COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union concerning the position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards the adjustment of annual pre-financing for the years 2021-2023
Date: 2020-10-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission
Subjects: European Structural and Investment Funds, budget policy, distribution of EU funding, financial year, general budget (EU), operational programme

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 8.10.2020  COM(2020) 648 final 2018/0322 (COD)  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT  pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union  concerning the position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards the adjustment of annual pre-financing for the years 2021-2023  
 
 
2018/0322 (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union 

concerning the 

position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and 
of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards the adjustment of 
annual pre-financing for the years 2021-2023 

1. 

BACKGROUND 

Date of transmission of the proposal to the European Parliament and 
to the Council (document COM(2018) 614 final-2018/0322 (COD)): 

07/09/2018 

Date of the position of the European Parliament, first reading: 

04/04/2019 

Date of adoption of the position of the Council: 

07/10/2020 

2. 

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSAL FROM THE COMMISSION 

The aim of the Commission proposal was to reduce the annual pre-financing levels to 1% from 
the  current  3%  for  the  years  2021-2023  for  the  2014-2020  programming  period.  The  proposal 
intended to increase transparency and contribute to the predictability of budgetary planning and to 
a more stable and predictable payment profile. The reduction was proposed for the last three years 
of the current programming period (years 2021-2023), which overlap with the next programming 
period  starting  in  2021.  This  approach  took  into  account  payment  needs  stemming  from  pre-
financing arrangements proposed for the 2021-2027 programmes where only initial pre-financing 
would be paid in six annual tranches. 

3. 

COMMENTS  ON  THE  POSITIONS  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The EESC (rapporteur: Mr Doz Orrit) adopted its opinion at the Plenary of 23 and 24 January 
2019,  which  rejects  the  Commission  proposal.  The  Commission  maintained  its  original 
proposal at that stage. The Committee of the Regions did not issue an opinion. 

4. 

COMMENTS ON THE POSITION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

The European Parliament adopted its first reading position on 4 April 2019. The Parliament 
presented  one  amendment  aiming  at  reducing  the  annual  pre-financing  levels  for  the  years 
2021-2023  to  2%,  instead  of  reducing  it  to  the  1%  proposed  by  the  Commission.  The 
Commission maintained its original proposal at that stage. 

5. 

COMMENTS ON THE POSITION OF THE COUNCIL 

The  Council  position,  based  on  the  European  Council  conclusions  of  21  July  2020,  reflects 
the European Parliament’s first reading position. 

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The only Council amendment reduces the annual pre-financing levels for the years 2021-2023 
to  2%,  instead  of  reducing  it  to  the  proposed  1%.  The  Commission  services  assisted  in  the 
calculations  leading  up  to  the  conclusions  reached  at  the  European  Council  and  the  agreed 
rate was viewed as feasible. 

6. 

CONCLUSION 

The Commission accepts the changes made by the Council and the European Parliament. 

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