COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Technical adjustment in respect of special instruments for 2020 (Article 6(1)(e) and (f) of Council Regulation No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020)
Date: 2020-04-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Budget, European Commission
Subjects: EU financial instrument, European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, budgetary procedure, commitment of expenditure, emergency aid, financial management, general budget (EU), multiannual financial framework

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 2.4.2020 COM(2020) 173 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Technical adjustment in respect of special instruments for 2020 (Article 6(1)(e) and (f) of Council Regulation No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020)  
 
 
1.  INTRODUCTION 

The  regulation  laying  down  the  multiannual  financial  framework  (MFF  regulation) 
for the  years 2014-2020 as last amended by Council  Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 
2017/1123  of  20  June  20171  and  adjusted  as  shown  in  the  communication  on  the 
technical adjustment for 20202 contains the financial framework table for the period 
2014-2020, expressed in 2011 prices (Table 1).  

According to Article 6(1) of the MFF regulation, the Commission makes each year, 
ahead  of  the  budgetary  procedure  for  year  n+1,  a  technical  adjustment  to  the 
multiannual  financial  framework  (MFF)  in  line  with  movements  in  the  EU's  gross 
national  income (GNI) and prices and  communicates the results to  the Council and 
the European Parliament. The adjustment of the ceilings in line with Article 6(1) was 
done in the technical adjustment for 2020 in May 2019 and based on Article 6(4) it is 
not being updated.  

The  Communication  on  the  technical  adjustment  for  2020  has  indicated  the 
availability  of  the  special  instruments  for  the  years  2019  and  2020  according  to 
Article  6(1)(e)  and  (f)  of  the  MFF  Regulation  for  the  availability  of  the  Global 
margin for commitments and Flexibility instrument respectively as known in spring 
2019.  The  purpose  of  this  communication  is  to  present  to  the  Council  and  the 
European Parliament the additional availabilities of the special instruments according 
to  Article  6(1)(e)  and  (f)  of  the  MFF  Regulation  for  the  the  Global  margin  for 
commitments  and  Flexibility  instrument  respectively  for  the  year  2020,  which 
became available at the end of 2019.  

The communication also shows the available amounts of all special instruments and 
their use since 2014 for information. 

2. 

GLOBAL MARGIN FOR PAYMENTS (GMP) 

According  to  Article  5  of  the  MFF  Regulation,  the  Commission  shall  adjust  the 
payment  ceiling  for  the  years  2015-2020  upwards  by  an  amount  equivalent  to  the 
difference between the executed payments and the MFF payment ceiling of the year 
n-1. Any upward adjustment shall be fully offset by a corresponding reduction of the 
payment ceiling for year n-1 in constant 2011 prices. 

No recalculation of the GMP is done for 2020 as the threshold set by Article 5(2) of 
the MFF Regulation has been reached in the technical adjustment for 2020 adopted 
in May 2019. 

3. 

SPECIAL INSTRUMENTS 

A  number  of  instruments  are  available  outside  expenditure  ceilings  agreed  in  the 
financial framework 2014-2020. These instruments aim to provide rapid response to 
exceptional  or  unforeseen  events,  and  provide  some  flexibility  beyond  the  agreed 
expenditure ceilings within certain limits. 

1 
2  

OJ L 163, 24.6.2017, p.1. 
COM(2019) 310 final of 15.05.2019. 

1 

 
 
                                                 
3.1. 

Emergency Aid Reserve (EAR) 

According to Article 9 of the amended MFF Regulation the Emergency Aid Reserve 
can  be  mobilised  up  to  a  maximum  amount  of  EUR 300 million  per  year  in  2011 
prices, or EUR 358,5 million in 2020 at current prices (EUR 2 301,4 million for the 
whole  period  in  current  prices).  The  portion  of  the  unused  amount  of  the  previous 
year  can  be  carried  over  to  the  following  year.  The  carry-over  from  2019  to  2020 
amounts to EUR 45,6 million. 

The table below shows the details of the annual availabilities and usage of the EAR 
since 2014: 

Emergency Aid Reserve 

Annual amounts in 2011 prices 
Annual amounts in current prices 
Carried-over from the previous year 
Annual usage 
Carried-over to the following year 
Lapsed 

2014 
280 
297,0 
0,0 
98,1 
198,9 
0,0 

2015 
280 
303,0 
198,9 
282,5 
219,4 
0,0 

2016 
280 
309,0 
219,4 
429,8 
98,6 
0,0 

2017 
300 
337,8 
98,6 
374,7 
61,7 
0,0 

2018 
300 
344,6 
61,7 
372,2 
34,1 
0,0 

2019 
300 
351,5 
34,1 
340,0 
45,6 
0,0 

3.2. 

European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) 

2020 
300 
358,5 
45,6 

EUR million 
Total 

2 040 
2 301,4 

1 897,3 

0,0 

According  to  Article  10  of  the  MFF  Regulation,  the  EU  Solidarity  Fund  can  be 
mobilised up to a maximum amount of EUR 500 million per year in 2011 prices, or 
EUR 597,5 million  in  2020  at  current  prices  (EUR 3 944,7 million  for  the  whole 
period in current prices). The portion of the unused amount of the previous year can 
be carried over to the following year. The carry-over from 2019 to 2020 amounted to 
EUR 553,0 million. No amount lapsed at the end of 2019. 

The table below shows the details of the annual availabities and usage of the EUSF 
since 2014: 

Annual amounts in 2011 prices 
Annual amounts in current prices 
Carried-over from the previous 
year 
Frontloaded from the following 
year 
Annual usage 
Carried-over to the following year 
Lapsed 

European Union Solidarity Fund 

2014 
500 
530,6 

2015 
500 
541,2 

2016 
500 
552,0 

2017 
500 
563,1 

2018 
500 
574,3 

2019 
500 
585,8 

EUR million 

2020  Total 
500 
597,5 

3 500 
3 944,7 

0,0 

403,9 

541,2 

552,0 

140,8 

265,3 

553,0 

0,0 
126,7 
403,9 
0,0 

0,0 
82,8 
541,2 
321,1 

0,0 
33,1 
552,0 
508,1 

294,0 
1 268,3 
140,8 
0,0 

-294,0 
155,9 
265,3 
0,0 

0,0 
298,1 
553,0 
0,0 

0,0 

1 964,9 

829,2 

3.3. 

Flexibility Instrument 

According to  Article 11 of the amended MFF Regulation the  Flexibility Instrument 
can  be  mobilised  up  to  a  maximum  annual  amount  of  EUR 600 million  in  2011 
prices,  or  EUR 717 million  in  2020  in  current  prices  (EUR 4 315 million  for  the 
whole  period  in  current  prices).  The  portion  of  the  unused  annual  amounts  of  the 
previous 3 years may be carried over. 

According  to  Article  6(1)f  refering  to  Art  11(1)  second  subparagraph  each  year, 
starting in 2017, the annual amount available for the Flexibility Instrument shall be 
increased  by  the  amounts  equivalent  to  the  portion  of  the  annual  amount  for  the 

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European  Union  Solidarity  Fund  and  the  European  Globalisation  Adjustment  Fund 
which have lapsed in the previous year.  

The  table  below  shows  the  details  of  the  annual  availabilities  and  usage  of  the 
Flexibility Instrument since 2014: 

Annual amounts in 2011 prices 
Annual amounts in current prices 
Carried-over from the previous year 
Increased with lapsed amount of EGF 
Increased with lapsed amount of EUSF 
Annual usage 
Carried-over to the following year 
Available 
Lapsed 

Flexibility Instrument 

2015 
471 
510 
686,7 

2016 
471 
520 
1010,0 

149,4 
1 010,0 
0,0 
37,2 

1 530,0 
0,0 
0,0 
0,0 

2014 
471 
500 
276,0 

89,3 
686,7 
0,0 
0,0 

2017 
600 
676 
0,0 
138 
508 
805,0 
517,0 
0,0 
0,0 

2018 
600 
689 
517,0 
151 
0 
837,2 
519,8 
0,0 
0,0 

2019 
600 
703 
519,8 
144 
0 
1 164,3 
202,4 
0,0 
0,0 

3.4. 

European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) 

EUR million 

3 813 
4 315 

2020  Total 
600 
717 
202,4 
175 
0 
778,1 
0,0 
316,3 
0,0 

608 
508 
5 353,4 

316,3 
37,2 

According  to  Article  12  of  the  MFF  Regulation,  the  European  Globalisation 
Adjustment Fund can be mobilised up to a maximum of EUR 150 million per year in 
2011  prices,  or  EUR 179,3 million  in  2020  in  current  prices  (EUR 1 183,4 million 
for the whole period in current prices). Unused amounts of previous year cannot be 
carried over. The amount  of  EUR 175,1 million which lapsed at  the  end  of 2019 is 
used to increase Flexibilty Instrument in 2020. 

The table below shows the details of the annual availabilities and usage of the EGF 
since 2014:  

European Globalisation Adjustment Fund 

Annual amounts in 2011 prices 
Annual amounts in current prices 
Annual usage 
Lapsed 

2014 
150 
159,2 
81,0 
78,2 

2015 
150 
162,4 
43,4 
119,0 

2016 
150 
165,6 
28,0 
137,6 

2017 
150 
168,9 
18,1 
150,8 

2018 
150 
172,3 
28,0 
144,3 

2019 
150 
175,7 
0,6 
175,1 

3.5. 

Contingency Margin 

2020 
150 
179,3 

EUR million 
Total 

1 050 
1 183,4 
199,1 
629,9 

According  to  Article  13  of  the  MFF  Regulation,  a  Contingency  Margin  of  up  to 
0.03 %  of  the  Gross  National  Income  of  the  Union  shall  be  constituted  outside  the 
ceilings of the financial framework for the period 2014-2020. 

is 
The  absolute  amount  of 
EUR 5 096,8 million, as established in the technical adjustment of the MFF for 2020 
adopted in May 2019. 

the  Contingency  Margin  for 

the  year  2020 

The  table  below  shows  the  details  of  the  annual  availabilities  and  usage  of  the 
Contingency Margin since 2014: 

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Annual amounts 
available 
Annual usage 

In commitments 
In payments 
Annual offset 

In commitments 
In payments 

Contingency Margin 

EUR million 

2014 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

2020 

Total 

4 026,7 

4 175,4 

4 438,2 

4 496,8 

4 711,3 

4 946,7 

5 096,8 

31 892 

0,0 
2 818,2 

0,0 
0,0 

0,0 
0,0 

0,0 
0,0 

240,1 
0,0 

1 906,2 
0,0 

0,0 
0,0 

0,0 
0,0 

0,0 
0,0 

2 146,3 
2 818,2 

-240,1 
0,0 

-1 082,3 
-2 818,2 

-318,0 
0,0 

-253,9 
0,0 

-252,0 
0,0 

-2 146,3 
-2 818,2 

3.6. 

Global  margin  for  commitments  for  growth  and  employment,  in  particular 
youth employment, and for migration and security measures (GMC) 

According to Article 14 of the MFF Regulation, as amended by Council Regulation 
(EU,  Euratom)  No  2017/1123,  margins  left  available  below  the  MFF  ceilings  for 
commitment appropriations shall constitute a Global MFF Margin for commitments, 
to be made available over and above the ceilings established in the MFF for the years 
2016 to 2020 for policy  objectives related to growth and employment, in particular 
youth employment, and to migration and security. 

In  the  final  budget  2019  the  margin  left  available  under  the  commitment  ceiling 
amounts 
instruments 
(including the use of GMC and the Contingency margin)  are not taken into account 
as they are implemented over and above the MFF ceilings. 

to  EUR 1 291,1 million.  The  commitments  on  Special 

According  to  Article  6(2)  of  the  MFF  Regulation,  the  2%  annual  deflator  shall  be 
used for the calculation of the GMC. The amount of the remaining margin from 2019 
which  shall  be  made  available  for  2020  corresponds  to  EUR 1 316,9 million  in 
to 
current  prices.  The  amount  of  GMC 
EUR 1 101,9 million. 

in  2011  prices  corresponds 

The table below shows the details of the calculation of the GMC 2019: 

Global margin for commitments - 2019 

Ceiling CA 2019 

Total authorised appropriations budget 2019 

of which special instruments: 

European Union Solidarity Fund 
European Globalisation Adjustment Fund 
Emergency Aid Reserve 
Flexibility instrument 
Contingency margin 
GMC mobilised in 2019 

Global margin for commitments 2019 (current prices) 
Global margin for commitments 2019 (2011 prices) 

GMC 2019 available in 2020 (current prices) 

 EUR million 

164 123,0 

166 189,2 

3 357,3 

343,6 
175,7 
351,5 
1 164,3 
-253,9 

1 576,0 

1 291,1 

1 101,9 

1 316,9 

Currently, a portion of the GMC 2018 (EUR 1 075,5 million in 2020 prices) remains 
available.  The  overall  availability  of  the  GMC  in  2020  is  therefore  EUR  2 392,4 
million (in 2020 prices). 

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The table below shows the details of the availabilities and usage of the GMC since 
2014: 

Commitment margin available at year-end 
(confirmed by annual TAJU) 

2014 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

2020 

521,9 

1 383,2 

2 090,2 

1 115,5 

1 390,9 

1 291,1 

Annual GMC available 
GMC 2014 
GMC 2015 
GMC 2016 
GMC 2017 
GMC 2018 

GMC 2019 

Annual use of GMC 

GMC 2014 
GMC 2015 
GMC 2016 
GMC 2017 
GMC 2018 
GMC 2019 

0,0 

0,0 

1 953,9 

3 571,1 

2 802,4 

2 894,7 

2 662,0 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

543,0 
1 410,9 
- 
- 
- 

0,0 
1 439,1 
2 132,0 
- 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
1 664,6 
1 137,8 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
315,4 
1 160,6 
1 418,7 

0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
1 345,1 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1 316,9 

0,0 

0,0 

-543,0 

-1 939,1 

-1 355,6 

-1 576,0 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

-543,0 
0,0 
- 
- 
- 
- 

0,0 
-1 439,1 
-500,0 
- 
- 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
-1 355,6 
0,0 
- 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
-315,4 
-1 160,6 
-100,0 
- 

-269,6 

0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
-269,6 

Remaining GMC at year-end 

0,0 

0,0 

1 410,9 

1 632,0 

1 446,8 

1 318,7 

2 392,4 

GMC 2014 
GMC 2015 
GMC 2016 
GMC 2017 
GMC 2018 
GMC 2019 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

0,0 
1 410,9 
- 
- 
- 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
1 632,0 
- 
- 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
309,0 
1 137,8 
- 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
1 318,7 
- 

0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
0,0 
1 075,5 
1 316,9 

5