European Parliament resolution on the European Council's position on the Financial Perspective and the renewal of the Interinstitutional Agreement 2007-2013
Date: 2006-01-18
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: budget policy, budgetary discipline (EU), interinstitutional agreement, multiannual financial framework, revision of financial perspectives

C 287 E/156

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.11.2006

Wednesday, 18 January 2006

TEXTS ADOPTED

P6_TA(2006)0010

Financial Perspective

European Parliament resolution on the European Council's position on the Financial Perspective
and the renewal of the Interinstitutional Agreement 2007-2013

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the EC Treaty and in particular Article 272 thereof,

— having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament,
the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary proce-
dure (1) and in particular point 26 thereof,

— having regard to the Communications from the Commission to the Council and the European Parlia-
ment of 26 February 2004 entitled ‘Building our common future: Policy challenges and budgetary
means of the Enlarged Union 2007-2013’ (COM(2004)0101) and of 14 July 2004 entitled ‘Financial
Perspectives 2007-2013’ (COM(2004)0487) and to the Commission working document of 12 April
2005 entitled ‘Technical adjustments to the Commission proposal for the multiannual financial frame-
work 2007-2013’ (SEC(2005)0494),

— having regard to its resolution of 8 June 2005 on Policy Challenges and Budgetary Means of the

Enlarged Union 2007-2013 (2),

— having regard to its resolution of 1 December 2005 on the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary

discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (3),

— having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the European Council of 15-16 December 2005 adopted conclusions concerning the Financial

Perspective 2007-2013,

B. whereas the current Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and improvement of the
budgetary procedure will, in principle, end in 2006 and whereas a new agreement or an extension of
the current one can only be established if agreed by the European Parliament, the Council and the
Commission,

C. whereas,
budgets,

in the absence of a financial perspective, Article 272 of the Treaty provides for annual

D. whereas the budget for the year 2006, the last year of the current Financial Perspective, amounts to

1,093 % of EU GNI in commitment appropriations for 25 Member States,

(1) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1. Agreement as last amended by Decision 2005/708/EC of the European Parliament and of

the Council (OJ L 269, 14.10.2005, p. 24).

(2) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0224.
(3) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0453.

24.11.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 287 E/157

E. whereas the European Council's conclusions as adopted on 15-16 December 2005 foresee an average
figure of 1,045 % of EU GNI in commitment appropriations for 27 Member States within the EU
budget, with total commitment appropriations amounting to 862,363 billion Euro,

Wednesday, 18 January 2006

F. whereas the European Parliament's negotiating position adopted on 8 June 2005 ensures a better
match of political priorities and financial needs, a modernising of the budget through more flexibility,
an improvement in the quality of implementation, with a financial framework amounting to 974,837
billion Euro, representing an average of 1,18 % of EU GNI in commitment appropriations,

1. Notes the fact that the European Council finally found an agreement between Member States which
allows for the opening of the negotiations with the European Parliament on the next Financial Perspective;

2. Notes that the conclusions of the European Council focus on traditional policies which are admini-
strated by the Member States rather than putting emphasis on policies enabling the European Union to
face new challenges and to develop the European added value for citizens; deplores in this context the
unacceptable reduction in commitments in respect of competitiveness, growth and employment, despite
the emphasis given by all the EU institutions to the Lisbon strategy, and the cuts in relation to citizenship,
freedom, security and justice and external actions; deplores moreover that Member States fight to preserve
their national interests rather than foster the European dimension, and were unable to address the major
issue of reforming the own resources system;

3. Recalls that the conclusions of the European Council — referring sometimes to very specific rules
within spending programmes — cannot overrule the powers vested in the European Parliament as one arm
of the legislative and budgetary authority, and insists on playing its full parliamentary role in the definition
of policies, their reform and their budget;

4. Rejects the European Council's conclusions in their current form, because they do not guarantee an
EU budget which will enhance prosperity, competitiveness, solidarity, cohesion and security in the future,
in compliance with policies already decided by the Council itself; they fail to fulfil commitments made
towards the new Member States and do not provide for a sufficient and detailed flexibility mechanism, a
firm commitment to undertake the review with a clear role for the European Parliament or sufficient
accompanying measures to ensure for example better implementation and control of expenditure of funds
in Member States;

5. Underlines the importance it attaches to a higher degree of flexibility;

6. Reaffirms its position as expressed in its above-mentioned resolution of 8 June 2005 and instructs its
Committee on Budgets to negotiate the Interinstitutional Agreement accordingly;

7.
Is willing to enter into constructive negotiations with the Council on the basis of respective positions
provided the Austrian Presidency is entrusted with a real negotiating mandate; is determined to defend the
quantitative, structural and qualitative elements of its negotiating position and to enhance the European
dimension of agricultural, internal and external policies;

8.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.