PURPOSE: definitive adoption of amending budget No 3 of the European Union for the financial year 2010.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: 2010/647/EU, Euratom.

CONTENT: the European Parliament has definitively adopted amending budget No 3 of the European Union for the financial year 2010, in accordance with its resolution dated 7 September 2010 (please refer to the summary of the resolution).

This amending budget covers the establishment plan of BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications) Office and is intended to formally enter this budgetary adjustment into the 2010 budget.

N.B. This amending budget was first presented as draft amending budget No 2/2010 rather than No 3/2010.

Budget 2010/647
OJ L 289 05.11.2010, p. 0001

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted by 618 votes to 25 against, with 17 abstentions, a resolution approving, unamended, the Draft amending budget No 2 of the European Union for the financial year 2010 Section III - Commission.

Parliament recalled that the draft budget covers the establishment plan of BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications) Office and is intended to formally enter this budgetary adjustment into the 2010 budget.

T7-0295/2010

A7-0240/2010

A7-0240/2010

On 22 March 2010, the Commission presented draft amending budget (DAB) No 2 to the general budget for 2010.

This DAB consisted of two main parts:

Section III of the general budget : modifications to the establishment plan of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) Office were proposed in order to enable the Commission to hire the necessary staff following the adoption of the legal basis for the setting up of this body. The amended establishment plan included the breakdown by grades, without changing the total number of staff for each function group. The proposed modifications did not require any additional financial provisions, as the corresponding administrative appropriations had already been authorised in the 2010 budget; Sections VI and VII of the general budget : additional human and financial resources were requested for the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions in order to take into account the new Treaty provisions, over a 6 months period and for a total amount of EUR 10 530 924 in commitment and payment appropriations within heading 5 (Administration).

Following the budgetary trilogue on 30 June 2010, the Commission sent a letter to the budgetary authority on 5 July 2010 proposing to split DAB No 2/2010 into two parts: one part would cover section III and the other part would cover sections VI and VII.

The Council was able to accept the part concerning section III of the general budget (BEREC's establishment plan).

Conclusion : on 26 July 2010, the Council adopted its position on draft amending budget No 2 (part 1) for the financial year 2010, as set out in the technical annex to its explanatory memorandum (see Council Doc. 12583/2010 ).

12583/2010

On 22 March 2010, the Commission presented draft amending budget (DAB) No 2 to the general budget for 2010.

This DAB consisted of two main parts:

Section III of the general budget : modifications to the establishment plan of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) Office were proposed in order to enable the Commission to hire the necessary staff following the adoption of the legal basis for the setting up of this body. The amended establishment plan included the breakdown by grades, without changing the total number of staff for each function group. The proposed modifications did not require any additional financial provisions, as the corresponding administrative appropriations had already been authorised in the 2010 budget; Sections VI and VII of the general budget : additional human and financial resources were requested for the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions in order to take into account the new Treaty provisions, over a 6 months period and for a total amount of EUR 10 530 924 in commitment and payment appropriations within heading 5 (Administration).

Following the budgetary trilogue on 30 June 2010, the Commission sent a letter to the budgetary authority on 5 July 2010 proposing to split DAB No 2/2010 into two parts: one part would cover section III and the other part would cover sections VI and VII.

The Council was able to accept the part concerning section III of the general budget (BEREC's establishment plan).

Conclusion : on 26 July 2010, the Council adopted its position on draft amending budget No 2 (part 1) for the financial year 2010, as set out in the technical annex to its explanatory memorandum (see Council Doc. 12583/2010 ).

12583/2010

The Committee on Budgets unanimously adopted the report drawn up by László SURJÁN (EPP, HU) on Council’s position on Draft amending budget No 2/2010 of the European Union for the financial year 2010.

It recommended that the European Parliament approve the Council's position on Draft amending budget No 2/2010 which covers the establishment plan of the BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications) Office and formally enters this budgetary adjustment into the 2010 budget.

PURPOSE: presentation of the draft amending budget No 2 to the general budget 2010 with a view to providing additional financial resources to the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions to finance the consequences of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.

CONTENT: Draft Amending Budget (DAB) No 2 for the year 2010 covers the following elements:

impact related to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty for the European Economic and Social Committee ( EESC ), and the Committee of Regions ( CoR ), as adopted in their respective draft statement of estimates; modifications to the establishment plan of BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications) Office, without additional financial provisions.

The net financial impact of this amending budget is EUR 10.5 million in additional commitments and payments appropriations under heading 5 of the multiannual financial framework.

Impact related to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty : d uring the 2010 budget procedure, it was agreed that priority for the use of the available margin of heading 5 would be given to financing additional expenditure directly stemming from the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community. This implied that the corresponding additional expenditure would have to be dealt with, if necessary, through an amending budget after the adoption of the original 2010 budget. It was emphasised that, in such a case and to the fullest possible extent, reorganisation of existing resources should be fully examined before any call for additional resources was made.

1) European Economic and Social Committee : t he EESC has undertaken detailed analyses of the implications and consequences of the full implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. In undertaking these analyses and discussions, the Committee has in particular considered:

new (energy, European research area, sport) or extended policy areas in the Treaty which will necessarily result in more formal consultations of the Committee and new possibilities for an increased role in some areas in which the EESC is already regularly consulted; the Committee's potential role as the platform, at EU level, for structured dialogue between the EU's institutions and organised civil society, working in partnership with those institutions, the Committee's possible role with regard to the implementation of the citizens' right of initiative; the Committee's potential monitoring role in verifying that the horizontal social clause in the new Treaty is respected and that social requirements are taken into account; the need for the Committee to adapt its structures and procedures so as to be able to deliver its opinions to the European Parliament in a timely way.

As a result of its reflections and calculations, the Committee requests following additional resources to fully implement the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty: EUR 4.14 million over a period of 6 months , including 22 new posts (14 AD5, 6 AD9, and 2 AST3). In addition, the EESC requests the conversion of 3 AST into 3 AD posts without requiring additional appropriations for the requested conversions.

2) Committee of the Regions : the increase in competences attributed by the Lisbon Treaty to the Committee of Regions (CoR) implies a substantial increase in its activities and its workload:

the Treaty strengthens significantly the EU's local and regional dimension through the definition of territorial cohesion as a new objective and the recognition of the new role of Local and Regional Authorities in the pre-legislative phase and in legislative impact assessment. It also highlights these authorities' key role in the organisation of services of general interest. In these areas the Committee must carry out its role as a lever between the local and regional authorities and the EU institutions in its capacity as their representative political body. As a consequence, these areas will become part of the core business of the CoR in its day to day activities; the Treaty makes explicit reference to the regional and local dimension of the subsidiarity principle with, "as a corollary" the CoR's right to take an action to the European Court of Justice. The evaluation of the territorial impact of any EU legislation in all policy areas which could potentially impact on territories together with the impact assessment of EU initiatives implies the need to reinforce the legal analysis of the EU legislative acts during the different phases of their adoption procedure and a permanent follow up of the CoR opinions; the existing Treaty provided for 10 areas on which the CoR had to be consulted. The Lisbon Treaty adds one new area (Energy) on which the CoR must be consulted and extends/deepens further 5 of the 10 existing ones. Furthermore, given the obligation now incumbent upon the European Parliament to consult the CoR, the CoR must be in a position to deliver quality opinions on a timely basis.

A proper implementation of these new competences and tasks implies a significant increase in the activities of the CoR. To manage this increase using only existing resources would require a significant reallocation of these resources plus the setting of negative priorities. To fulfil properly the extended tasks and responsibilities, additional financial and human resources are required. It is estimated an additional EUR 6.4 million (an increase of 8% on the current 2010 budget) and 37 new additional posts including 6 temporary posts for the secretariats of the political groups and the President's Cabinet will be required.

The BEREC Office : f or 2010, the budgetary authority allocated an amount of EUR 3.47 million for the Office providing professional and administrative support services to BEREC. Given the uncertainty surrounding the legal basis when presenting the Preliminary Draft Budget 2010, and pending agreement with the European regulators, the establishment plan adopted in the final 2010 budget only included the total number of staff by function groups but no breakdown by grades. To enable the Commission to set up the BEREC Office and hire the staff necessary to support its work, it is therefore necessary to amend the 2010 establishment plan in order to include the detailed establishment plan by grades, and allow the BEREC Office to fulfil all the conditions to become autonomous and carry out its mission in accordance with the adopted legal basis. The proposed modification does not require any additional spending , as the corresponding administrative appropriations have already been authorised in the 2010 budget. It does not change the total number of staff for each function group.

Conclusion : in total, an additional amount of EUR 10 530 924 is requested from the budgetary authority and shall be added to heading 5 of the 2010.

COM(2010)0108
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE: to present the Draft Amending Budget (DAB) N° 2 for the year 2010 to take account of the impacts related to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty for the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and the Committee of Regions (CoR).

CONTENT: Draft Amending Budget (DAB) No 2 for the year 2010 covers the following elements:

impact related to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty for the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and the Committee of Regions (CoR), as adopted in their respective draft statement of estimates; modifications to the establishment plan of BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications) Office, without additional financial provisions.

European Economic and Social Committee : the European Economic and Social Committee has undertaken detailed analyses of the implications and consequences of the full implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. In undertaking these analyses and discussions, the Committee has in particular considered:

new (energy, European research area, sport) or extended policy areas in the Treaty which will necessarily result in more formal consultations of the Committee; the Committee's potential role as the platform, at EU level, for structured dialogue between the EU's institutions and organised civil society; the Committee's possible role with regard to the implementation of the citizens' right of initiative; the Committee's potential monitoring role in verifying that the horizontal social clause in the new Treaty is respected and that social requirements are taken into account in the Union's policies; the need for the Committee to adapt its structures and procedures so as to be able to deliver its opinions to the European Parliament in a timely way, given the obligation now incumbent upon the European Parliament to consult the Committee where the Treaty so provides.

As a result of its reflections and calculations, the Committee requests following additional resources to fully implement the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty: EUR 4.14 million over a period of 6 months, including 22 new posts and the conversion of other posts which does not require any additional appropriations.

Committee of the Regions : the increase in competences attributed by the Lisbon Treaty to the Committee of Regions implies a substantial increase in its activities and its workload:

it strengthens significantly the EU's local and regional dimension through the definition of territorial cohesion as a new objective and the recognition of the new role of Local and Regional Authorities in the pre-legislative phase and in legislative impact assessment. These areas will become part of the core business of the CoR in its day to day activities; it makes explicit reference to the regional and local dimension of the subsidiarity principle with, "as a corollary" the CoR's right to take an action to the European Court of Justice. The evaluation of the territorial impact of any EU legislation in all policy areas which could potentially impact on territories together with the impact assessment of EU initiatives implies the need to reinforce the legal analysis of the EU legislative acts during the different phases of their adoption procedure and a permanent follow up of the CoR opinions; it adds one new area (Energy) on which the CoR must be consulted and extends/deepens further 5 of the 10 existing ones. A proper implementation of these new competences and tasks implies a significant increase in the activities of the CoR. To fulfil properly the extended tasks and responsibilities, additional financial and human resources are required.

It is estimated an additional EUR 6.4 million (an increase of 8 % on the current 2010 budget) and 37 new additional posts.

THE BEREC OFFICE: for 2010 , the budgetary authority allocated an amount of EUR 3.47 million for the Office providing professional and administrative support services to BEREC. Given the uncertainty surrounding the legal basis when presenting the Preliminary Draft Budget 2010, and pending agreement with the European regulators, the establishment plan adopted in the final 2010 budget only included the total number of staff by function groups but no breakdown by grades. To enable the Commission to set up the BEREC Office and hire the staff necessary to support its work, it is therefore necessary to amend the 2010 establishment plan in order to include the detailed establishment plan by grades, and allow the BEREC Office to fulfil all the conditions to become autonomous and carry out its mission in accordance with the adopted legal basis. The proposed modification does not require any additional spending.

Conclusion : the net financial impact of this amending budget is EUR 10.5 million in additional commitments and payments appropriations under heading 5 of the multiannual financial framework.

COM(2010)0108
EUR-Lex