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2013 general budget: all sections, second version

2012/2307(BUD)

The European Parliament adopted by 498 votes to 162, with 12 abstentions, a resolution definitively approving the new draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013 - all sections – second version, as amended in the Council position.

Parliament recalls that the "draft package" agreed, after difficult negotiations, by Parliament and Council during the Trilogue of 29 November 2012 consists of three elements:

  1. the Amending Budget No 6/2012 for EUR 6 billion, partially covering the shortage of payments up to 31st October 2012,
  2. the Union Budget for the year 2013 set to a level of EUR 150 898.391 million and EUR 132 836.988 million, respectively in commitment and payment appropriations and
  3. three joint statements ensuring that the actual payment needs in 2012 and 2013 will be duly covered.

Parliament refers to the overall level of commitments appropriations agreed, which represents an increase of EUR 1.1 billion compared to the original reading of the Council and is pleased that the biggest part of its political priorities has been secured in next year's budget, with particular emphasis on the proper implementation of the EU commitment for growth and jobs.

The recurring issue of payments: Parliament notes that the overall level of payment appropriations agreed for 2013 decreases by 2.15 % compared to Budget 2012 following the adoption of 6 billion EUR in Amending Budget 6/2012. It stresses that, due to the intransigent position of the Council in the negotiations, the overall level of payments set is EUR 5 billion lower than the Commission's estimates for payment needs in its draft budget for 2013, which will be insufficient to cover the actual payments needs of next year.

Parliament is convinced, however, that the cost of a non-agreement would imply much more serious consequences and a much more negative impact on the implementation of the Union actions and programmes.

Parliament requests the Commission to provide monthly reports to Parliament and Council on the evolution of Member States' (broken down per Member State and per fund) payment claims for structural funds, cohesion fund, rural development and fisheries funds from 31 October 2012 onwards. It also calls for an interinstitutional working group on payments to be set up, where the two arms of the budgetary authority should present joint conclusions on how to proceed.

Parliament recalls the highest political importance it attaches to the joint statements (see below) adopted during the trilogue. It intends to ensure that at all levels and by using all means possible, that these declarations will be respected and that the necessary additional resources to be provided by Member States next year in order for the Union to be able to pay its bills and to preserve its institutional credibility and solvency will materialise.

A favourable vote but subject to conditions: Parliament links its favourable vote on the 2013 budget to the attainment of specific guarantees at the highest political level of the three institutions on the financing of the EUR 2.9 billion payments lacking for 2012, which shall by no means imply a reduction of payment appropriations for 2013. They reaffirm that the only way to come out from this impasse, which renders the budgetary negotiations each year more difficult, is to urgently and responsibly solve the issue of the Union's financing, through a genuine system of own resources to come into force as from the next Multiannual Financial Framework, removing once and for all the division of the EU between net contributors and net beneficiaries.

Parliament approves the new Draft Budget for 2013, as amended by the Council, and gives its accord to the joint statements that follow:

  1. Joint statement on payment appropriations for 2013: the European Parliament and the Council agree on a reduction of the level of payment appropriations for 2013 as compared to the Commission's Draft Budget. They ask the Commission to initiate any necessary action according to the Treaty and, in particular, to request additional payment appropriations in an amending budget if the appropriations entered in the 2013 budget prove insufficient to cover expenditure under sub-heading 1a (Competitiveness for growth and employment), subheading 1b (Cohesion for growth and employment), heading 2 (Preservation and management of natural resources), heading 3 (Citizenship, freedom, security and justice) and heading 4 (EU as a global player). The European Parliament and the Council will take position on any draft amending budget as quickly as possible in order to avoid any shortfall in payment appropriations.
  2. Joint statement on payment needs for 2012: the European Parliament and the Council note that the level of payments, proposed by the Commission in its 2013 draft budget, was based on the assumption that payment needs in 2012 would have been addressed with appropriations available in the 2012 budget. However, the additional payment appropriations authorised in the Amending Budget 6/2012 were lowered by EUR 2.9 billion with respect to the amount proposed by the Commission, and are not at the level of all payment claims received. Therefore, the Commission undertakes to present at an early stage in the year 2013 a draft amending budget devoted to the sole purpose of covering the 2012 suspended claims and the Council and the Parliament will take position on this draft amending budget as quickly as possible.
  3. Joint statement on Heading 5 and the salary and pension adjustment: the European Parliament and the Council agree not to include at this stage the budgetary impact of the 2011 salary adjustment in the 2013 Budget. Without prejudice to Council's position in cases c-66/12, c-63/12, c-196/12 and c-453/12, they jointly request the Commission, should the Court rule in favour of the Commission and as soon as it does, to submit a draft amending budget devoted to finance, as needed, the impact of the 2011 adjustment for the institutions, including its retroactive effect on previous years and possible late interest.

It should be noted that in a spirit of compromise, all the amendments to the draft 2013 budget, tabled by the S&D group were withdrawn in plenary. The amendments of the Greens/EFA group were rejected in bloc.