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Mobilisation of the Contingency Margin in 2017

2016/2118(BUD)

PURPOSE: to mobilise the contingency margin in 2017.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2017/344 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the Contingency Margin in 2017.

CONTENT: Article 13 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 has established a Contingency Margin of up to 0.03 % of the Gross National Income of the Union.

In accordance with that Regulation, the Commission has calculated the absolute amount of the Contingency Margin for 2017.

After having examined all other financial possibilities to react to unforeseen circumstances within the 2017 commitment ceilings:

  • for heading 3 (Security and citizenship);
  • for heading 4 (Global Europe) of the multiannual financial framework,

and having regard to the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for the full amount of EUR 530 million available in 2017, it appears necessary to mobilise the contingency margin to address the needs stemming from the migration, refugee and security crisis, by increasing the commitment appropriations in the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2017, over and above the ceilings of headings 3 and 4 of the multiannual financial framework.

The European Parliament and the Council therefore decided to mobilise the contingency margin under the 2017 budget in order to provide EUR 1 176 030 960 in commitment appropriations over and above the commitment ceiling of heading 3 (Security and citizenship) and of EUR 730 120 000 in commitment appropriations over and above the commitment ceiling of heading 4 (Global Europe) of the multiannual financial framework.

The total amount of EUR 1 906 150 960 in commitment appropriations shall be offset against the margins under the commitment ceilings for the years 2017 to 2019 of the following headings of the multiannual financial framework:

2017:

  • heading 2 (Sustainable Growth — Natural Resources): EUR 575 000 000;
  • heading 5 (Administration): EUR 507 268 804;

2018:

  • heading 5 (Administration): EUR 570 000 000;

2019:

  • heading 5 (Administration): EUR 253 882 156.

Margin as the last resort: it is recalled that Article 13(1) of the MFF Regulation defines the contingency margin as a last resort instrument to react to unforeseen circumstances.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision shall enter into force on 28.2.2017. It shall apply from 1.1.2017.