The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by László SURJÁN (EPP, HU), taking note of Council’s position on draft amending budget 3/2010 of the European Union for the financial year 2010, Section III – Commission with a view to financing Banana Accompanying Measures. It calls on the European Parliament to amend this draft budget by means of the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for an amount of EUR 74.12 million (instead of EUR 18.3 million, as initially proposed by the Commission) to cover the whole of the amount required for funding such measures in 2010.
Members, firstly, recall that the Commission has proposed to amend Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1905/2006 (see COD/2010/0059) to allow the financing of Bananas Accompanying Measures (BAM) over the years 2010 to 2013, with an overall budget of EUR 190 million, with a potential supplementary EUR 10 million, if margins allow. The proposed annual breakdown of the financial assistance for BAM foresees an amount of EUR 75 million in 2010.
Members note in parallel that the major part of this financial assistance in 2010 stems from redeployment within heading 4 of the budget (EUR 55.8 million out of EUR 75 million). This proposed redeployment affects instruments and actions that the EU and particularly the European Parliament have defined as being of great interest. They also recall that the margin available under heading 4 is only EUR 875 530, due to the need to finance to the greatest extent, in 2010, the EU's priorities in its role as a global player. They also recall how much the past budgetary procedures have illustrated the extreme pressure this heading has been under. Members consider that the position of the Commission and that of the Council which refuses any recourse to the Flexibility Instrument is untenable and that, on the contrary, the Flexibility Mechanism should be mobilised for the whole of the required amount (i.e. EUR 74 124 470). The committee wishes Parliament to call on the Commission to present a new proposal for this purpose, considering that the financing of BAM in the banana sector would fulfil the conditions provided for on the use of the Flexibility Instrument. Members indicate that Parliament is ready, in conciliation, to negotiate with the other branch of the budgetary authority.
As a result, Members decided to propose a number of amendments to the draft amending budget 3/2010 and to reinstate the amounts provided for under heading 4 of the financial perspectives.
Lastly, they recall their principle position that new priorities should be financed by new funds.