European Parliament resolution on draft amending budget No 7/2005 of the European Union for the financial year 2005 (Storm in Northern Europe) (13489/2005 – C6-0358/2005 – 2005/2172(BUD))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 272(4), penultimate subparagraph, thereof,
– having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 177 thereof,
– having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(1), and in particular Articles 37 and 38 thereof,
– having regard to the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2005, as finally adopted on 16 December 2004(2),
– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure(3),
– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 7 November 2002 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the financing of the European Union Solidarity Fund supplementing the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure(4),
– having regard to the decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2005 to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to the amount of EUR 92 880 830 to grant financial assistance to Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in order to help those countries to cope with the severe damage caused by a major storm on 8 January 2005,
– having regard to preliminary draft amending budget No 6/2005 of the European Union for the financial year 2005, which the Commission presented on 8 September 2005 (SEC(2005)1083),
– having regard to draft amending budget No 7/2005, which the Council established on 7 November 2005 (13489/2005 – C6-0358/2005),
– having regard to Rule 69 of and Annex IV to its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A6-0321/2005),
A. whereas the European Union should show its solidarity with the population of regions of Member States affected by natural disasters, which have serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy,
B. whereas the appropriate budgetary resources for the European Union's financial assistance have been mobilised in accordance with the provisions of the European Union Solidarity Fund and of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 7 November 2002 relating to its financing,
C. whereas the purpose of draft amending budget No 7/2005 is to formally enter these budgetary resources in the 2005 budget,
1. Welcomes draft amending budget No 7/2005, the purpose of which is to enter without delay the budgetary resources mobilised from the European Union Solidarity Fund in the 2005 budget so that those affected by these natural disasters can be assisted;
2. Approves draft amending budget No 7/2005 unamended;
3. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.