On Monday 6 April, EU Member States supported proposals at expert level to activate emergency assistance support to mobilise €3 billion from the EU budget in 2020 to fight the coronavirus (see EUROPE 12460/4).
The proposals of 2 April were presented the following day to the Ambassadors to the EU. At the EU Council’s Budget Committee on Monday 6 April, delegations supported in principle the proposals on the activation of emergency aid to combat the pandemic.
Only two delegations were reportedly awaiting confirmation from their capitals, but, in principle, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU (Coreper) is expected to give its green light on Wednesday 8 April to launch the written procedure for formal adoption of the texts.
The written procedure is expected to be concluded on Tuesday 14 April.
The proposals include the proposal activating emergency aid, draft amending budget No 2 for the financial year 2020 (€3 billion in commitment appropriations and €1.53 billion in payment appropriations to finance the provision of emergency aid), the proposal to mobilise the ‘contingency margin’ in 2020 and the proposal amending Regulation 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the period 2014-2020.
The European Parliament is expected to approve these legislative acts at its dematerialised plenary session on Thursday 16 April (see other news). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)