DRAFT AMENDING BUDGET No 5 TO THE GENERAL BUDGET 2020 Continuation of the support to refugees and host communities in response to the Syria crisis in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey
Date: 2020-06-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Budget, European Commission
Subjects: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Türkiye, aid to refugees, amending budget, commitment of expenditure, draft budget (EU), financial year, general budget (EU)

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 3.6.2020  COM(2020) 421 final  DRAFT AMENDING BUDGET No 5 TO THE GENERAL BUDGET 2020   Continuation of the support to refugees and host communities in response to the Syria crisis in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey  
 
 
Having regard to: 

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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 2020, as adopted on 
27 November 20192, 
amending budget No°1/20203, adopted on 17 April 2020, 
amending budget No°2/20204, adopted on 17 April 2020, 
draft amending budget No°3/20205, adopted on 15 April 2020, 
draft amending budget No°4/20206, adopted on 30 April 2020, 

The  European  Commission  hereby  presents  to  the  European  Parliament  and  to  the  Council 
Draft Amending Budget No°5/2020 to the 2020 budget. 

CHANGES  TO  THE  STATEMENT  OF  REVENUE  AND  EXPENDITURE  BY 
SECTION 

The  changes  to  the  general  statement  of  revenue  and  section  III  are  available  on  EUR-Lex 
(https://eur-lex.europa.eu/budget/www/index-en.htm). 

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OJ L 193, 30.7.2018. 
OJ L 57, 27.2.2020. 
OJ L 126, 21.4.2020. 
OJ L 126, 21.4.2020. 
COM(2020) 180, 15.4.2020. 
COM(2020) 190, 30.4.2020. 

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Table of Contents 

1. 

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 

2.   RESILIENCE SUPPORT TO REFUGEES AND HOST COMMUNITIES IN JORDAN AND LEBANON .... 3 

3.  URGENT HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT TO REFUGEES IN TURKEY ............................................................ 3 

4. 

5. 

FINANCING ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 

SUMMARY TABLE BY MFF HEADING ............................................................................................................... 5 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  purpose  of  Draft  Amending  Budget  (DAB)  No 5  for  the  year  2020  is  to  continue  providing 
support  to  refugees  and  host  communities  in  response  to  the  Syria  crisis.  Under  the  MFF  heading 
4 Global  Europe,  EUR 100 million  in  commitment  and  payment  appropriations  will  be  provided  as 
resilience support to refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon whereas EUR 485 million 
in  commitment  appropriations  and  EUR 68 million  in  payment  appropriations  will  be  provided  to 
ensure the continuation of the urgent humanitarian support to refugees in Turkey. 

RESILIENCE SUPPORT TO REFUGEES AND HOST COMMUNITIES IN JORDAN AND LEBANON 

2.  
In 2020, the conflict in Syria has entered into its 10th year. With no immediate end in sight, this crisis 
continues to threathen the stability of the entire region, in particular its neighbouring countries Jordan 
and Lebanon which are hosting the largest number of refugees per capita in the world. Both countries 
have  displayed  extraordinary  solidarity  with  refugees  from  the  conflict  in  Syria.  Already  struggling 
with complex domestic situations, they continue to need assistance in view of the protracted nature of 
the  crisis.  The  EUR 214 million  allocated  for  resilience  support  in  response  to  the  Syria  crisis  for 
Lebanon and Jordan for 2020 is already fully committed. As long as there are no conditions for a safe 
return of the refugees, the EU’s assistance  continues to  be essential, helping to  maintain stability  in 
complex environments on the ground. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 has added a complex new 
dimension to the already difficult situation of countries hosting large numbers of refugees. Lebanon is 
facing  an  acute  economic  and  financial  crisis,  with  the  Government  defaulting  on  a  Eurobond 
repayment and announcing that it will restructure all its foreign and domestic currency denominated 
bonds.  The  current  level  of  debt  is  approximately  170 %  of  GDP  and  recent  data  indicates  that  the 
economy  contracted  by  6,9 %  in  2019.  In  Jordan,  the  Covid-19  crisis  is  likely  to  push  the  country 
from weak growth into a deep recession, impeding domestic and external demand, in particular in the 
tourism sector, which accounts for around 11 % of GDP. The crisis will also exert pressure on public 
spending, further worsening Jordan’s fiscal position.  

Therefore,  EUR 100 million  in  new  commitment  and  payment  appropriations  is  urgently  needed  to 
fund  projects  in  the  areas  of  access  to  education,  support  to  livelihoods  and  provision  of  health, 
sanitation, water and waste services and social protection to  host communities and refugees (Syrian 
refugees and Palestinian refugees from Syria) in Jordan and Lebanon. 

Budget line 

Name 

Commitment 
appropriations 

Payment 
appropriations 

EUR 

Section III – Commission 
22 04 01 03  Mediterranean  countries  —  Confidence  building,  security  and 

prevention and settlement of conflicts 

Total 

the 

100 000 000 

100 000 000 

100 000 000 

100 000 000 

3. 

URGENT HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT TO REFUGEES IN TURKEY 

Under  the  EU-Turkey  Statement,  the  Commission  and  Member  States  committed  in  two  tranches 
EUR 6 billion in EU assistance to refugees in Turkey for 2016-2019, delivered through the Facility for 
Refugees  in  Turkey.  The  operational  envelope  of  this  funding  has  been  committed  in  full  and 
contracting will be finalised in the course of 2020. Disbursements reached EUR 3,2 billion as of end-
April 2020. 

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The  second  tranche  of  EUR 3 billion  has  been  programmed  to  ensure  Facility  sustainability  and  a 
gradual managed take-over of Facility-funded initiatives by the Turkish authorities. However, Turkish 
authorities  are  not  yet  able  to  provide  provide  cash  assistance  to  the  most  vulnerable  of  the 
approximately  4  million  refugees  in  Turkey  in  the  medium-  to  long-term.  At  the  March  2019  EU-
Turkey  Association  Council,  Turkey  requested  EU  support  beyond  the  Facility  to  support  refugees. 
Several Member States also asked to continue support to refugees in Turkey in recent months. 

In this context, there is an urgent need to provide EUR 485 million to fund the continuation of the two 
main EU humanitarian support actions, the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) and the Conditional 
Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE). 

  The ESSN provides monthly cash transfers to some 1,7 million refugees and is expected to run out 
of  money  in  March  2021  at  the  latest.  EUR 400 million  is  needed  to  extend  it  until  end  2021. 
Many  complex  issues  such  as  revision  of  targeting  criteria  and  implementation  of  the  strategic 
transition to development programming require timely consultation and coordination with Turkish 
authorities and Implementing Partners. For this reason and in order to prepare the contracting in 
time, the commitment would need to be made by summer 2020. 

  The CCTE provides cash to refugee families whose children attend school instead of working. The 
current  contract  ends  in  October  2020.  EUR 85 million  is  urgently  needed  in  order  to  allow  the 
programme to run for an additional year and up to the end of December 2021. 

The support staff for these two humanitarian projects were previously financed from Member States’ 
bilateral  contributions  under  the  Facility  for  Refugees  in  Turkey.  Since  it  is  now  proposed  to  fully 
finance the continuation of the contracts by the EU budget, there will be a need to continue to finance 
from the EU budget the contract agents directly involved in the implementation. It is estimated that 15 
FTEs (full-time equivalent) contract agents will continue to be needed from 2021 for 3 years for the 
full implementation and financial follow-up. The budget for these staff, and their number, will be ring-
fenced within the administrative support expenditure of the programme. 

Budget line 

Name 

Section III – Commission 
23 02 01 

Delivery  of  rapid,  effective  and  needs-based  humanitarian  aid  and  food 
assistance 

Total 

Commitment 
appropriations 

Payment 
appropriations 

EUR 

485 000 000 

68 000 000 

485 000 000 

68 000 000 

In  addition,  humanitarian  projects  in  protection,  health  and  education  in  emergencies  will  end  in 
summer 2020. EU 50 million will be provided from within the existing 2020 budget for humanitarian 
aid to continue those activities for an additional year.  

EUR 68 million  in  payment  appropriations  are  requested  in  order  to  cover  pre-financing  under  the 
CCTE in 2020. 

4. 

FINANCING 

All redeployment possibilities under heading 4 Global Europe have been exhausted. The unallocated 
margin  under  this  heading  of  EUR 103,4 million  allows  the  financing  of  EUR 100 million  in 
commitment appropriations to support for resilience to host communities in Jordan and Lebanon. The 
remaining  portion  of  this  margin  (EUR 3,4 million)  is  however  insufficient  to  cover  the  urgent 
humanitarian support to refugees in Turkey. 

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Therefore,  the  Commission  proposes  to  mobilise  the  Contingency  Margin,  the  last  resort  special 
instrument,  for  the  balance  (EUR 481,6 million),  with  a  corresponding  offset  against  the  margins 
heading 
5 Administration 
available 
2 Sustainable growth: natural resources (EUR 465,3 million)7. 

(EUR 16,2 million) 

heading 

under 

2020 

and 

in 

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COM(2020) 422, 3.6.2020. 

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5. 

SUMMARY TABLE BY MFF HEADING 

Heading 

(incl. AB 1-3 & DAB 3-4/2020) 

Budget 2020 

Draft Amending Budget 5/2020 

In EUR 

Budget 2020 

(incl. AB 1-2 & DAB 3-5/2020) 

CA 

PA 

CA 

PA 

CA 

PA 

1.  Smart and inclusive growth 

83 930 597 837 

72 353 828 442 

Ceiling  

83 661 000 000 

Margin 

83 930 597 837 

72 353 828 442 

83 661 000 000 

1a  Competitiveness for growth and jobs 

25 284 773 982 

22 308 071 592 

25 284 773 982 

22 308 071 592 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

 93 773 982 

Ceiling 

25 191 000 000 

Margin 

 93 773 982 

25 191 000 000 

1b   Economic  social and territorial cohesion 

58 645 823 855 

50 045 756 850 

58 645 823 855 

50 045 756 850 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

 175 823 855 

Ceiling 

58 470 000 000 

Margin 

 175 823 855 

58 470 000 000 

2.  Sustainable growth: natural resources 

59 907 021 051 

57 904 492 439 

59 907 021 051 

57 904 492 439 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 465 323 871 

Ceiling 

60 421 000 000 

Margin 

 513 978 949 

60 421 000 000 

- 465 323 871 

 48 655 078 

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

43 410 105 687 

43 380 031 798 

43 410 105 687 

43 380 031 798 

Rounding difference excluded from margin calculation 

  888 000 

Sub-ceiling 

43 888 000 000 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 428 351 235 

EAGF Margin 

 477 006 313 

43 888 000 000 

  888 000 

- 428 351 235 

 48 655 078 

3.  Security and citizenship 

7 152 374 489 

5 278 527 141 

7 152 374 489 

5 278 527 141 

Of which under Flexibility Instrument 

1 094 414 188 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

2 392 402 163 

Of which under Contingency margin 

 714 558 138 

Ceiling 

Margin 

2 951 000 000 

1 094 414 188 

2 392 402 163 

 714 558 138 

2 951 000 000 

4.  Global Europe 

10 406 572 239 

8 944 061 191 

 585 000 000 

 168 000 000 

10 991 572 239 

9 112 061 191 

Of which under Contingency margin 

 481 572 239 

Ceiling 

10 510 000 000 

Margin 

 103 427 761 

 481 572 239 

10 510 000 000 

5.  Administration 

10 271 193 494 

10 274 196 704 

10 271 193 494 

10 274 196 704 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 966 558 138 

- 16 248 368 

Ceiling 

11 254 000 000 

11 254 000 000 

- 982 806 506 

Margin 

 16 248 368 

Of which: Administrative expenditure of the institutions 

7 955 303 132 

7 958 306 342 

7 955 303 132 

7 958 306 342 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 966 558 138 

- 16 248 368 

Sub-ceiling 

9 071 000 000 

Margin 

 149 138 730 

9 071 000 000 

- 982 806 506 

 132 890 362 

Of which under Flexibility Instrument 

1 094 414 188 

1 017 029 444 

1 094 414 188 

1 017 029 444 

Total 

171 667 759 110 

154 755 105 917 

 585 000 000 

 168 000 000 

172 252 759 110 

154 923 105 917 

Of which under global margin for commitments 

2 662 000 000 

Of which under Contingency margin 

 714 558 138 

 481 572 239 

2 662 000 000 

1 196 130 377 

Ceiling 

168 797 000 000 

172 420 000 000 

168 797 000 000 

172 420 000 000 

Of which offset against Contingency margin 

- 966 558 138 

- 481 572 239 

-1 448 130 377 

   Other special Instruments 

 860 261 208 

 690 998 208 

Margin 

 633 655 078 

18 681 923 527 

 48 655 078 

18 513 923 527 

 860 261 208 

 690 998 208 

Grand Total 

172 528 020 318 

155 446 104 125 

 585 000 000 

 168 000 000 

173 113 020 318 

155 614 104 125 

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