Tuesday 12 February, that next year's budget should make it possible to honour, in good time, the commitments already made under the current multiannual financial framework (MFF), “in order to avoid any unpaid claims”, in particular in cohesion policy.
The Council underlines that the budgetary procedure for 2020 will be the last of the programming period 2014-2020. The Council considers that the budget for 2020 should ensure prudent budgeting and leave sufficient margins under the ceilings to deal with unforeseen circumstances. At the same time, sufficient resources should be allocated to programmes and actions that contribute most towards achieving Union policies.
The Council takes note of the draft agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, which provides for the United Kingdom to contribute to and participate in the implementation of the Union's budgets for the years 2019 and 2020.
On 7 February, the Committee on Budgets also debated its priorities for the 2020 budget (vote in plenary at the beginning of March). The Commission will present its draft budget for 2020 at the beginning of June 2019. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)