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Financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union

2013/0313(COD)

The European Parliament adopted by 622 votes to 28, with 14 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary are the result of an agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council. They amended the proposal as follows:

Performance reserve and financial instruments in favour of SMEs: Parliament and the Council agreed to include in the financial regulation specific provisions as regards the establishment of a performance reserve and instruments in favour of SMEs.

The amended text stipulated that following the adoption of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (general provisions on the structural and investment funds), it is necessary to amend Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 in order to make decommitted appropriations available again for the purposes of the implementation of the performance reserve and the uncapped guarantee and securitisation financial instruments in favour of SMEs.

Carry-over of commitment appropriations for the Connecting Europe Facility: even limited delays in the completion of projects financed under the Connecting Europe Facility may result in a loss of annual commitment appropriations and undermine the viability of those projects. To prevent this, it has been decided to allow for the carry-over to the following financial year of commitment appropriations not used by the end of each of financial years 2014, 2015 and 2016 for projects financed under the Connecting Europe Facility. The carry-over should be submitted for approval to the European Parliament and the Council.

A joint statement on the separate discharge for Joint Undertakings under Article 209 of the Financial Regulation is annexed to the legislative resolution.

The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agree that in order for the Joint Undertakings to benefit from simplified financial rules better adapted to their public-private nature, they should be set up under Article 209 of the Financial Regulation.

In view of the specific nature and the current status of the Joint Undertakings, the three institutions agreed that the Joint Undertakings should continue to be subject to a separate discharge to be given by the European Parliament upon recommendation of the Council.