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This is what the Council decided on 21 April 2015 by revising the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2014-2020.
"I am truly glad that we were able to adopt the revision. With this revision we have met all preconditions that the allocated resources can be used to their full extent and thus to ensure a smooth implementation of programmes supporting growth and jobs", said Edgars Rinkēvičs, the Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the EU Council.
The revised MFF allows the transfer of € 21.1 billion of unused commitments for certain funds from 2014 to subsequent years. €16.5 billion can be transferred to 2015, €4.5 billion to 2016 and the remaining € 0.1 billion to 2017.
Draft amending budget 2/2015
The Council on 21 April 2015 also accepted draft amending budget no 2 for 2015 which incorporates commitments of €16.5 billion unused in 2014 into the 2015 EU budget.
The decisions taken by the Council keep the total expenditure ceilings for the period 2014-2020 unchanged and involve no additional money.
Ensuring programme implementation
Certain commitments remained unused in 2014 due to the late adoption of 300 out of the nearly 650 EU programmes under shared management. Commitments are legal promises to spend money on activities whose implementation can extend over several financial years.
The programmes concerned are supported by the structural funds, the cohesion fund, the European agricultural fund for rural development, the European maritime and fisheries fund, the asylum, migration and integration fund and the internal security fund.
Shifting commitments from 2014
The transfer of unused commitments concerns the following amounts and member states (in million €):
Next steps
The revised MFF will now be published in the Official Journal of the EU and enter into force three day later.
Draft amending budget 2/2015 still requires the approval of the European Parliament befor being adopted.
Background
The MFF regulation sets out maximum amounts - ceilings - which the EU is allowed to spend on policy areas - headings - over the period 2014-2020.
By setting expenditure ceilings the MFF regulation
- translates political priorities into figures for the budget cycle 2014-2020
- ensures budgetary discipline for the EU
- facilitates the adoption of the annual EU budget through a multiannual framework
The MFF regulation adopted on 2 December 2013 provides for a revision of the EU's multiannual financial framework in the case of late adoption of programmes under shared management. The MFF regulation sets the deadline of 1 May 2015 for adopting the revision.
