Draft amending budget 5/2020: continuation of the support to refugees and host communities in response to the Syria crisis in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey
European Parliament resolution of 10 July 2020 on the Council position on Draft amending budget No 5/2020 of the European Union for the financial year 2020 - Continuation of the support to refugees and host communities in response to the Syria crisis in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey (09060/2020 – C9-0189/2020 – 2020/2092(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) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012(1), and in particular Article 44 thereof,
– having regard to the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2020, as definitively adopted on 27 November 2019(2),
– 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(3),
– 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(4),
– having regard to Draft amending budget No 5/2020, which the Commission adopted on 3 June 2020 (COM(2020)0421),
– having regard to the position on Draft amending budget No 5/2020 which the Council adopted on 24 June 2020 and forwarded to Parliament on the following day (09060/2020 – C9‑0189/2020),
– having regard to Rules 94 and 96 of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the letter from the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A9-0127/2020),
A. whereas the purpose of Draft amending budget No 5/2020 is to continue providing support to refugees and host communities in response to the Syria crisis,
B. whereas the Commission has proposed to provide EUR 100 million in new commitment and payment appropriations to fund projects in the areas of access to education, support to livelihoods and provision of health, sanitation, water and waste services and social protection to host communities and refugees (Syrian refugees and Palestinian refugees from Syria) in Jordan and Lebanon,
C. whereas the Commission has proposed to provide EUR 485 million in commitment appropriations to fund the continuation of the two main Union humanitarian support actions in Turkey, the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) and the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE) and to provide EUR 68 million in payment appropriations in order to cover pre-financing under the CCTE in 2020,
D. whereas the ESSN provides monthly cash transfers to some 1,7 million refugees and is expected to run out of money in March 2021 at the latest, whereas the Commission has proposed to provide EUR 400 million to extend it until the end of 2021, and whereas many complex issues such as revision of targeting criteria and implementation of the strategic transition to development programming require timely consultation and coordination with Turkish authorities and Implementing Partners,
E. whereas the CCTE provides cash to refugee families whose children attend school instead of working, whereas the current contract ends in October 2020, and whereas the Commission has proposed to provide EUR 85 million to allow the programme to run for an additional year and up to the end of December 2021,
1. Takes note of Draft amending budget No 5/2020 as submitted by the Commission, which is devoted to provide EUR 100 million in commitment and payment appropriations as resilience support to refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon and EUR 485 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 68 million in payment appropriations to ensure the continuation of the urgent humanitarian support to refugees in Turkey;
2. Approves the Council position on Draft amending budget No 5/2020;
3. Instructs its President to declare that Amending budget No 5/2020 has been definitively adopted and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;
4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the national parliaments.