Amending budget 5/2004: other sections, follow-up of the 2004 enlargement, publication of the acquis, remunerations

The European Parliament adopted the report by Jan MULDER (ELDR, NL) and Neena GILL (PES,UK) on the draft amending budget 3/2004. Amendments are made to the text concerning in particular the issue of "Salaries and pensions". The European Parliament approves the budgetary decision to reduce by 10% the sums requested by the other institutions, and to enter that 10% in the reserve, initially, so that all avenues for making savings and for reallocation within the current budgets of the other institutions can be explored. However, it stresses that the proposed reduction could, at this point in time, be considered only a temporary measure. The Parliament agrees with the approach to exclude from this reduction the request made by Council (Gentleman's agreement) and also exclude the request which the European Ombudsman made on account of the limited possibilities for reallocation offered by his small budget. If, by the beginning of September 2004, assessments by the institutions concerned should prove real additional needs, Parliament will review the situation with respect to a possible lifting of the reserve.�