2001 Budget: section III

The European Parliament approved the report drafted jointly by Mrs Jutta HAUG (PES, D) and Mr Markus FERBER (EPP/ED, D). (Please refer to the previous document). The House voted to add some EUR 860 million (payments) to Council's EUR 91.7 billion budget for 2001 and a further EUR 436 million to the EUR 95 billion figure for commitment to give final total EUR 92.57 billion in payments and EUR 96.24 billion in commitments. The increases mainly go in the programme to provide aid for the Balkans and in particular Serbia, where as a result of Council's agreement to provide the extra funding from the 'flexibility reserve' the money earmarked for the Balkans now amounts to some EUR 839 million in commitments and EUR 490.5 million in payments. On the one hand, the European Parliament accepts the decision to mobilise the flexibility instrument for an amount of EUR 200 million in commitment appropriations for the financing of assistance to Serbia, but on the other hand, underlines the fact that it has not entered into any commitment concerning the multiannual allocation for the Western Balkans or for MEDA, which was established by the Council and which remains indicative in nature; considers that now the financing of the following elements will be possible: - the democratisation process in Serbia, - the need for reconstruction of Kosovo at the level provided for in the preliminary draft budget, taking account of the pre-financing in the 2000 budget, - a total amount of EUR 839 million for the Balkan states, including EUR 240 million for Serbia. The Commission's initiative to change the 'comitology' approach in the CARDS and MEDA Regulations has been welcomed by the Parliament. The Commission is urged to present the appropriate proposals to implement the new approach. �