The Council of the EU and the European Parliament were still hoping to find common ground, with the help of the European Commission, on the main elements of the EU budget for 2023 in the early evening of Monday 14 November.
On Friday 11 November, the institutions decided to end the negotiations in order to give themselves more time to try to find a compromise on Monday, the last day of the European Parliament/EU Council conciliation period on the 2023 budget.
The deadline for reaching an agreement was set as midnight on 14 November. In the absence of an agreement, the Commission would have to present a new draft budget plan for next year (see EUROPE 13061/24).
On Friday, the Commission had presented a draft compromise with “targeted increases in funding for programmes deemed a priority by the European Parliament and the Council”, according to the European Commissioner for the Budget, Johannes Hahn.
The EU institution suggested leaving sufficient margins under the ceiling of the headings of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF): €427.4 million in commitments and €3.5 billion in payments.
This is to “maintain flexibility to react to unforeseen events”, justified Mr Hahn. He called for a “coordinated approach” between the EU institutions on the need for new cybersecurity posts.
Member States have asked the Commission to present with measures to “ease the pressure on administrative expenditure”. They insisted on the need to preserve sufficient margins under the MFF ceilings, given the uncertainties about needs in 2023.
The Parliament wants to “use up the margins, that is not wise”, the German delegation noted.
The EU Council reiterated its reservations about the rising administrative expenditure of the European Parliament.
At the time of going to press on Monday, the Commission was meeting with Parliament negotiators and then with Council delegations for a conciliation committee to try to reach an agreement. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)