Amending budget 3/2005: mobilisation of the flexibility instrument for the rehabilitation and the reconstruction following the tsunami disaster

On 3 May 2005, the Commission transmitted to the Council its draft amending budget No. 3/2005 for the financial year 2005 covering rehabilitation and reconstruction measures for countries affected by the tsunami to be funded using resources from the flexibility instrument.

At the institutional budget trialogue on 11 July 2005, agreement was reached on the following points:

- acceptance of the modification of the budget concerning lines 19 10 04 and 05 08 03, as requested by the Commission in its draft amending budget;

- the mobilisation of EUR 15 million in favour of aid for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the countries affected by the tsunami via the flexibility instrument instead of EUR 98 million requested by the Commission.

At the end of the concertation procedure with the European Parliament’s delegation on 15 July 2005, and before the Council’s Budget session, the Council decided, in the framework of its agreement with the European Parliament and the Commission, which provides for the adoption of an amending budget in a single reading, to adopt the draft amending budget No. 4/2005 for the financial year 2005 as modified.