2001 Budget: other sections

PURPOSE: presentation of the preliminary draft general budget of the European Communities for the 2001 financial year - Other sections. CONTENT: This preliminary draft budget refers to the administrative and operating expenditures for each of the Institutions of the Union. As far as what specifically concerns the administrative expenditure, the increase in the ceiling for heading 5 of the budget for 2001 is 3% (from EUR 4 638 million to EUR 4 776 million), excluding staff contributions for the pensions. With the contribution, which amounts to EUR 163 million, the ceiling for heading 5 becomes EUR 4 939 million. Since administrative appropriations for all the institutions in the 2000 budget totalled EUR 4 702 million, administrative expenditure could rise by EUR 237 million (+ 5%) in 2001. A forecasr for the other institutions from the last indicative financial programming gives an increase of 2.5% (EUR 1 675 million in 2001). It should be noted that the administrative budget for the Commission takes into account a sum of EUR 12.5 million relating to the administrative reform of the Commission. It should also be noted that the budget for OLAF increases by 36.1% (to EUR 34.7 million). This increase is the result of 76 new posts (to 300 posts in 2001), the renting of a new building and the reinforcement of the IT systems. Appropriations to cover the pensions of all the institutions will increase by 10.1% to EUR 621.5 million due to the rise in the number of former officials, the increase in the average cost of pensions as new pensioners have more years' service and an adjustment to weightings to take account of the changes in the cost of living in the Member States. As far as the other institutions are concerned, the request from the Court of Justice regarding the creation of 95 new posts mainly for the translation directorate (mainly jurist-linguists), as well as for the Court of First Instance. The budget for the Court of Auditors does not provide for any increase in staff, while the budget for the Economic and Social Committee integrates, for the first time since the dissolution of the common ESC/CoR organisational structure, the ESC's contribution to the operating expenditure of the ESC's common services. The Committee of the Regions' budget is characterised by its stability and the autonomy of its financial management. As far as the European Parliament is concerned, its budget is set at EUR 987.8 million (in this context, it should be noted that a new budget article has been created relating to expenditure on parliamentary assistance, mounting to EUR 90 million). Lastly, it should be noted that, from 2001 onwards, the Ombudsman's budget will no longer be annexed to that of the European Parliament. Overall, the 'Other sections' part of the Preliminary Draft Budget amounts to EUR 4 860 million in 2001. �