on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2017

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Council Regulation (EU, EURATOM) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020, and in particular Article 10 thereof allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, within an annual ceiling of EUR 500 000 000 (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 and on sound financial management sets 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 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund , 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 Commission considers it necessary to provide for this mobilisation in order to ensure the timely availability of budgetary resources and therefore the Commission proposes to include this amount in the Draft Budget 2017.

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2017

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) N° 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund, and in particular Article 4a(4) thereof,

Having regard to 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, and in particular point 11 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)The European Union Solidarity Fund ("the Fund") aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by natural disasters.

(2)The Fund is not to exceed a maximum amount of EUR 500 000 000 (2011 prices) as laid down in Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) N° 1311/2013.

(3)Article 4a(4) of Regulation (EC) N°2012/2002 provides that, when necessary in order to ensure the timely availability of budgetary resources, the Fund may be mobilised for an amount of up to EUR 50 000 000 for the payment of advances, entering the corresponding appropriations into the general budget of the Union.

(4)To ensure the timely availability of sufficient budgetary resources in the general budget of the Union for 2017, the Fund should be mobilised in the amount of EUR 50 000 000 for the payment of advances.

(5)In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, this Decision should apply from 1 January 2017,