COMMISSION DECISION - CARRYOVER OF DIFFERENTIATED APPROPRIATIONS FROM 2003 TO 2004

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to Article 9, points 1 to 4 of the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002 applicable to the general budget of the European Communities [1], Council Regulation No 1605/2002, [2]

[1] OJ L 248, 16.09.2002, p.1

[2] Regulation of 25.06.2002; these provisions are set out on the following pages.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

1. The following appropriations from Section III (Commission) of the 2003 budget are hereby carried over to 2004 for the reasons set out in the annex.

EUR 113 483 364.00 in commitment appropriations

EUR 306 070 010.93 in payment appropriations

2. The Council and Parliament shall be informed of this decision.

Brussels, 10 February 2004

For the Commission

Michaele Schreyer

Member of the Commission

ANNEX

Extract from the Financial Regulation

Article 9

1. Appropriations which have not been used at the end of the financial year for which they were entered shall be cancelled.

However, they may be carried over to the following financial year only, by a decision taken by the institution concerned by 15 February at the latest, in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 or be carried over automatically in accordance with paragraph 4.

2. Appropriations for commitment of differentiated appropriations and non-differentiated appropriations not yet committed at the close of the financial year may be carried over in respect of:

(a) amounts corresponding to commitment appropriations for which most of the preparatory stages of the commitment procedure have been completed by 31 December. These amounts may then be committed up to 31 March of the following year;

(b) amounts which are necessary when the legislative authority has adopted a basic act in the final quarter of the financial year and the Commission has been unable to commit the appropriations provided for this purpose by 31 December.

3. Appropriations for payment of differentiated appropriations may be carried over in respect of amounts needed to cover existing commitments or commitments linked to commitment appropriations carried over, when the appropriations provided for the relevant lines in the budget for the following financial year do not cover requirements. The institution concerned shall first use the appropriations authorised for the current financial year and shall not use the appropriations carried over until the former are exhausted.

4. Non-differentiated appropriations corresponding to obligations duly contracted at the close of the financial year shall be carried over automatically to the following financial year only.

CARRYOVER OF COMMITMENT APPROPRIATIONS

>TABLE POSITION>

CARRYOVER OF COMMITMENT APPROPRIATIONS

Grounds

1. B2-162 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Appropriation authorised 2003: 91.003.767,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 90.689.303,88 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 314.463,12 EUR

Carryover: 314.463,00 EUR

The decision for a carryover has been taken to commit IA Madrid CCI ISC finished 11/12/03: total commitment = 1 385 000 EUR.

2. B2-300 Cohesion Fund<

Appropriation authorised 2003: 2.839.000.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 2.835.622.003,60 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 3.377.996,40 EUR

Carryover: 3.377.996,00 EUR

The decision for a carryover has been taken to commit Portuguese project CCI 2003PT16PT008. ISC finished 30/11/03: total commitment = 37 955 249 EUR

3. B2-702 Transport safety

Appropriation authorised 2003: 16.015.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 10.461.370,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 5.553.630,00 EUR

Carryover: 2.989.150,00 EUR

The carryover of appropriations relates to eight grants in the field of road safety. Six of these measures had been presented in response to the call for proposals launched by DG TREN in 2003. They were all evaluated and selected in 2003. However, the financial negotiations stage with the "proposers" was not completed in time to finalise the commitment before 31.12.2003. Following evaluation, the evaluation committee proposed amendments either in terms of the Community contribution requested or in terms of the composition of the consortium. The proposals were revised along the lines indicated by the evaluation committee but arrived too late for the finalisation of the commitment procedure before 31.12.2003.

The two remaining measures are "de facto monopolies" in respect of which the written procedure for the adoption of the financing decision was launched on 18.12.2003. The Commission decision was adopted on 8 January 2004.

With regard to the eight measures, all the administrative steps have been finalised and they are ready for the launch of the budgetary commitment procedure.

4. B2-704 Sustainable mobility policy

Appropriation authorised 2003: 8.071.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 5.731.182,34 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 2.339.817,66 EUR

Carryover: 89.763,00 EUR

The carryover relates to a measure which is a "de facto monopoly" in respect of which the written procedure for the adoption of the financing decision was launched on 18.12.2003.

All the administrative steps have been finalised and the Commission decision was adopted on 8 January 2004. The dossier is ready and the budgetary commitment procedure can be launched once the carryover has been approved.

5. B4-303 Forest Protection

Appropriation authorised 2003: 13.000.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 0,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 13.000.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 13.000.000,00 EUR

Regulation (EC) N° 2152/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community (Forest Focus) was adopted on 17 November 2003 and published in the OJ L 324/1-8 on 11 December 2003. The transfer of appropriations from the reserve to the budget line therefore only took place in December 2003. Consequently, no credits were executed in 2003. The appropriations concerned are therefore carried forward to 2004.

6. B4-304 Legislation, awareness-raising and other general actions based on the Community action programmes in the field of the environment

Appropriation authorised 2003: 16.645.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 12.802.419,08 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 3.842.580,92 EUR

Carryover: 227.658,00 EUR

All these actions are managed and followed-up by DG TREN, who has taken over the responsibilities concerning the radio-protection activities in the beginning of 2003. The commitment credits 2003 foreseen to cover these activities were the subject of a cross sub-delegation.

Although all the preparatory stages had been completed (CIS with favourable opinion 23.12.2003), the commitments could not be made before the end of December 2003. The delay is mostly due to this shift of responsibility and therefore compliance to of "new" procedures proper to DG TREN, which caused a delay in the implementation of the available credits.

7. B4-304A Legislation, awareness-raising and other general actions based on the Community action programmes in the field of the environment - Expenditure on administrative management

Appropriation authorised 2003: 6.555.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 5.179.243,13 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 1.375.756,87 EUR

Carryover: 144.592,00 EUR

All these actions are managed and followed-up by DG TREN, who has taken over the responsibilities concerning the radio-protection activities in the beginning of 2003. The commitment credits 2003 foreseen to cover these activities were the subject of a cross sub-delegation.

Although all the preparatory stages had been completed (CIS with favourable opinion 23.12.03), the commitments could not be made before the end of December 2003. The delay is mostly due to this shift of responsibility and therefore compliance to "new" procedures proper to DG TREN, which caused a delay in the implementation of the available credits.

8. B5-3001 Implementation and development of the internal market

Appropriation authorised 2003: 7.900.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 4.607.211,10 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 3.292.788,90 EUR

Carryover: 2.000.000,00 EUR

2003 grant programme of the Internal Market Directorate-General in support of anti-money laundering measures (FIU-NET): The 2003 work programme of the Internal Market Directorate General includes actions conducted as part of the activity "Financial services and capital markets". Within that framework this specific actions is intended to improve the effectiveness of the EU anti-money laundering effort by developing a computerised system for enhanced co-operation and exchange of financial intelligence information between the anti-money laundering authorities (the Financial Intelligence Units - FIUs) of all the Member States. This action proposes to build on and further develop the existing FIU-NET initiative in which 11 EU FIU's are currently participating.

Because of several unexpected difficulties the Decision was only adopted on 22 December 2003 under the number C(2003)4959.

9. B5-3002 Operation and development of the internal market, particularly in the fields of notification, certification and sectoral approximation

Appropriation authorised 2003: 8.336.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 7.812.611,69 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 523.388,31 EUR

Carryover: 80.000,00 EUR

This concerns a study for which an open public procurement procedure was used. The award decision was signed by the authorising officer on 19 December 2003, but the commitment could not be made and the contract signed before 31 December 2003.

10. B5-326 Industrial competitiveness policy for the European Union

Appropriation authorised 2003: 7.180.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 6.300.614,15 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 879.385,85 EUR

Carryover: 39.600,00 EUR

In view of the Commission decision of 9 July 2003 relating to measures to ensure continuity of Eurostat's activities and clarify the necessary financial circuits, the contracts could not be finalised in 2003.

Preparations have reached a stage (beneficiaries selected) where it can reasonably be assumed that the commitment can be made by no later than 31 March 2004.

11. B5-331 Information society

Appropriation authorised 2003: 8.000.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 0,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 8.000.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 6.133.000,00 EUR

Following the late adoption of the legal basis, this carryover is consistent with the provisions of Article 9(2)(b) of the Financial Regulation.

12. B5-510 Programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship, particularly for SMEs

Appropriation authorised 2003: 22.295.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 16.700.399,16 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 5.594.600,84 EUR

Carryover: 4.875.974,00 EUR

This relates to five commitments (for some EUR4 300 000) linked to service contracts in respect of which open public procurement procedures were used. The award decisions were signed by the authorising officer in December but in view, in particular, of the extra time needed to inform the tenderers [COM(2003) 395], the corresponding commitments could not be made nor the contracts signed by 31 December 2003.

A further EUR575 974 relates to commitments to cover grant agreements with members of the EIC (Euro Info Centres) network. Following the publication of the call for proposals, 79 proposals were sent in August 2003. The definitive list of proposals to be accepted was drawn up in December 2003 and the award decision signed by the authorising officer on 22 December 2003. It was not therefore possible to have all the agreements signed and the commitments made before 31 December 2003.

A carryover has therefore been decided for this item.

13. B5-600 Statistical information policy

Appropriation authorised 2003: 29.400.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 17.262.488,22 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 12.137.511,78 EUR

Carryover: 1.620.523,00 EUR

In view of the Commission decision of 9 July 2003 relating to measures to ensure continuity of Eurostat's activities and clarify the necessary financial circuits, the contracts could not be finalised in 2003.

Preparations have reached a stage (beneficiaries selected) where it can reasonably be assumed that the commitment can be made by no later than 31 March 2004.

14. B5-710 Financial support for energy infrastructures

Appropriation authorised 2003: 22.000.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 18.812.323,67 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 3.187.676,33 EUR

Carryover: 3.000.000,00 EUR

The Commission's decision to support the North Transgas Pipeline Project was taken on 10 December 2003 (C(2003) 4818). It involves an amount of EUR3 000 000.

The contractor wrote on 17 December expressing interest in signing a grant agreement for the project but stating that it would not be possible to sign the agreement before 31 December 2003.

It has therefore been decided to carry over EUR3 000 000 in order to complete the grant award procedure for EUR3 000 000 for the North Transgas Pipeline Project, for which the preparatory stages were well advanced at the end of 2003 but the contract could not be signed by 31 December.

15. B5-7210 Networks for the interchange of data between administrations (IDA)

Appropriation authorised 2003: 21.700.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 17.328.845,05 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 4.371.154,95 EUR

Carryover: 951.090,00 EUR

For DG ENTR this concerns a commitment of EUR603 040 relating to a service contract for which an open public procurement procedure was used. The decision was signed by the authorising officer on 18 December 2003. Because of the additional time needed to inform the tenderers [COM(2003)395], it was not possible to have the contracts signed before 31 December 2003. The commitments could not therefore be made by that date.

For DG ESTAT, in view of the Commission decision of 9 July 2003 relating to measures to ensure continuity of Eurostat's activities and clarify the necessary financial circuits, the contracts could not be finalised in 2003.

16. B5-7211 Networks for intra-Community statistics (Edicom)

Appropriation authorised 2003: 6.570.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 5.774.020,33 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 795.979,67 EUR

Carryover: 88.155,00 EUR

In view of the Commission decision of 9 July 2003 relating to measures to ensure continuity of Eurostat's activities and clarify the necessary financial circuits, the contracts could not be finalised in 2003.

Preparations have reached a stage (beneficiaries selected) where it can reasonably be assumed that the commitment can be made by no later than 31 March 2004.

17. B6-614 Aeronautics and space

Appropriation authorised 2003: 248.291.934,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 229.317.742,75 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 18.974.191,25 EUR

Carryover: 18.900.000,00 EUR

This carryover concerns the additional funds provided by the budgetary authority in 2003 under the 6th RTD framework programme. The funds were intended for the GALILEO project ahead of the appropriations planned for 2005.

The work programme for the 6th RTD framework programme (FPRD) designates the GALILEO joint undertaking as the beneficiary of the funds and the entity responsible for launching the relevant calls for proposals. However under the 6th FPRD rules, the work programme had first to be changed for these additional funds to be used before 2005. The amendment was adopted by the Commission on 23.12.2003, too late for it to be possible to finalise by 31 December 2003 the financial commitment and contract signing stages. As the appropriations were made available very late in the year (8.12.2003), this situation had in fact been foreseen and explained in the file that went through interservice consultation. As the beneficiary has been selected and the decision-making procedure for granting funding to the GALILEO joint undertaking is in progress, it will be possible to make the commitments by 31.3.2004.

18. B7-528 Macroeconomic assistance for the partner countries of eastern Europe and central Asia

Appropriation authorised 2003: 12.700.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 7.115.000,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 5.585.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 5.500.000,00 EUR

Following a mission to Yerevan in early December 2003, most of the preparatory stages of the commitment procedure have been completed by 31 December 2003 for a tranche of assistance to Armenia under Council Decisions Nos 1997/787/EC and 2000/244/EC.The Memorandum of Understanding has been drafted and is now in consultation stage. It is therefore decided to carry over accordingly EUR5 500 000 in commitment appropriations to 2004.

19. B7-548 Macroeconomic assistance for the countries of the western Balkans not concerned by a pre-accession strategy

Appropriation authorised 2003: 60.120.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 15.000.000,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 45.120.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 45.000.000,00 EUR

Council Decision 2003/825/EC providing a further EUR45 million of macro-financial assistance in the form of grants to Serbia and Montenegro was adopted on 25 November 2003. It is decided to carry over EUR45 million in commitment appropriations to 2004, as this legislation was adopted in the final quarter of the financial year and did not allow time for a budgetary commitment before 31 December 2003.

20. B7-610 Training and promotion of awareness on development issues

Appropriation authorised 2003: 4.000.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 3.731.802,15 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 268.197,85 EUR

Carryover: 100.000,00 EUR

The carryover is intended to cover a contract (order form) with OPOCE (production, storage and distribution costs for two brochures on AIDS and the gender issue). All the preparatory stages for the commitment were finalised but it was not materially possible to complete the commitment by the end of the 2003 budget year.

21. B7-620 Environment in the developing countries

Appropriation authorised 2003: 40.420.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 39.717.356,78 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 702.643,22 EUR

Carryover: 700.000,00 EUR

In December 2003, EUR700 000 was transferred from budget line B7-620A to B7-620 B. Based on the transfer, an inter service consultation (ISC) was then concluded for a Commission Decision amending Decision (C/2003/3845) on the Annual Work Programme. The transferred credits were added to the environment part of the calls for proposals 2003. Due to late conclusion of the ISC, the commitment could no longer be made before the end of 2003.

22. B7-6311 Aid for poverty-related diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis) in developing countries

Appropriation authorised 2003: 80.850.000,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 80.350.000,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 500.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 500.000,00 EUR

The transfer of EUR500 000 from budget line B76210A to B76311B was approved in December 2003. Subsequently on the 29/12/2003 a Commission Decision was taken (PE/2003/2592) concerning an additional financing for the project "Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria" for an amount of 500 000 EUR (project reference n° B7-6311/SANTE/2003/073-887). Considering the late adoption of the Decision, it has not been possible to finalise the commitment before 31/12/2003.

23. B7-010 Agriculture SAPARD

Appropriation authorised 2003: 563.851.400,00 EUR

Commitments at 31.12.2003: 560.000.000,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 3.851.400,00 EUR

Carryover: 3.851.400,00 EUR

Following the transfer of EUR3 851 400 from line B7-010A to line B7-010 B at the end of 2003, DG AGRI launched the interservice consultation on the amendment of the Annual Financial Agreements (AFA) 2003 to allocate this amount to the beneficiaries.

The interservice consultation on the amendment of AFA 2003 was approved by all departments before the end of 2003. However, the Commission decision could not be taken before the end of the year and the commitment was not made.

As the preparatory stages were well advanced, indicating that the commitment can be made by 31 March 2004, it has been decided to carry over the appropriation .

CARRYOVER OF PAYMENT APPROPRIATIONS

>TABLE POSITION>

CARRYOVER OF PAYMENT APPROPRIATIONS

Grounds

1. B2-101 Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG)

Appropriation authorised 2003: 430.300.000,00 EUR

Payments 31.12.2003: 401.178.539,63 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 29.121.460,37 EUR

Carryover: 29.121.460,37 EUR

The analysis of most of the payment requests received from Member States could not be finalised in due time in order to execute the payments before 31/12/2003. The payments appropriations adopted for 2004 are not sufficient to cover estimated payment requests.

2. B2-1041 Special programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland

Appropriation authorised 2003: 95.481.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 46.386.024,65 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 49.094.975,35 EUR

Carryover: 816.916,00 EUR

The transfer is necessary as we have already received two claims from the Member States and the amount to be paid out is EUR1 060 144 meaning that we will implement the available appropriations in Budget 2004 (613 244 EUR) and we will need a surplus of EUR446 900 to cover the claims. In addition an important issue is the n+2 rule. In order to be able to cover the payment needs of the program and to avoid the n+2 decommitment we must pay until 2004 at least EUR1 707 800.

3. B2-1041 Special programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland

Appropriation authorised 2003: 95.481.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 46.386.024,65 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 49.094.975,35 EUR

Carryover: 34.472.245,00 EUR

The payment appropriations for 2004 are not sufficient to pay the amounts already claimed and expected. Just a payment request already received in December 2003 for EUR52.9 million will use up almost all the credits for 2004 (EUR58.5 million). Overall, existing commitments show a balance of EUR177 million, or three times the payment appropriations in the 2004.

4. B2-105 Completion of earlier programmes

Appropriation authorised 2003: 1.113.175.691,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 1.088.449.926,66 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 24.725.764,34 EUR

Carryover: 24.683.895,87 EUR

The analysis of most of the payments requests received from Member States could not be finalised in due time in order to execute the payments before 31/12/2003. The payments appropriations adopted for 2004 are not sufficient to cover estimated payment requests.

5. B2-130 Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) (outside Objective 1 areas)

Appropriation authorised 2003: 137.620.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 86.637.182,94 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 50.982.817,06 EUR

Carryover: 50.982.817,06 EUR

During 2004 at least EUR257 million should be paid in order to avoid n+2 decommitments. The budget for 2004 is only EUR141 million.

6. B2-131 Completion of earlier FIFG programmes

Appropriation authorised 2003: 2.136.527,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 1.000,33 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 2.135.526,67 EUR

Carryover: 2.135.526,67 EUR

The analysis of most of the payments requests received from Member States could not be finalised in due time in order to execute the payments before 31/12/2003. The payments appropriations adopted for 2004 are not sufficient to cover estimated payment requests.

7. B2-132 Completion of earlier EAGGF programmes

Appropriation authorised 2003: 122.944.248,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 89.241.223,40 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 33.703.024,60 EUR

Carryover: 33.703.024,60 EUR

RAL for these programmes is EUR383.4 million, and appropriations in 2004 budget are EUR213.8 million. Accordingly, there is a shortage of appropriations in 2004.

8. B2-144 Completion of earlier programmes

Appropriation authorised 2003: 157.532.777,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 156.987.702,65 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 545.074,35 EUR

Carryover: 544.197,36 EUR

The analysis of most of the payments requests received from Member States could not be finalised in due time in order to execute the payments before 31/12/2003. The payments appropriations adopted for 2004 are not sufficient to cover estimated payment requests.

9. B2-400 European Union Solidarity Fund - Member States

Appropriation authorised 2003: 104.789.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 48.539.000,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 56.250.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 56.250.000,00 EUR

To pay Solidarity Fund in 2004 following signature of documents (CCI= 2003ES16SP0001, 2003IT16SP0002 and 2003IT16SP0003) in December 2003, and as there is no payment appropriations in 2004, this carry over has been decided.

10. B2-602 Completion of other regional measures

Appropriation authorised 2003: 189.051,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 184.708,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 4.343,00 EUR

Carryover: 4.343,00 EUR

One commitment, BIC Dolomiti, ref. 950570003, is still outstanding. Line 13.0310 carries no payment appropriation for 2004. It has therefore been decided to carry over the balance.

11. B2-604 Community contribution to the International Fund for Ireland

Appropriation authorised 2003: 15.000.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 3.000.000,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 12.000.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 12.000.000,00 EUR

A balance of EUR12 million still has to be paid in 2004 in the Community's contribution to the International Fund for Ireland. The appropriations entered in the 2004 budget are not sufficient to cover the 2004 commitments and the RAL.

12. B3-3061 Information campaign on the euro

Appropriation authorised 2003: 12.000.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 4.838.454,96 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 7.161.545,04 EUR

Carryover: 1.293.746,00 EUR

The EUR1 million in payment appropriations entered in the initial 2004 budget is not likely to prove sufficient to cover requirements resulting from the RAL of almost EUR1.3 million and new commitment appropriations of EUR4 million. It is therefore decided to carry over sufficient payment appropriations to cover the RAL.

13. B4-303 Forest Protection

Appropriation authorised 2003: 7.500.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 0,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 7.500.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 7.500.000,00 EUR

Regulation (EC) No 2152/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community (Forest Focus) was adopted on 17 November 2003 and published in the OJ L 324/1-8 on 11 December 2003. Due to this late adoption of the legal base, a transfer of the appropriations from the reserve to the line was only adopted in December 2003: this has impeded the implementation of the of this programme in 2003. Consequently, no payments were possible. The amount of payment appropriations foreseen for 2004 will not be enough to cover the payments needs for both the 2003 and the 2004 commitments. Therefore, the carryover of payment appropriations related to the commitment appropriations 2003 is decided.

14. B4-309 Preparatory action for the protection of coastlines

Appropriation authorised 2003: 1.530.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 992.820,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 537.180,00 EUR

Carryover: 537.180,00 EUR

The outstanding contract value of EUR1.5 million on this budget line will be payable in 2004. The payment appropriations adopted for 2004 (EUR500,000) will not cover the expected needs. The carry over of the unused balance of 2003 payment appropriations is therefore decided.

15. B5-503 Preparatory measures for a local commitment for employment

Appropriation authorised 2003: 7.949.230,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 4.788.300,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 3.160.930,00 EUR

Carryover: 3.160.930,00 EUR

Twenty-two dossiers are currently open on line B5-503. They will all be completed in the course of 2004. The payment appropriations must therefore be available to close these dossiers. They consist of 19 grants involving a final payment and 3 contracts for which the final invoices are awaited. The commitments outstanding total EUR4 400 291.31. Only when the final statements and invoices have been received will it be possible to give the exact amount.

It is estimated that the 2003 balance will cover the necessary payments.

The line carries a "pm" for payments in 2004.

16. B5-810 European Refugee Fund

Appropriation authorised 2003: 41.500.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 28.062.025,52 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 13.437.974,48 EUR

Carryover: 10.480.000,00 EUR

The entry into force of Commission Decision 2002/307/EC laying down implementing rules for Council Decision 2000/596/EC, in particular the management and control arrangements, contained specific provisions on conditions of payment for Member States (Annex IV), which resulted in changes in the timetable for payments on national programmes implemented under the European Refugee Fund (ERF). In particular this affected the pace of interim payments for the 2002 and 2003 programmes, which were made only in part in 2003 and will have to be made for the main part in 2004.

The Member States have sent the Commission the final reports on the 2000 and 2001 ERF exercises. As these are the first final reports submitted under this instrument set up in September 2000, they are currently being closely scrutinised and subjected to ex post audits within the Commission. Payments of balances relating to the 2000 and 2001 exercises will therefore be made in 2004.

Payments scheduled for 2004 will therefore be as follows:

- payments of the balances of 2000-2001 national programmes (the national programmes for these two years were completed at end-2002), totalling around EUR10.5 million;

- interim payments and payments of certain balances for the 2002 national programmes, totalling around EUR12.1 million;

- interim payments for the 2003 national programmes, totalling around EUR8 million;

- payments of advances on 2004 national programmes, totalling EUR20.08 million;

- payments on 2002 to 2004 Community action projects, totalling around EUR3.3 million.

This gives total payments of EUR53 980 000 scheduled for 2004. The appropriation entered for 2004 is EUR43 500 000. It has therefore been decided to carry over the difference.

17. B5-831 Preparatory measures for a programme to combat drug trafficking

Appropriation authorised 2003: 453.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 0,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 453.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 453.000,00 EUR

Line 180702 carries a p.m. for payments in 2004. In 2003, out of a total of EUR960 681.61 committed, EUR560 367.41 is still outstanding. To cover these commitments it has been decided to carry over EUR453 000.

18. B6-614 Aeronautics and space

Appropriation authorised 2003: 68.700.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 42.077.840,70 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 26.622.159,30 EUR

Carryover: 15.440.000,00 EUR

This carryover is to cover the pre-financing for a grant to the GALILEO joint undertaking under the 6th RTD framework programme (FPRD). This concerned an additional EUR19.3 million provided by the budgetary authority on 8.12.2003. The funds were intended for the GALILEO project ahead of the appropriations planned for 2005.

However under the 6th FPRD rules, the work programme had first to be changed for these additional funds to be used. The amendment was adopted by the Commission on 23.12.2003, when it was no longer possible to make the financial commitment or pay the pre-financing in 2003. As the appropriation was made available very late in the year, this situation had been foreseen and explained in the file that went through interservice consultation. As the decision-making procedure for granting advance funding to the GALILEO joint undertaking is in progress, it will be possible to make the commitments by 31.3.2004 and pay the 80% pre-financing. The carryover of payment appropriations is justified by the fact that the additional payment of the amount in question was not included in the plans for 2004.

19. B7-548 Macroeconomic assistance for the countries of the western Balkans not concerned by a pre-accession strategy

Appropriation authorised 2003: 138.100.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 78.000.000,00 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 60.100.000,00 EUR

Carryover: 20.000.000,00 EUR

A carryover of EUR20 million in payment appropriations is decided in order to liquidate the existing commitments and new 2004 commitments. Expected outstanding commitments under current and proposed legal basis amount to EUR86 million, most of which is expected to be paid during the year. As regards the further new 2004 commitments estimated at EUR49 million, around half could be expected to be paid out by the end of the year. As a result, some EUR100 million in payment appropriations are deemed to be necessary during 2004, hence the carry over EUR20 million to cover requirements, which can not be met from the EUR80 million entered in the 2004 budget.

20. B7-610 Training and promotion of awareness on development issues

Appropriation authorised 2003: 3.816.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 3.091.082,17 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 724.917,83 EUR

Carryover: 724.917,83 EUR

The 2004 budget carries a total of EUR7.5 million. It is planned to use EUR6 million for awareness-raising measures relating to development and EUR1.5 million for coordination. The EUR6 million will be divided up as follows: (1) EUR2.050 million to cover outstanding 2003 commitments; (2) EUR1.6 million to cover outstanding pre-2003 commitments (normal and abnormal RAL) and (3) EUR3.2 million to cover commitments made in 2004. Total payments in 2004 are estimated at EUR6.850 million for awareness-raising measures, exceeding the 2004 budget appropriations by EUR850 000. The maximum amount of EUR724 917.83 is carried over.

21. B7-651 Coordination of development policy, evaluation of the results of Community aid, follow-up and audit measures

Appropriation authorised 2003: 20.265.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 16.055.318,06 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 4.209.681,94 EUR

Carryover: 430.409,50 EUR

The 2004 budget carries a total of EUR7.5 million. It is planned to use EUR6 million for awareness-raising measures relating to development and EUR1.5 million for coordination. The EUR1.5 million will be divided up as follows: (1) EUR1 098 498.80 to cover outstanding 2003 commitments; (2) EUR471 158.37 to cover outstanding pre-2003 commitments and (3) EUR600 000.00 to cover commitments made in 2004. Total payment appropriations required in 2004 are therefore estimated at around EUR2 169 657.17, leaving an estimated minimum deficit of EUR669 657.17. The maximum amount of EUR430 409.50 is therefore carried over.

22. B7-8211 Annual fees for the European Union's membership of the international organisations in the coffee, cocoa and jute sectors and for other tropical products

Appropriation authorised 2003: 4.430.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 4.104.598,33 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 325.401,67 EUR

Carryover: 325.401,67 EUR

It is natural for utilisation on this line to be 100% in both commitments and payments, as it covers the payment of annual fees to three international organisations, payable in one go at fixed dates: July for jute, October for coffee and cocoa. However, the accession of new Member States entailed an unusual operation with the reservation of commitment appropriations to finance their share of the 2003/2004 fees. A global commitment (EUR10 share) and a provisional commitment (exchange rate fluctuations) were made on 18.12.2003 totalling EUR325 401.70. These shares will not be paid to the organisations in question until after actual accession, hence the carryover of the corresponding payment appropriations.

23. B7-020A Instrument for structural policies for pre-accession - Expenditure on administrative management

Appropriation authorised 2003: 6.500.000,00 EUR

Payments at 31.12.2003: 5.461.854,72 EUR

Amount not used at 31.12.2003: 1.038.145,28 EUR

Carryover: 1.010.000,00 EUR

This carryover allows payment on existing commitments for administrative expenditure because the RAL is much greater than payment appropriations in 2004.