# CE2012050EN.01006401.xml

| 21.2.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 50/64 |
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Wednesday 22 September 2010Multiannual financial framework for 2007-2013

P7_TA(2010)0328

European Parliament resolution of 22 September 2010 on the proposal for a Council regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2007-2013 (COM(2010)0072 – 2010/0048(APP))

2012/C 50 E/12

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the proposal for a Council Regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2007-2013 (COM(2010)0072) (‘proposal for a MFF Regulation’), |
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| — | having regard to the request for consent which the Council is to submit pursuant to Article 312(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), |
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| — | having regard to Articles 311 and 312 TFEU, |
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| — | having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 on budgetary discipline and sound financial management( 1 ) (‘current IIA’), |
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| — | having regard to the joint declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 12 November 2009 on transitional measures applicable to the budgetary procedure after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, reproduced in annex V of its resolution of 17 December 2009 on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2010( 2 ), |
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| — | having regard to its resolution of 12 November 2009 on transitional procedural guidelines on budgetary matters in view of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty( 3 ), |
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| — | having regard to the Commission's proposal of 3 March 2010 for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (COM(2010)0071), |
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| — | having regard to the Commission's proposal of 3 March 2010 for an Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on cooperation in budgetary matters (COM(2010)0073), |
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| — | having regard to the Council conclusions of 16 March 2010 on the 2011 EU budget, |
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| — | having regard to the Commission report of 27 April 2010 to the European Parliament and the Council on the functioning of the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (COM(2010)0185), |
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| — | having regard to Council Regulation (EU) No 407/2010 of 11 May 2010 establishing a European financial stabilisation mechanism( 4 ), |
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| — | having regard to the questions of 20 May 2010 on the review of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2007-2013 to the Council (O-0074/2010 - B7-0310/2010) and to the Commission (B7-0311/2010 - O-0075/2010), |
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| — | having regard to Rule 81(3) of its Rules of Procedure, |
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| — | having regard to the interim report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0248/2010), |
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| A. | whereas Article 312 TFEU states that Council shall adopt a regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework (MFF), |
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| B. | whereas the Joint Declaration of 12 November 2009 on the transitional rules applicable to the budgetary procedure after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty agreed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission sets out the measures needed to ensure continuity of EU action and a smooth transition to the new legal framework for the budgetary procedure deriving from the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, |
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| C. | whereas the abovementioned proposal for a MFF Regulation, which cannot be adopted by Council without the consent of the European Parliament, aims to align the provisions of the current IIA with the requirements of the Lisbon Treaty, |
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| D. | whereas Article 312(5) TFEU calls on the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission to take any measure necessary to facilitate the adoption of the financial framework, |
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| E. | whereas the Lisbon Treaty gives to the European Union significant new prerogatives, for example in the fields of external action (Article 27(3) of the Treaty on European Union), sport (Article 165 TFEU), space (Article 189 TFEU), climate change (Article 191 TFEU), energy (Article 194 TFEU), tourism (Article 195 TFEU) and civil protection (Article 196 TFEU), |
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| F. | whereas Article 311 TFEU requires the Union to provide itself with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry out its policies, |
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| G. | whereas Point 4 of the current IIA provides for an adjustment of the MFF - IIA in case of the entry into force of a new Treaty with budgetary implications, |
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| H. | whereas even without the new prerogatives given to the European Union by the Treaty of Lisbon, the ceilings of the current MFF were reached or exceeded between 2007 and 2009 confirming the need for more flexibility if the European Union is to react effectively to urgent and unforeseen events, |
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| I. | whereas, according to the European Commission's latest financial programming for 2012-2013 (SEC(2010)0473) - which does not take account of the various elements of unprogrammed expenditure that remain to be financed within the headings - the margin available under heading 1a will be less than EUR 50 million per year and the global margin available under all headings will be limited to EUR 436 million for 2012 and EUR 435 million for 2013, |
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| J. | whereas the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism has potentially significant budgetary implications, |
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| 1. | Requests the Council and the Commission to take into account the following recommendations:
i.
work with European Parliament to allow swift adoption of the new instruments needed to implement the budgetary provisions of the Lisbon Treaty and revise the current MFF in order to provide for the extra resources necessary to deliver initiatives not foreseen when the current MFF was adopted; ii.
fully comply with Article 312(3) TFEU which requires the financial framework to lay down any provisions required for the annual budgetary procedure to run smoothly and with Article 312(5) which states that ‘throughout the procedure leading to the adoption of the financial framework, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall take any measure necessary to facilitate its adoption’; iii.
fully comply with Article 311 TFEU which requires the Union to provide itself with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry out its policies, taking into account the new areas of action given by the Lisbon Treaty, including in the fields of external action, sport, space, climate change, energy, tourism and civil protection; iv.
draw all necessary conclusions from the fact that even before the addition of these new Lisbon-related needs, over the last four years of the current MFF, the annual budgets could only be agreed either through using up the existing margins or through recourse to the instruments foreseen by the current IIA to finance EU priorities such as Galileo, the food facility or the European Recovery Plan, and that remaining margins under the ceilings of the current financial framework are estimated to be negligible for the remainder of the period; v.
abide by point 4 of the current IIA which states that ‘should a Treaty revision with budgetary implications occur during the multiannual financial framework 2007 to 2013 (hereinafter referred to as “the financial framework”), the necessary adjustments will be made accordingly’; vi.
acknowledge that the current economic climate might lead the budgetary authority to make some efforts towards reprioritisation within the budget in order to ensure the adequate funding of priorities while bearing in mind, however, the European added value of the EU budget, since it is an expression of solidarity and efficiency by pooling together financial resources otherwise dispersed at national, regional and local level; emphasise as well that an overwhelming part of the EU budget expenditures support long-term investments necessary to stimulate EU economic growth; vii.
recognise that new needs cannot be met through redeployment or reprioritisation and that a revision of the MFF and the flexibility mechanisms included in the IIA is necessary, contrary to the Council's position as set out in its conclusions of 16 March 2010 on the budget guidelines for 2011 and reaffirmed by the Presidency-in-office in its statements during the 15 June 2010 debate on oral question B7-0310/2010 O-0074/2010; recall furthermore that new needs stemming from the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon should logically entail savings at national and regional level; viii.
respond to declaration 3 of the current IIA calling for a full, wide-ranging review by 2008/2009 covering all aspects of EU spending and resources, and stop attempting to deal with the challenges/competences given to the EU by the new Treaty through a very narrow review of the functioning of the current IIA lacking any political dimension; ix.
recognise that the position of the Council and the Commission on the revision of the MFF until now is contradictory with the fact that they are constantly coming up with new proposals calling for new resources such as the ‘Bananas Agreement’ and ITER; x.
express its concern considering the trend developed by Member States towards launching European policies financed outside of the EU budget; measure the risk of a lack of democratic control and legitimacy over those policies as well as a breach of the principle of universality of the EU budget and the negative impact this trend might imply with regard to the principle of solidarity; xi.
take all necessary steps for a revision of the MFF providing the extra resources necessary to deliver the European External Action Service and other Lisbon-Treaty-related policy priorities, as well as other initiatives, particularly under Heading 1a ‘Competitiveness Growth and Employment’ and Heading 4 ‘External Relations’, providing EU added value allowing the EU to meet its commitments and its citizens’ expectations; xii.
take note of the fact that without this revision the Parliament will not be able to adopt any proposals for new agencies or any further Council initiatives unless accompanied by proposals for fresh resources; xiii.
pursue efforts to provide more flexibility as indicated in the abovementioned Commission's report on the functioning of the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and sound financial management; xiv.
recognise the importance of flexibility to create reserves and margins allowing the EU to respond to current and future needs, both within the financial framework, within and between headings and in negotiations over its establishment and revision; xv.
take note of the fact that Parliament insists on a stronger and increased degree of flexibility and the creation of sufficient reserves for each category, as well as higher amounts available through the Flexibility Instrument and on a simplification of the procedure for shifting resources between the different headings of the MFF; xvi.
take note that Parliament is not prepared to enter into negotiations over any proposal that does not include at least the current degree of flexibility over revisions to the financial framework of up to 0,03 % of EU GNI (referred to in Article 8(3) of the proposal for a MFF Regulation); xvii.
understand that a purely technical approach to the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty in the budgetary field is insufficient and that, for the Parliament to be able to give its consent, entering without delay a real, political negotiation at an appropriately high, and if necessary at the highest, level, is a must; xviii.
given its possible far-reaching budgetary consequences, give further thought to the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism ahead of the adoption of the MFF regulation; accept that both arms of the budgetary authority be involved in decisions concerning the impact this mechanism could have on the EU budget; agree that any possible budgetary needs linked to this mechanism should be financed through an ad-hoc revision of the MFF to ensure that sufficient involvement of the budgetary authority is guaranteed on time; | i. | work with European Parliament to allow swift adoption of the new instruments needed to implement the budgetary provisions of the Lisbon Treaty and revise the current MFF in order to provide for the extra resources necessary to deliver initiatives not foreseen when the current MFF was adopted; | ii. | fully comply with Article 312(3) TFEU which requires the financial framework to lay down any provisions required for the annual budgetary procedure to run smoothly and with Article 312(5) which states that ‘throughout the procedure leading to the adoption of the financial framework, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall take any measure necessary to facilitate its adoption’; | iii. | fully comply with Article 311 TFEU which requires the Union to provide itself with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry out its policies, taking into account the new areas of action given by the Lisbon Treaty, including in the fields of external action, sport, space, climate change, energy, tourism and civil protection; | iv. | draw all necessary conclusions from the fact that even before the addition of these new Lisbon-related needs, over the last four years of the current MFF, the annual budgets could only be agreed either through using up the existing margins or through recourse to the instruments foreseen by the current IIA to finance EU priorities such as Galileo, the food facility or the European Recovery Plan, and that remaining margins under the ceilings of the current financial framework are estimated to be negligible for the remainder of the period; | v. | abide by point 4 of the current IIA which states that ‘should a Treaty revision with budgetary implications occur during the multiannual financial framework 2007 to 2013 (hereinafter referred to as “the financial framework”), the necessary adjustments will be made accordingly’; | vi. | acknowledge that the current economic climate might lead the budgetary authority to make some efforts towards reprioritisation within the budget in order to ensure the adequate funding of priorities while bearing in mind, however, the European added value of the EU budget, since it is an expression of solidarity and efficiency by pooling together financial resources otherwise dispersed at national, regional and local level; emphasise as well that an overwhelming part of the EU budget expenditures support long-term investments necessary to stimulate EU economic growth; | vii. | recognise that new needs cannot be met through redeployment or reprioritisation and that a revision of the MFF and the flexibility mechanisms included in the IIA is necessary, contrary to the Council's position as set out in its conclusions of 16 March 2010 on the budget guidelines for 2011 and reaffirmed by the Presidency-in-office in its statements during the 15 June 2010 debate on oral question B7-0310/2010 O-0074/2010; recall furthermore that new needs stemming from the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon should logically entail savings at national and regional level; | viii. | respond to declaration 3 of the current IIA calling for a full, wide-ranging review by 2008/2009 covering all aspects of EU spending and resources, and stop attempting to deal with the challenges/competences given to the EU by the new Treaty through a very narrow review of the functioning of the current IIA lacking any political dimension; | ix. | recognise that the position of the Council and the Commission on the revision of the MFF until now is contradictory with the fact that they are constantly coming up with new proposals calling for new resources such as the ‘Bananas Agreement’ and ITER; | x. | express its concern considering the trend developed by Member States towards launching European policies financed outside of the EU budget; measure the risk of a lack of democratic control and legitimacy over those policies as well as a breach of the principle of universality of the EU budget and the negative impact this trend might imply with regard to the principle of solidarity; | xi. | take all necessary steps for a revision of the MFF providing the extra resources necessary to deliver the European External Action Service and other Lisbon-Treaty-related policy priorities, as well as other initiatives, particularly under Heading 1a ‘Competitiveness Growth and Employment’ and Heading 4 ‘External Relations’, providing EU added value allowing the EU to meet its commitments and its citizens’ expectations; | xii. | take note of the fact that without this revision the Parliament will not be able to adopt any proposals for new agencies or any further Council initiatives unless accompanied by proposals for fresh resources; | xiii. | pursue efforts to provide more flexibility as indicated in the abovementioned Commission's report on the functioning of the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and sound financial management; | xiv. | recognise the importance of flexibility to create reserves and margins allowing the EU to respond to current and future needs, both within the financial framework, within and between headings and in negotiations over its establishment and revision; | xv. | take note of the fact that Parliament insists on a stronger and increased degree of flexibility and the creation of sufficient reserves for each category, as well as higher amounts available through the Flexibility Instrument and on a simplification of the procedure for shifting resources between the different headings of the MFF; | xvi. | take note that Parliament is not prepared to enter into negotiations over any proposal that does not include at least the current degree of flexibility over revisions to the financial framework of up to 0,03 % of EU GNI (referred to in Article 8(3) of the proposal for a MFF Regulation); | xvii. | understand that a purely technical approach to the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty in the budgetary field is insufficient and that, for the Parliament to be able to give its consent, entering without delay a real, political negotiation at an appropriately high, and if necessary at the highest, level, is a must; | xviii. | given its possible far-reaching budgetary consequences, give further thought to the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism ahead of the adoption of the MFF regulation; accept that both arms of the budgetary authority be involved in decisions concerning the impact this mechanism could have on the EU budget; agree that any possible budgetary needs linked to this mechanism should be financed through an ad-hoc revision of the MFF to ensure that sufficient involvement of the budgetary authority is guaranteed on time; |
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| i. | work with European Parliament to allow swift adoption of the new instruments needed to implement the budgetary provisions of the Lisbon Treaty and revise the current MFF in order to provide for the extra resources necessary to deliver initiatives not foreseen when the current MFF was adopted; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| ii. | fully comply with Article 312(3) TFEU which requires the financial framework to lay down any provisions required for the annual budgetary procedure to run smoothly and with Article 312(5) which states that ‘throughout the procedure leading to the adoption of the financial framework, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall take any measure necessary to facilitate its adoption’; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| iii. | fully comply with Article 311 TFEU which requires the Union to provide itself with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry out its policies, taking into account the new areas of action given by the Lisbon Treaty, including in the fields of external action, sport, space, climate change, energy, tourism and civil protection; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| iv. | draw all necessary conclusions from the fact that even before the addition of these new Lisbon-related needs, over the last four years of the current MFF, the annual budgets could only be agreed either through using up the existing margins or through recourse to the instruments foreseen by the current IIA to finance EU priorities such as Galileo, the food facility or the European Recovery Plan, and that remaining margins under the ceilings of the current financial framework are estimated to be negligible for the remainder of the period; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| v. | abide by point 4 of the current IIA which states that ‘should a Treaty revision with budgetary implications occur during the multiannual financial framework 2007 to 2013 (hereinafter referred to as “the financial framework”), the necessary adjustments will be made accordingly’; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| vi. | acknowledge that the current economic climate might lead the budgetary authority to make some efforts towards reprioritisation within the budget in order to ensure the adequate funding of priorities while bearing in mind, however, the European added value of the EU budget, since it is an expression of solidarity and efficiency by pooling together financial resources otherwise dispersed at national, regional and local level; emphasise as well that an overwhelming part of the EU budget expenditures support long-term investments necessary to stimulate EU economic growth; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| vii. | recognise that new needs cannot be met through redeployment or reprioritisation and that a revision of the MFF and the flexibility mechanisms included in the IIA is necessary, contrary to the Council's position as set out in its conclusions of 16 March 2010 on the budget guidelines for 2011 and reaffirmed by the Presidency-in-office in its statements during the 15 June 2010 debate on oral question B7-0310/2010 O-0074/2010; recall furthermore that new needs stemming from the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon should logically entail savings at national and regional level; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| viii. | respond to declaration 3 of the current IIA calling for a full, wide-ranging review by 2008/2009 covering all aspects of EU spending and resources, and stop attempting to deal with the challenges/competences given to the EU by the new Treaty through a very narrow review of the functioning of the current IIA lacking any political dimension; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| ix. | recognise that the position of the Council and the Commission on the revision of the MFF until now is contradictory with the fact that they are constantly coming up with new proposals calling for new resources such as the ‘Bananas Agreement’ and ITER; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| x. | express its concern considering the trend developed by Member States towards launching European policies financed outside of the EU budget; measure the risk of a lack of democratic control and legitimacy over those policies as well as a breach of the principle of universality of the EU budget and the negative impact this trend might imply with regard to the principle of solidarity; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xi. | take all necessary steps for a revision of the MFF providing the extra resources necessary to deliver the European External Action Service and other Lisbon-Treaty-related policy priorities, as well as other initiatives, particularly under Heading 1a ‘Competitiveness Growth and Employment’ and Heading 4 ‘External Relations’, providing EU added value allowing the EU to meet its commitments and its citizens’ expectations; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xii. | take note of the fact that without this revision the Parliament will not be able to adopt any proposals for new agencies or any further Council initiatives unless accompanied by proposals for fresh resources; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xiii. | pursue efforts to provide more flexibility as indicated in the abovementioned Commission's report on the functioning of the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and sound financial management; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xiv. | recognise the importance of flexibility to create reserves and margins allowing the EU to respond to current and future needs, both within the financial framework, within and between headings and in negotiations over its establishment and revision; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xv. | take note of the fact that Parliament insists on a stronger and increased degree of flexibility and the creation of sufficient reserves for each category, as well as higher amounts available through the Flexibility Instrument and on a simplification of the procedure for shifting resources between the different headings of the MFF; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xvi. | take note that Parliament is not prepared to enter into negotiations over any proposal that does not include at least the current degree of flexibility over revisions to the financial framework of up to 0,03 % of EU GNI (referred to in Article 8(3) of the proposal for a MFF Regulation); | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xvii. | understand that a purely technical approach to the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty in the budgetary field is insufficient and that, for the Parliament to be able to give its consent, entering without delay a real, political negotiation at an appropriately high, and if necessary at the highest, level, is a must; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| xviii. | given its possible far-reaching budgetary consequences, give further thought to the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism ahead of the adoption of the MFF regulation; accept that both arms of the budgetary authority be involved in decisions concerning the impact this mechanism could have on the EU budget; agree that any possible budgetary needs linked to this mechanism should be financed through an ad-hoc revision of the MFF to ensure that sufficient involvement of the budgetary authority is guaranteed on time; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| 2. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission. |
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( 1 )  OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

( 2 )  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2009)0115.

( 3 )  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2009)0067.

( 4 )  OJ L 118, 12.5.2010, p. 1.

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