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Amending budget 7/2015: immediate budgetary measures under the European agenda on migration

2015/2252(BUD)

The European Parliament adopted by 577 votes to 66, with 14 abstentions, a resolution on the Council position on Draft amending budget No 7/2015 of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Managing the refugee crisis: immediate budgetary measures under the European Agenda on Migration.

Members recalled that Draft amending budget No 7/2015 aims to reinforce the Union's resources to deal with the current refugee and migrant crisis, thereby addressing current underfunding in both headings 3 and 4.

Objectives of the Draft amending budget No 7/2015: Parliament stressed that Draft amending budget No 7/2015 provides a reinforcement of emergency assistance provided under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund for a total amount of EUR 100 million in commitment appropriations while maintaining the necessary resources, and other programmes financed by AMIF.

DAB No 7/2015 furthermore provides for:

  • an increase in the number of posts for FRONTEX, EASO and EUROPOL of 120 in total as well as the related appropriations for salaries until year-end of EUR 1.3 million in commitment and payment appropriations;
  • additional funding for the European Neighbourhood Instrument for a total amount of EUR 300 million;
  • an increase in payment appropriations for Humanitarian Aid for an amount of EUR 55.7 million through redeployment.

This DAB is accompanied by a proposal for a decision on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for immediate budgetary measures under the European Agenda on Migration for an amount of EUR 66.1 million in commitment appropriations.

Provision of structural measures: Parliament noted the increase in the number of refugees and migrants was not foreseeable when adopting the current Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020, and it cannot be considered a temporary phenomenon and therefore requires longer term solutions which need to be addressed in the upcoming annual budgetary procedures and the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework.

Intensify efforts to resolve the crisis: whilst welcoming the swift response from the Commission in dealing with the current refugee crisis, Parliament reiterated its readiness to act in due time in accordance with its budgetary responsibilities. It pointed out that the proposed measures have to be coupled with initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of the migration and refugees crisis.

Parliament is convinced that the Union needs to do more to address the current migration and refugee crisis and to help stabilise countries of origin and assist countries of transit as the proposed measures will certainly not be sufficient, given the overall number of persons seeking protection in the Union.

The Commission is invited to present a long-term financial plan to respond to the migration and refugee crisis, including search and rescue operations, and to propose a revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework accordingly.

Strengthen and intensify existing measures: Parliament welcomed the commitment of Member States, made during the informal European Council of 23 September 2015, to mobilise EUR 1 billion in response to the humanitarian situation of migrants and refugees. It called on Member States to extend and increase their commitment to provide the necessary funds also in the coming years.

2016 budget measures: Parliament recalled that this issue needs primarily to be addressed in the 2016 budget and called on the Council to match its words with the corresponding funding in Conciliation. It urged the Council to agree from the outset on an adequate 2016 budget, including for headings 3 and 4, which will provide sufficient appropriations to manage the current refugee and migration crisis.

Parliament reminded the Commission and the Council of the recent agreement for a payment plan aimed at putting the Union budget back on a sustainable track. It noted that the Commission did not propose any additional overall payment appropriations in the 2015 budget but reverted to the redeployment of already existing resources. According to Parliament, this could increase the burden on payment appropriations in 2016 which may not be sufficient to meet the actual needs of financial programmes across headings.

Parliament expected therefore the Commission to come forward in its Amending Letter 2/2016 with an adequate increase in payment appropriations which corresponds to the commitments undertaken. It stressed that, should additional reinforcements be needed in the course of the current year to address the migration and refugee crisis. Parliament is called upon to be ready to accept a further mobilisation of the flexibility provisions provided for in the Multiannual Financial Framework.

Hot spots: Parliament welcomed the additional 120 establishment plan posts for agencies and expected this decision to also impact the 2016 budget as well as the budgets for the following years.

It urged the Commission to:

  • provide updated and consolidated information about the agencies' needs before budgetary Conciliation;
  • propose a medium-term and long-term strategy for the justice and home affairs agencies' actions: objectives, missions, coordination, development of hot spots and financial resources.

In an amendment adopted in plenary, Parliament stressed that the European Asylum Support Office

(EASO) should get more staff than is now proposed by the Commission, as it is tasked with assuming a key role in the implementation of the Common European Asylum System, such as assisting in the processing of asylum applications and in the relocation efforts.

In parallel, the European Parliament adopted the Council position on Draft amending budget No 7/2015.