Press Release: EU Floods Directive 2007 had positive effects overall, but planning and implementation now need improvements, warn auditors
Keynote Speech by Gabriel Bernardino, Chairman of EIOPA, at the 8th EIOPA Annual Conference in Frankfurt
Keynote Speech by Gabriel Bernardino, Chairman of EIOPA, at the 8th EIOPA Annual Conference in Frankfurt
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Insurance and Pensions: Securing the Future
Keynote Speech by Gabriel Bernardino, Chairman of EIOPA, at the 8th EIOPA Annual Conference in Frankfurt
EU budget for 2019: Conciliation ends without agreement
Press contacts
- Liis Jaansalu
- +32 (0)2 281 38 71
- +32 (0)470 89 08 50
On 19 November 2018, the Council and the European Parliament ended negotiations on the EU budget for 2019 without agreement.
The two arms of the budgetary authority concluded that they were not able to bridge their differences by midnight – the legal deadline laid down in the treaties.
“The Council regrets that it was not possible to reach an agreement on the 2019 EU budget today,” said Hartwig Löger, Minister for Finance of Austria and chief Council negotiator for the 2019 EU budget. “Throughout the conciliation process the Council tried hard to find a solution that would equip the Union for the challenges ahead. But I am still confident that we will be able to agree on next year’s budget before the end of the year.”
While the Council made a constructive offer that would have gone beyond the initial proposal by the Commission, the Parliament preferred to use unspent funds from previous years related to research projects. The Council was however concerned that this would create a precedent, with unknown consequences for the future.
The Parliament would also have liked to have a smaller contribution from the EU budget to the funding of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey. Member states agreed in June to finance €1 billion of an additional €3 billion for the facility by contributions according to their share of the EU’s GNI. €2 billion of this amount would therefore need to come from the EU budget.
Next steps
The Commission now has to present a new draft budget.
If, at the beginning of next year, the EU budget has not yet been definitively adopted, the system of provisional twelves applies. This means that not more than one twelfth of the budget appropriations for the previous year may be spent each month.
European Defence Fund: Council adopts its position
Press contacts
- Virginie Battu
- +32 2 281 53 16
- +32 470 18 24 05
The EU wants to strengthen the global competitiveness and innovation capacity of the Union’s defence technological and industrial base. On 19 November 2018, the Council adopted its position (partial general approach) on the European Defence Fund proposed by the European Commission in the context of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027.
On 13 June 2018, the European Commission presented its proposal for a regulation of the European Defence Fund as part of the upcoming MFF with a proposed envelope of €13 billion. The European Defence Fund aims to foster innovation and allow economies of scale in defence research and in the industrial development phase by supporting collaborative projects.
In its partial general approach, the Council broadly agrees with the Commission proposal. In particular, it confirms the overall objectives and structure of the Fund, including the intention to invest in disruptive technologies. It mostly seeks to clarify a number of aspects in regards to the eligibility of entities, and ownership of the results. It also seeks to clarify the award procedures and criteria and the provisions concerning the share of the indirect costs that will be covered by the Fund, the latter being an important element to make the Fund more attractive for industry players. The Council further stresses that special attention will be paid to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps in the Union.
The approach adopted today is labelled as “partial” as the financial and other horizontal aspects of the fund will depend on the overall agreement on the next multiannual financial framework.
Background
Earlier this year, the Council and the European Parliament established the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), under the current MFF and with a total budget of €500 million. The EDIDP also has the objective to foster collaborative defence capability development and reinforce the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the Union’s defence industry.