Decision (EU) 2016/252 on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund for the payment of advances

What it is

to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for payment of advances in the 2016 budget. CONTENT: Council Regulation (EU, EURATOM) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020, and in particular the Article 10 thereof allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, within an annual ceiling of EUR 500 million (2011 prices), over and above the relevant headings of the financial framework. Point 11 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters on and sound financial management set out the modalities for the mobilisation of the Fund. The conditions of eligibility to the Fund are detailed in Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 , which foresees that an amount of up to a maximum of EUR 50 000 000 in both commitment and payment appropriations shall be included in the budget for the payment of advances. The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Lefteris CHRISTOFOROU (EPP, CY) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, in accordance with point 11 of 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 to provide for payment of advances in the 2016 budget. Members recalled that, in line with Regulation (EU) No 661/2014 which amended Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 , an amount of EUR 50 000 000 is made available for the payment of advances through appropriations in the general budget of the Union. Consequently, the committee called on the European Parliament to approve the decision annexed to the proposed resolution. The current proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council is not linked to a specific disaster. Instead, it aims at entering into the general budget of the Union for 2016 the amount of EUR 50 million in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances in a timely and efficient way in the event of a disaster occurring next year. The European Parliament adopted by 652 votes to 40, with 5 abstentions, a resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, in accordance with point 11 of 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 to provide for payment of advances in the 2016 budget. Parliament approved the decision annexed to the proposed resolution in which an amount of EUR 50 million in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances is mobilised from the European Solidarity Fund. The corresponding amount is entered into the general budget of the Union for 2016. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2016/252 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European…

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