06/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 5 June 2008, the European Commission approved without debate Draft Amending Budget No. 3/2008 covering the following measures (see EUROPE 9644 for details): the budgeting of the revenue accruing from the Microsoft case (fine and interest totalling € 849,200,000); the budgeting of savings arising from the smaller than estimated increase for salaries and pensions of officials in 2007; reinforcement of the emergency fund for veterinary measures due to the bluetongue crisis; the creation of budgetary items to accommodate subsidies for four Joint Undertakings; and mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund for €98 million relating to forest fires in Greece in August 2007 and floods in Slovenia in September 2007. The report by Kyosti Virrankoski on the draft regulation was adopted by 598 to 19 with 15 abstentions. (L.C./transl. fl)