Financial framework 2007-2013: additional financing needs of the ITER project

The European Parliament adopted by 581 votes to 102 with 16 abstentions, a resolution approving the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 on budgetary discipline and sound financial management as regards the multiannual financial framework, to address additional financing needs of the ITER project.

Parliament recalls that an additional EUR 1 300 million in commitment appropriations from the Union budget are required for the ITER project in 2012-2013, and that at the budgetary trilogue meeting of 1 December 2011, Parliament, the Council and the Commission agreed on the modalities for providing this additional financing to the project. This requires a revision of the IIA of 17 May 2006, so as to raise the ceilings for commitment appropriations under subheading 1a by EUR 650 million for the year 2012 and by EUR 190 million for the year 2013 in current prices.

Parliament deplores, however, the fact that different interpretations, legal constraints and binding commitments have prevented the Council from entering swiftly into real political negotiations with the other branch of the budgetary authority.

The Decision aims to approve the Joint Conclusions of the budgetary trilogue held on 1 December 2011, the main points of which are as follows:

·        a revision of the IIA of 17 May 2006, so as to raise the ceilings for commitment appropriations under subheading 1a by EUR 650 million for the year 2012 and by EUR 190 million for the year 2013 in current prices;

·        the increase in the ceilings for commitment appropriations of Heading 1a for the years 2012 and 2013 will be offset by a corresponding decrease of the ceilings for commitment appropriations of Heading 2 and Heading 5 for the year 2011 and 2012;

·        in order to keep an appropriate relationship between commitments and payments, the annual ceilings for payment appropriations will be adjusted (the adjustment will be neutral in terms of payment requirements over the period 2007-2013).

In the resolution adopted in plenary, Parliament also emphasises that Parliament, the Council and the Commission agreed to the Joint Conclusions of the budgetary trilogue held on 1 December 2011 in their entirety. It deeply regrets the unilateral statement included in the Council minutes by six Member States intended to make a biased interpretation of the Joint Conclusions, and calls upon the Council to fully respect the Joint Conclusions. Parliament reminds the Council of its agreement to making full use of the provisions laid down in the Financial Regulation and in the IIA of 17 May 2006 in order to make available, within the MFF commitment appropriation ceilings, the amount of EUR 360 million in the 2013 budget procedure. It affirms that otherwise Parliament cannot guarantee its agreement to that amount. It urges the Commission to use to the full extent the provisions laid down in the Financial Regulation and in the IIA of 17 May 2006 when making concrete proposals on the amount of EUR 360 million within the 2013 Draft budget.

With regard to the Joint Conclusions on the financing of the ITER project resulting from the trialogue of 1 December 2011, Parliament recalls the main points:

(1) The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agree to cover the EUR 1 300 million additional cost of the ITER project in 2012-2013 as follows:

·        EUR 100 million already included in the 2012 budget on the ITER budget lines;

·        EUR 360 million in commitment appropriations will be made available in the 2013 budget procedure within the MFF commitment appropriations ceilings making full use of the provisions laid down in the Financial Regulation and in the IIA of 17 May 2006, excluding any further ITER-related revision of the MFF;

·        the ceilings for commitment appropriations of Heading 1a for the years 2012 and 2013 will be increased by an amount of EUR 840 million, of which EUR 650 million in 2012 and EUR 190 million in 2013. This increase will be offset by a corresponding decrease of the ceilings for commitment appropriations of Heading 2 (EUR 450 million for the year 2011) and Heading 5 (EUR 243 million for the year 2011 and EUR 147 million for the year 2012);

·        the 2013 ceiling for total payment appropriations will be increased by EUR 580 million offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2011 ceiling.

(2) The European Parliament and the Council agree to adopt the above mentioned revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2007-2013 before the end of 2011, according to their respective internal procedures.

(3) The European Parliament and the Council invite the Commission to make concrete proposals on the amount of EUR 360 million within Draft Budget 2013.

In conclusion, Parliament adopted the amendment to the IIA fully respecting the points agreed at the trialogue of 1 December 2011.