Brussels, 09/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - At the end of December 2006, the European Commission adopted a preliminary draft correcting budget 2007 (No1/2007) allowing for decisions taken at the end of 2006 by the two branches of budgetary authority (Council and Parliament). These adjustments, which are solely technical, complete the agreement on the correcting letter (No2/2007) concluded between the institutions, during the trilogy on 28 November, on the 2007 budget (€500 million in commitment appropriations for the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund and €6 million in commitment appropriations as well as €4.4 million in payment appropriations for the Hercule II programme). The proposal has been forwarded to the Council and Parliament for approval. The main technical adjustments are as follows:
New multi-annual financial framework: After adoption by the Commission, on 24 May 2006, of the revised legislative package, comments on a number of budgetary lines must be amended. The main policy areas requiring such adjustments are external relations and development. The creation of four separate instruments (European instrument for democracy and human rights, instrument for the industrialised countries, instrument for nuclear security and instrument for preparedness and rapid reaction) entail a redistribution of funding, without the overall total being affected.
Structural and Cohesion Funds: Commitment appropriations for Structural and Cohesion Funds have been adjusted to take into account the final figures set out in the legal base agreed. The total envelope for Heading 1B (cohesion) remains unchanged. The Cohesion Fund gains €4.5 million while the Structural Funds lose an equivalent amount. Within the Structural Funds, funding for “convergence” is down and that for “regional competitiveness” is up. Commitment appropriations for “territorial cooperation” are down. The distribution of payment appropriations is slightly adjusted also.
Joint Research Centre: The proposal adjusts the budgetary situation for personnel at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) for 2007 (solely the structure, not the total number of posts).
European Investment Fund: The EIF will have exhausted its resources by mid-2007. From then on, the EIF governing board suggests, the capital subscribed to competition should be increased by a maximum 50% in nominal value.
Participation by Switzerland: The Commission must amend certain budgetary comments to take into account Switzerland's participation in a number of Community programmes (statistics, education, training, youth, Media and the European Environment Agency). (lc)