REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to provide the financing for the European Fund for Sustainable Development

11.10.2017 - (COM(2017)0480 – C8‑0235/2017 – 2017/2134(BUD))

Committee on Budgets
Rapporteur: Jens Geier

Procedure : 2017/2134(BUD)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
A8-0298/2017
Texts tabled :
A8-0298/2017
Debates :
Texts adopted :

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to provide the financing for the European Fund for Sustainable Development

(COM(2017)0480 – C8‑0235/2017 – 2017/2134(BUD))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2017)0480 – C8‑0235/2017),

–  having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020[1] (MFF Regulation), and in particular Article 11 thereof,

–  having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management[2], and in particular point 12 thereof,

–  having regard to the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2017, as adopted on 1 December 2016[3],

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0298/2017),

A.  whereas, after the revision of the MFF Regulation, an annual amount of EUR 676 million in current prices is available under the Flexibility instrument, increased by lapsed amounts from the European Union Solidarity Fund and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, namely EUR 646 million at the end of 2016; whereas an amount of EUR 530 million is already mobilised under the Flexibility instrument in the 2017 budget, thus leaving EUR 792 million available for a further mobilisation;

B.  whereas Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD), the EFSD Guarantee and the EFSD Guarantee Fund[4] entered into force on 28 September 2017;

C.  whereas, after having examined all possibilities for re-allocating commitment appropriations under Heading 4 (Global Europe), the Commission has proposed to mobilise the Flexibility Instrument for an amount of EUR 275 million beyond the ceiling of Heading 4 to provide the financing for the EFSD;

1.  Notes that the 2017 ceiling for Heading 4 does not allow for an adequate financing of the EFSD; reiterates its long-standing position that the financial resources for external action of the Union are not sufficient to cover the needs of a proactive and sustainable external policy;

2.  Agrees therefore with the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for an amount of EUR 275 million in commitment and payment appropriations;

3.  Reiterates that the mobilisation of this instrument, as provided for in Article 11 of the MFF Regulation, shows, once more, the crucial need for the Union budget to be more flexible;

4.  Reiterates its long-standing view that the payments stemming from commitments previously mobilised through the Flexibility Instrument can only be counted over and above the MFF ceilings;

5.  Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

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

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

  • [1]  OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884.
  • [2]  OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
  • [3]  OJ L 51, 28.2.2017.
  • [4]  OJ L 249, 27.9.2017, p. 1.

ANNEX: DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to provide the financing for the European Fund for Sustainable Development

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management[1], and in particular point 12 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)  The Flexibility Instrument is intended to allow the financing of clearly identified expenditure which could not be financed within the limits of the ceilings available for one or more other headings.

(2)  The ceiling on the annual amount available for the Flexibility Instrument is EUR 600 000 000 (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 11 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013[2].

(3)  In order to address the ongoing challenges of migration, refugee inflows and security threats, it is necessary to mobilise significant additional amounts to finance appropriate measures as a matter of urgency.

(4)  Having examined all possibilities for re-allocating appropriations under the expenditure ceiling for heading 4 (Global Europe), it is necessary to mobilise the Flexibility Instrument to supplement the financing available in the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2017, beyond the ceiling of heading 4 by the amount of EUR 275 000 000, to provide the financing for the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD). This amount includes amounts which lapsed in the previous years of the European Union Solidarity Fund and of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund and which are made available for the Flexibility Instrument in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 11(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013.

(5)  On the basis of the expected payment profile, the payment appropriations corresponding to the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument should be for 2017 only,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1.  For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2017, the Flexibility Instrument shall be mobilised to provide the amount of EUR 275 000 000 in commitment appropriations in heading 4 (Global Europe).

The amount referred to in the first paragraph shall be used to provide the financing for the European Fund for Sustainable Development Guarantee Fund.

2.  On the basis of the expected payment profile, the payment appropriations corresponding to the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument will be EUR 250 000 000 in 2017. The amount shall be authorised in accordance with the budgetary procedure.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at

For the European Parliament  For the Council

The President  The President

  • [1]   OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
  • [2]   Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884).

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted

10.10.2017

 

 

 

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

31

5

1

Members present for the final vote

Nedzhmi Ali, Jonathan Arnott, Jean Arthuis, Richard Ashworth, Reimer Böge, Lefteris Christoforou, Gérard Deprez, Manuel dos Santos, José Manuel Fernandes, Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Jens Geier, Ingeborg Gräßle, Monika Hohlmeier, John Howarth, Bernd Kölmel, Siegfried Mureşan, Liadh Ní Riada, Jan Olbrycht, Urmas Paet, Pina Picierno, Răzvan Popa, Paul Rübig, Jordi Solé, Patricija Šulin, Eleftherios Synadinos, Indrek Tarand, Isabelle Thomas, Inese Vaidere, Monika Vana, Daniele Viotti, Tiemo Wölken, Stanisław Żółtek

Substitutes present for the final vote

Andrey Novakov, Derek Vaughan, Tomáš Zdechovský

Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote

Marie-Pierre Vieu, Auke Zijlstra

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

31

+

ALDE

Nedzhmi Ali, Jean Arthuis, Gérard Deprez, Urmas Paet

ECR

Richard Ashworth, Bernd Kölmel

PPE

Reimer Böge, Lefteris Christoforou, José Manuel Fernandes, Ingeborg Gräßle, Monika Hohlmeier, Siegfried Mureşan, Andrey Novakov, Jan Olbrycht, Paul Rübig, Patricija Šulin, Inese Vaidere, Tomáš Zdechovský

S&D

Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Jens Geier, John Howarth, Pina Picierno, Răzvan Popa, Isabelle Thomas, Derek Vaughan, Daniele Viotti, Tiemo Wölken, Manuel dos Santos

Verts/ALE

Jordi Solé, Indrek Tarand, Monika Vana

5

-

EFDD

Jonathan Arnott

ENF

Auke Zijlstra

GUE/NGL

Liadh Ní Riada, Marie-Pierre Vieu

NI

Eleftherios Synadinos

1

0

ENF

Stanisław Żółtek

Key to symbols:

+  :  in favour

-  :  against

0  :  abstention