The European Parliament adopted by 634 votes to 39, with 16 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council, as regards the decommitment procedure.

The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, taking over the Commission proposal.

The proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 concerns the implementation of national programmes under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF) for the period 2014-2020.

It aims to provide additional flexibility to Member States to enable them to respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by enhancing the possibility to make full use of the available implementation period up until the closure of programmes by 31 December 2023.

In concrete terms, its objective is to ensure that in the face of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic all Members States make full use of the N + 2 rule and have sufficient time for the implementation of the allocated funds and declaration of the expenditure to the Commission.

Under the proposed amending Regulation:

- all payment requests covering the year N+2 submitted by a Member State within the regulatory deadlines laid down in Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 shall be taken into account when calculating the decommitment;

- the implementation period of the amounts corresponding to the additional allocations granted to national programmes in 2018 and 2019 shall be aligned with the implementation period of the initial allocation.

Under the current Regulation, decommitment takes place by 31 December of the second year following the year in which the budget commitment was made. Under the proposed new provisions, decommitment shall take place by 15 February of the year following the second year in which the budget commitment is made.

PURPOSE: to enable a maximum use of funds to address the effects of the unprecedented public health crisis resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: the COVID-19 pandemic has consequences for migration, security and border management in the Member States. It requires that measures be taken to support Member States in the implementation of funds by strengthening the possibility to make full use of the available implementation period until the closure of the programmes on 31 December 2023.

In this respect, it is appropriate to ensure that the N+2 rule is fully used so as to provide Member States sufficient time for the implementation of their allocations and declaration of the expenditure to the Commission.

CONTENT: the proposal to amend Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council aligns the deadlines for payment requests and decommitment and it adjusts the date of commitment of the additional allocations in 2018 and 2019, which have been granted to address unforeseen needs in the areas covered by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Funds and the Internal Security Fund.

The proposed amendment aims to ensure that:

- all payment requests covering the year N+2 submitted by Member State within the regulatory deadlines set out in Art. 44 of Regulation 514/2014 are taken into account when calculating the decommitment;

- the implementation period of the amounts corresponding to additional allocations to the national programmes provided in 2018 and 2019 is aligned with the implementation period of the initial allocation.