Mobilisation of the contingency margin in 2017

The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Jens GEIER (S&D, DE) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision EU 2017/344 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the contingency margin in 2017.

The committee called on Parliament to approve the decision annexed to the motion for a resolution.

Members took note of the Commission's proposal, in the context of the 2018 budget, to revise the offsetting of the contingency margin mobilised in 2017 in order to increase the overall commitments margin available in 2018.

As the 2018 budget requires more flexibility, it is proposed to adjust the offsetting of the contingency margin mobilised in 2017 to decrease the amount offset in Heading 5 (Administration) in 2018 and to introduce a corresponding offset in Heading 5 in 2020.

Members also stated that such a revision of the offsetting, while not essential, releases EUR 252 million of additional margin in 2018 instead of 2020, thereby providing additional flexibility at an earlier stage under this MFF.

However, they regretted that the European Parliament and the Council are obliged to split the concerned offsetting under Heading 5 between 2018 and 2020 in order to provide the EU budget with the flexibility needed in 2018.

They expressed concern over the consequent reduction in the margin of Heading 5 that this manoeuvre will bring in 2020.