The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Draft General Budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012 (COM(2011)0300), presented by the Commission on 20 April 2011,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2011)0373 - C7-0164/2011),

–  having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management(1) (IIA of 17 May 2006), and in particular point 27 thereof,

–  having regard to its position adopted on 26 October 2011 on the 2012 draft general budget(2),

–  having regard to the Joint conclusions on the 2012 budget adopted on 19 November 2011,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0353/2011),

A.  whereas the ceilings of the Multiannual Financial Framework, especially for subheading 1a and heading 4, do not allow the financing of Union priorities without jeopardising the existing instruments and policies,

B.  whereas the Commission had proposed in Amending letter No 1/2012 to mobilise the Flexibility Instrument to offset the reinforcement for the European Neighbourhood Policy under heading 4 for an amount of EUR 153 343 576,

C.  whereas the conciliation committee convened for the 2012 budget agreed to the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for a total amount of EUR 200 million beyond the ceilings of subheading1a and heading 4;

1.  Notes that, despite contained reinforcements in commitments on a limited number of budget items and several decreases on other budget items, the ceilings of subheading 1a and heading 4 do not allow for the adequate financing of selected priorities carried by Parliament and the Council;

2.  Agrees, therefore, to the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for the financing of the EU 2020 Strategy under subheading 1a, and the financing of the European Neighbourhood Policy under heading 4 for a total amount of EUR 200 million;

3.  Reiterates that the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument, as provided for in point 27 of the IIA of 17 May 2006, highlights once more the crucial need for the Union budget to be increasingly flexible;

4.  Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

5.  Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

6.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1. (2) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2011)0461.

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision 2012/3/EU.)