A4-0107/94

Resolution on the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the adjustment of the financial perspective with a view to enlargement of the European Union (COM(94)0398 - C4-0249/94)

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament (COM(94)0398 - C4-0249/94),

-having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 29 October 1993 (IIA) and in particular paragraph 24 thereof,

-having regard to the Act relating to the conditions of accession for three new states to the European Union,

-having regard to the agreement concluded between the institutions on 29 November 1994 on the revision of the financial perspective,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets and the opinion of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy (A4-0107/94),

A.whereas the outcome of the trialogue of 29 November 1994 allows Parliament to achieve a number of objectives in connection with the enlargement of the Community and the Community's new requirements, as provided for in paragraph 24 of the IIA,

B.whereas the margins still available under the own resources ceiling should make it possible to undertake further revisions to cover the new requirements which could not be taken into account during the current revision of the financial perspective,

1.Notes that the institutions have been able to comply in good time with paragraph 24 of the IIA on revising the financial perspective to take account not only of the requirements resulting from enlargement but also of the new requirements;

2.Welcomes the fact that the adjustment of the financial perspective is creating a framework which will make it possible to adopt a budget for the enlarged European Union in December 1994, as advocated by Parliament in its budgetary guidelines;

3.Notes that the accession of the new states and the improved economic situation will make it possible to restore substantial margins between the revised financial perspective and the own resources ceiling as soon as the decision on own resources comes into force;

4.Stresses that, through this agreement, the Council has in practice accepted the principle whereby new resources must correspond to new initiatives;

5.Agrees that the new financial perspective proposed following the trialogue of 29 November 1994 should be expressed in 1992 prices;

Heading 1

6.Approves the decision to raise the own resources ceiling for heading 1 by the amount needed to enable the guideline to be applied to the new Member States, but regrets that this does not take account of the effects of clearing the accounts;

Heading 2

7.Welcomes the increase in the ceiling for heading 2, not only to allow for the accession of the new Member States, as provided for in the act of accession, but also to help finance a special programme for the regions of both parts of Ireland; stresses that this amount may also be used to support measures funded jointly with the International Fund for Ireland;

8.Stresses that the increase in the ceiling for heading 2 is a sign that Parliament can secure more financing for this category of expenditure, irrespective of the amounts deemed necessary in the regulations;

Heading 3

9.Welcomes the fact that, as far as heading 3 is concerned, the Council has unconditionally accepted the principles upheld by Parliament as regards both accession (increasing the ceiling in line with GNP) and the financing of the programme for the Portuguese textile and clothing industry;

10.Declares that there should be a proportional increase for the fourth research framework programme to ensure an equitable revision as provided for in the relevant decision;

Heading 4

11.Notes that, on the question of raising the ceiling for heading 4, it was possible to reach agreement only on the criterion of population increase;

12.Approves the increase in the ceiling for heading 4 of the financial perspective which will enable the EU to maintain its commitment to the developing countries, step up its policy of technical assistance for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and put in place a new policy for the countries of the Mediterranean basin (MEDA);

13.Regrets that the Council has not taken up its proposals for a more substantial increase in funding for the Union's external action, which would have made it possible to finance new actions under the CFSP, and believes that the financial perspective has not gone far enough; reminds the Council that any decision on an additional CFSP joint action which has a significant impact on the budget must be accompanied by a revision of the financial perspective;

Heading 5

14.Notes that administrative expenditure has been increased only slightly compared with the other headings but that it should nevertheless cover the initial recruitment of staff from the new Member States to the EU institutions;

15.Considers, however, that the allocation of appropriations for administrative expenditure is based on the estimates of numbers and time-scales submitted by the institutions; believes that, should a different approach be adopted, the breakdown of the ceilings for heading 5 should be reviewed;

16.Points out that the agreement on heading 5 contains a commitment on the part of the three institutions to undertake a further revision in 1996 for 1997, 1998 and 1999 to make provision for the financing of the EU institutions' property policy, in particular, the decisions taken at the Edinburgh European Council, and, where necessary, for the financing of staff posts in the institutions;

Heading 6

17.Agrees that heading 6 shall remain unchanged, as stipulated in the IIA of 29 October 1993;

Heading 7

18.Believes that the ceiling for this new heading will provide sufficient compensation for the new Member States as provided for in the act of accession;

19.Approves the decision attached to this resolution together with the financial perspective appended thereto;

20.Instructs its President to sign the decision.

Annex

Decision on the adjustment of the financial perspective annexed to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 29 October 1993 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure

The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission,

Having regard to paragraph 24 of the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure,

Having regard to the Act relating to the conditions of accession for Austria, Finland and Sweden,

Whereas the financial perspective for 1993-1999 annexed to the Interinstitutional Agreement must be adjusted in respect of the period 1995-1999 to take account of the new requirements and resources of the enlarged Community,

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

For each of the years from 1995 to 1999, the amounts shown in the financial perspective in Annex I to the Agreement are replaced by the amounts given in the table attached to this Decision.

Done in Brussels,

For Parliament,For the Council,

For the Commission,