DRAFT AMENDING BUDGET No 2 TO THE GENERAL BUDGET 2019 Reinforcement of key programmes for EU competitiveness: Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+
Date: 2019-05-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Budget, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, amending budget, commitment of expenditure, competitiveness, draft budget (EU), education, financial year, general budget (EU), research and development, vocational training

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 15.5.2019 COM(2019) 320 final  DRAFT AMENDING BUDGET No 2 TO THE GENERAL BUDGET 2019 Reinforcement of key programmes for EU competitiveness: Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+  
 
 
Having regard to: 

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– 

– 

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the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in  particular Article 314 
thereof,  in  conjunction  with  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Atomic  Energy 
Community, and in particular Article 106a thereof, 

Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union 
(…)1, and in particular Article 44 thereof, 

the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019, as adopted on 
12 December 20182, 
draft amending budget No°1/20193, adopted on 15 April 2019, 

The  European  Commission  hereby  presents  to  the  European  Parliament  and  to  the  Council 
Draft Amending Budget No 2 to the 2019 budget. 

CHANGES  TO  THE  STATEMENT  OF  REVENUE  AND  EXPENDITURE  BY 
SECTION 

The  changes  to  the  statement  of  expenditure  of  section  III  are  available  on  EUR-Lex 
(http://eur-lex.europa.eu/budget/www/index-en.htm).  An  English  version  of  the  changes  to 
this statement is attached for information as a budgetary annex. 

1  
2. 
3  

OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1. 
OJ L 67, 7.3.2019. 
COM(2019) 300, 15.4.2019. 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 

2.  REINFORCEMENT OF HORIZON 2020 AND ERASMUS + .............................................................................. 4 

2.1. 
2.2. 
2.3. 
2.4. 

CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 
REINFORCEMENT OF HORIZON 2020 ................................................................................................................. 4 
REINFORCEMENT OF ERASMUS+ ........................................................................................................................ 5 
FINANCING .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 

3. 

SUMMARY TABLE BY MFF HEADING ............................................................................................................... 6 

3 

 
 
 
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Draft Amending Budget  (DAB) No 2/2019  is  intended to  provide an additional EUR 100 million of 
commitment  appropriations  to  Horizon  2020  and  Erasmus+  as  decided  by  the  European  Parliament 
and the Council in their agreement on the budget 2019. No reinforcement in payment appropriations is 
proposed.  

2. 

REINFORCEMENT OF HORIZON 2020 AND ERASMUS + 

Context  

2.1. 
In  their  final  agreement  on  the  budget  20194,  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  agreed  “to 
budget  EUR  100  million  in  an  amending  budget  in  2019  to  reinforce  H2020  and  Erasmus”.  They 
invited the Commission to “present this amending budget, which will not contain any other elements, 
as soon as the technical adjustment of the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2020 including the 
calculation of the Global margin for commitments is completed in the spring of 2019.” 
The technical adjustment having now been adopted5, the Commission proposes to amend the budget 
2019 to reflect the above-mentioned agreement. 

2.2. 

Reinforcement of Horizon 2020 

Horizon 2020, the flagship programme to support research and innovation, has set an ambitious goal 
for its contribution to the climate target of the EU budget. Whilst the expenditure for climate change 
shows  a  considerable  increase  compared  to  the  7th  Framework  Programme  for  Research  Funding 
2007-2013  (FP7),  specific  measures  should  be  reinforced  with  the  aim  of  approaching  the  target  of 
35 % of the overall Horizon 2020 budget devoted to climate-related research activities. It is therefore 
proposed  to  allocate  an  additional  EUR 80 million  to  activities  and  projects  in  that  area,  more 
specifically  for  transport-related  research  and  Future  Emerging  Technologies  under  the  European 
Innovation Council (EIC) Pilot: 

  The Commission proposes to allocate an additional EUR 34,6 million to Horizon 2020 budget 
item  08 02 03 04    Achieving  a  European  transport  system  that  is  resource-efficient, 
environmentally  friendly,  safe  and  seamless  to  reinforce  the  2019  actions  against  climate 
change, in particular batteries, Green Vehicles and Greening Aviation.  

  The Commission proposes to allocate an additional EUR 45,4 million to Horizon 2020 budget 
item  08 02 01 02   Strengthening  research  in  future  and  emerging  technologies  to  increase 
the amount for the “Breakthrough zero-emissions energy generation for full decarbonisation" 
and “Energy and climate change related technologies” topics. The action will mainly support 
the  multidisciplinary  exploration  of  new  directions  for  clean,  compact  and  low-cost  power 
generation,  targeting  stand-alone,  mobile  or  portable  uses  in  specific  contexts.  It  will  select 
projects  that  pave  the  way  to  radically  new  fully-decarbonised  technologies  as  a  means  of 
limiting the effect of the energy sector on climate change. 

4  

5  

European Parliament resolution of 12 December 2018 on the second draft general budget of the European Union 
for the financial year 2019 (15205/2018 – C8-0499/2018 – 2018/2275(BUD)). 
COM(2019) 310, [14.5.2019]. 

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2.3. 

Reinforcement of Erasmus+ 

Erasmus+  is  the  EU's  programme  supporting  education,  training,  youth  and  sport  in  Europe.  The 
programme  will  provide  opportunities  for  over  4 million  Europeans  to  study,  train,  and  gain 
experience abroad over the 2014-20 period.   

The  Commission  proposes  to  allocate  an  additional  EUR 20 million  to  Eramus+  budget  item 
15 02 01 01  Promoting excellence and cooperation in the European education and training area 
and its relevance to the labour market. The allocation would reinforce EU funding support for core 
mobility  activities  of  the  programme,  in  particular  in  the  field  of  higher  education  and  vocational 
education and training, as well as for centres of vocational excellence. It will also reinforce European 
Universities, a recent action developed in the framework of the European Education Area by 20256.  

2.4. 

Financing 

Given  the  absence  of  margin  under  the  commitments  ceiling  of  heading  1a  Competitiveness  for 
growth  and  jobs  in  the  general  budget  2019,  the  reinforcement  in  commitment  appropriations  of 
Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ will be financed from the Global Margin for Commitments.  

The  Commission  considers  that  the  payment  appropriations  for  these  two  programmes  in  the  2019 
budget do not need to be increased at this stage.  

6  

Communication  on  'Strengthening  European  Identity  through  Education  and  Culture'  of  14  November  2017, 
COM(2017) 673. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
3. 

SUMMARY TABLE BY MFF HEADING 

Heading 

Budget 2019 

(incl. DAB 1/2019) 

Draft Amending Budget 2/2019 

Budget 2019 

(incl. DAB 1-2/2018) 

CA 

PA 

CA 

PA 

CA 

PA 

1. 

Smart and inclusive growth 

80 527 449 848 

67 556 947 173 

 100 000 000 

80 627 449 848 

67 556 947 173 

Of which under Flexibility Instrument 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

Ceiling  

Margin 

 178 715 475 

 424 734 373 

79 924 000 000 

 100 000 000 

 178 715 475 

 524 734 373 

79 924 000 000 

1a 

Competitiveness for growth and jobs 

23 335 449 848 

20 521 537 455 

 100 000 000 

23 435 449 848 

20 521 537 455 

Of which under Flexibility Instrument 

 178 715 475 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

 74 734 373 

 100 000 000 

Ceiling 

Margin 

23 082 000 000 

 178 715 475 

 174 734 373 

23 082 000 000 

1b   Economic  social and territorial cohesion 

57 192 000 000 

47 035 409 718 

57 192 000 000 

47 035 409 718 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

 350 000 000 

Ceiling 

Margin 

56 842 000 000 

 350 000 000 

56 842 000 000 

2. 

Sustainable growth: natural resources 

59 642 077 986 

57 399 857 331 

59 642 077 986 

57 399 857 331 

60 344 000 000 

 701 922 014 

Margin 
Of which: European Agricultural Guarantee Fund 
(EAGF) — Market related expenditure and direct 
payments 

Ceiling 

60 344 000 000 

 701 922 014 

43 191 947 000 

43 116 399 417 

43 191 947 000 

43 116 399 417 

Sub-ceiling 
Rounding difference excluded from margin 
calculation 
EAGF Margin 

43 881 000 000 

  659 000 

 688 394 000 

43 881 000 000 

  659 000 

 688 394 000 

3. 

Security and citizenship 

3 786 629 138 

3 527 434 894 

3 786 629 138 

3 527 434 894 

Of which under Flexibility Instrument 

 985 629 138 

Ceiling 

Margin 

2 801 000 000 

 985 629 138 

2 801 000 000 

4. 

Global Europe 

11 319 265 627 

9 358 295 603 

11 319 265 627 

9 358 295 603 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

1 051 265 627 

Ceiling 

Margin 

10 268 000 000 

1 051 265 627 

10 268 000 000 

5. 

Administration 

9 942 974 723 

9 944 904 743 

9 942 974 723 

9 944 904 743 

Ceiling 

10 786 000 000 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 253 882 156 

Margin 

 589 143 121 

10 786 000 000 

- 253 882 156 

 589 143 121 

Of which: Administrative expenditure of the 
institutions 

7 747 285 803 

7 749 215 823 

7 747 285 803 

7 749 215 823 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 253 882 156 

Sub-ceiling 

8 700 000 000 

Margin 

 698 832 041 

8 700 000 000 

- 253 882 156 

 698 832 041 

Of which under Flexibility Instrument 

1 164 344 613 

 961 862 659 

1 164 344 613 

 961 862 659 

Total 

165 218 397 322 

147 787 439 744 

 100 000 000 

165 318 397 322 

147 787 439 744 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

1 476 000 000 

 100 000 000 

1 576 000 000 

Ceiling 

164 123 000 000 

166 709 000 000 

164 123 000 000 

166 709 000 000 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 253 882 156 

Other special Instruments 

 577 248 000 

 411 500 000 

Margin 

1 291 065 135 

19 883 422 915 

- 253 882 156 

1 291 065 135 

19 883 422 915 

 577 248 000 

 411 500 000 

Grand Total 

165 795 645 322 

148 198 939 744 

 100 000 000 

165 895 645 322 

148 198 939 744 

6