Amending budget 3/2016: security of the institutions

The Committee on Budgets adopted the joint report by José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT) (Section III – Commission) and Gérard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE) on the Council position on Draft amending budget No 3/2016 of the European Union for the financial year 2016: Security of the Institutions.

Members recalled that recent terror attacks have led the Union institutions to review their security needs and to identify the need for additional resources already in 2016. Draft amending budget No 3/2016 consequently proposed to reinforce the budget for security by a total amount of EUR 15.8 million in the European Schools, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European External Action Service.

In particular, Draft amending budget No 3/2016 aims to create 35 additional permanent posts for the recruitment of additional security agents in the European Parliament. These posts should be maintained in the 2017 budget and exempt from the 5 % staff reduction target, as they correspond to a new activity.

In parallel, Members took note of Draft amending budget No 3/2016, as submitted by the Commission and called on the European Parliament to approve the Council position on Draft amending budget No 3/2016.