Mobilisation of the contingency margin in 2017

The European Parliament adopted by 515 votes to 91, with 34 abstentions, a resolution 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.

Parliament approved the decision annexed to the resolution amending Decision (EU) 2017/344 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the contingency margin in 2017 in order to adjust the offsetting of the contingency margin in order to decrease by EUR 252 million the amount offset in Heading 5 (Administration) in 2018 and introduce a corresponding offset in Heading 5 in 2020.

In its resolution, Parliament regretted that some Member States focus excessively on the available margins below the MFF ceilings without taking into account the flexibility offered by the special instruments. They pointed out that even without a revised offsetting, the overall commitments margin in the agreed 2018 budget would already stand at EUR 1 348,3 million whereas more than EUR 900 million are still available under the Flexibility Instrument and the Global Margin for Commitments (GMC).

While noting that such a revision of the offsetting provides additional flexibility at an earlier stage under this MFF, Members 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.

Concerned about the consequent reduction in the margin of Heading 5 that this manoeuvre will bring in 2020, Members pointed out that the adoption of such an off-limit approach is a clear signal that the EU budget is not provided with the necessary resources for carrying out the Union’s policies and programmes.