Amending budget 7/2013: increasing the European Social Fund (ESF) allocations to address unemployment, poverty and social exclusion in France, Italy and Spain

On 25 July 2013, the Commission submitted to the Council draft amending budget (DAB) No 7/2013 proposing to increase commitment appropriations under sub-heading 1b (Cohesion for growth and employment) by EUR 150 million in 2013.

This amount aims at reinforcing appropriations for the European Social Fund in favour of France, Italy and Spain, in order to tackle youth unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, and has been agreed in the context of the MFF negotiations in the margin of the European Council of 27/28 June 2013.

In parallel, it submitted a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for an amount of EUR 134 million.

On 7 October 2013, the Council adopted its position on draft amending budget No 7/2013, as set out in the technical annex to this explanatory memorandum, as well as the text of the Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument.