Brussels, 30/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission adopted the second letter of amendment to the 2002 budget, updating the estimates for agricultural spending and fisheries agreements. The letter covers four elements: * Surplus in 2001: the EUR 1 billion surplus from the 2001 budget will be carried forward as revenue to the 2002 budget, thereby reducing the amounts payable to the EU budget by its Member States; * Agricultural expenditure: the Commission has cut the revised estimates of agricultural expenditure by EUR 1.9 billion from the figures in the Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB). It was possible to make savings in arable corps (EUR 781 million), dairy products (EUR 424 million), beef (EUR 276 million) and sheep meat (EUR 298 million). Increased spending is forecast for cotton and wine, however; * Expenditure on fisheries agreements: the EUR 125 million earmarked in budget for the fisheries agreement with Morocco will be scrapped and will go towards the increased cost of agreements with Mauritania (+EUR 33 million). Ms Schreyer told journalists that the appropriations totalling EUR 80 million previously earmarked for the fisheries sector would be considered as an additional external policy "crisis budget", given "the current state of global insecurity". As an example, she mentioned the aid that would be required for post-Taliban Afghanistan; * Converting fishing fleets: the Commission confirmed that EUR 197 million would be taken from the "flexibility instrument" to cover a conversion programme for the Spanish and Portuguese fishing fleets.
Ms Schreyer explained that in total in 2002, Member States would have to pay EUR 8.8 million less into the Community coffers than outlined in the Financial Perspectives - a EUR 4.4 million reduction in expenditure and a further EUR 4.4 million earmarked for the enlargement of the European Union that would not now be needed.