New general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019

The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Daniele VIOTTI (S&D, IT) (Section III - Commission) and Paul RUBIG (EPP, AT) (other sections) on the Council's position on the second draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019.

The ‘draft package’ agreed, after difficult and intense negotiations, by Parliament and Council during the trilogue of 4 December 2018 consists of two elements:

- the Union Budget for the year 2019 set at a level of EUR 165 795.6 million and EUR 148 198.9 million, respectively in commitment and payment appropriations;

- four joint statements as well as one unilateral statement. These statements cover payment appropriations, the youth employment initiative, climate mainstreaming and the strengthening of subheading 1a (Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ programmes) through an amending budget.

Members recommended that the European Parliament approve the Council's position on the second draft general budget of the European Union for the 2019 financial year and the joint statements annexed to the resolution.

Commitment appropriations

Members welcomed the overall level of commitment appropriations agreed, which represents an increase of EUR 1.728 million compared to the original reading of the Council. The increases obtained in the negotiations worth EUR 943 million correspond to Parliament’s main political priorities, namely in support of researchers, young people, SMEs, tackling root causes of migration, climate change, increasing the security of EU citizens, and defence.

Payment appropriations

The report welcomed the 2.4% increase in total agreed payment appropriations for 2019 compared to 2018. As the amount of payments represents only 0.9% of the Union's GNI, Members stressed the importance of the joint statement on payment appropriations, in which Parliament and the Council commit to take necessary decisions to cover any insufficient needs to be covered.

Refugee Facility in Turkey (FRT)

Members regretted the Council's intransigence on the issue of financing the second tranche of FRT, to which the Union will contribute EUR 2 billion and the Member States EUR 1 billion. They reiterated that new initiatives must not be financed to the detriment of existing EU projects and that budgetary satellites such as FRT should not be created in the post-2021 MFF.

Strengthening of subheading 1a

Members insisted, in line with the joint statement by Parliament, the Council and the Commission, that the agreed reinforcement of the Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ programmes by an amount of EUR 100 million in an amending budget in 2019 will not be financed through redeployments from other programmes but through fresh appropriations.