on the Council position on Draft amending budget No 8/2015 of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Own resources and European Data Protection Supervisor

(13439/2015 – C8‑0341/2015 – 2015/2269(BUD))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to Article 314 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to Article 106a of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

–  having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002(1), and in particular Article 41 thereof,

–  having regard to the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, as definitively adopted on 17 December 2014(2),

–  having regard to Amending budget No 1/2015, as definitively adopted on 28 April 2015(3),

–  having regard to Amending budgets No 2/2015, No 3/2015, No 4/2015 and No 5/2015 as definitively adopted on 7 July 2015(4),

–  having regard to Amending budgets No 6/2015 and No 7/2015 as definitively adopted on 14 October 2015,

–  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(5),

–  having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2015/623 of 21 April 2015 amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020(6),

–  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(7),

–  having regard to Council Decision 2007/436/EC, Euratom of 7 June 2007 on the system of the European Communities' own resources(8),

–  having regard to Draft amending budget No 8/2015, which the Commission adopted on 19 October 2015 (COM(2015)0545),

–  having regard to the position on Draft amending budget No 8/2015 which the Council adopted on 10 November 2015 and forwarded to Parliament on the same day (13439/2015 – C8-0341/2015),

–  having regard to Rules 88 and 91 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0337/2015),

A.  whereas Draft amending budget No 8/2015 concerns a revision of the forecast of Traditional Own Resources (customs duties), the budgeting of the remainder of the 2014 VAT and GNI balances and the budgeting of the 2015 VAT and GNI balances;

B.  whereas Draft amending budget No 8/2015 also updates the forecast for other revenue;

C.  whereas Draft amending budget No 8/2015 furthermore foresees a reduction of EUR 123 474 in both commitment and payment appropriations in the budget of the European Data Protection Supervisor;

D.  whereas Draft amending budget No 8/2015 results in a decrease in GNI-based contributions from Member States of EUR 9,4 billion;

1.  Takes note of Draft amending budget No 8/2015, as submitted by the Commission, and of the Council's position thereon;

2.  Notes that Draft amending budget No 8/2015, in all its elements, has an impact of a EUR 9 403,4 million reduction in Member States' contributions to the Union budget;

3.  Underlines that substantial additional financial means are necessary to address the current refugee crisis;

4.  Notes that Member States' financial pledges for the Africa Trust Fund, the Syria Trust Fund and to UN agencies supporting refugees, reconfirmed at the informal meeting of EU Heads of State or Government on migration of 23 September 2015, at the European Council of 15 October 2015, and at the Valletta Summit of 11-12 November 2015 have not yet been met; deplores that according to Commission data Member States were lagging behind by EUR 2,3 billion at the beginning of November 2015;

5.  Notes that further financial efforts will be needed to provide humanitarian assistance along the transit routes and to manage the challenges posed by the reception of unprecedented numbers of refugees in Europe's cities and regions;

6.  Deeply regrets that no firm compromise could be reached in conciliation to use the reflow from Draft amending budget No 8/2015 to address the refugee crisis; nevertheless expects that Member States will fully honour their previous commitments;

7.  Approves the Council position on Draft amending budget No 8/2015;

8.  Instructs its President to declare that Amending budget No 8/2015 has been definitively adopted and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

9.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Court of Auditors and the national parliaments.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

(1)   OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1. (2)   OJ L 69, 13.3.2015, p. 1. (3)   OJ L 190, 17.7.2015, p. 1. (4)   OJ L 261, 7.10.2015. (5)   OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884. (6)   OJ L 103, 22.4.2015, p. 1. (7)   OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. (8)   OJ L 163, 23.6.2007, p. 17.