Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument: financing immediate budgetary measures to address the ongoing migration, refugee and security crisis

2016/2120(BUD)

PURPOSE: to mobilise the flexibility instrument to finance immediate budgetary measures to address the on-going migration, refugee and security crisis.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2017/342 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument to finance immediate budgetary measures to address the on-going migration, refugee and security crisis.

CONTENT: Council Regulation (EU, EURATOM) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 allows for the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument to allow the financing of clearly identified expenditure which could not be financed within the limits of the ceilings available for one or more headings of the multiannual financial framework.

The ceiling on the annual amount available for the Flexibility Instrument is EUR 471 million (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 11 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013.

Due to the urgent needs, it is necessary to mobilise significant additional amounts to finance measures to alleviate the ongoing migration, refugee and security crisis and after having examined all possibilities for re-allocating appropriations under the expenditure ceiling for heading 3 (Security and citizenship), it appears 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 ceilings of heading 3 by the amount of EUR 530 million to finance measures in the field of migration, refugees and security.

On the basis of the expected payment profile, the payment appropriations corresponding to the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument will be as follows:

  • EUR 238.3 million in 2017,
  • EUR 91 million in 2018,
  • EUR 141.9 million in 2019,
  • EUR 58.8 million in 2020.

The specific amounts for each financial year shall be authorised in accordance with the annual budgetary procedure.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision shall enter into force on 28.2.2017. It shall apply from 1.1.2017.