Decision (EU) 2018/8 of the European Parliament and of the Council

of 12 December 2017

on the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to finance immediate budgetary measures to address the on-going challenges of migration, refugee inflows and security threats

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management1, and in particular point 12 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

The Flexibility Instrument is intended to allow the financing of clearly identified expenditure which could not be financed within the limits of the ceilings available for one or more other headings.

(2)
The ceiling on the annual amount available for the Flexibility Instrument is EUR 600 000 000 (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 11 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/20132.
(3)

In order to address the ongoing challenges of migration, refugee inflows and security threats, it is necessary to mobilise significant additional amounts to finance such measures as a matter of urgency.

(4)

Having examined all possibilities for re-allocating appropriations under the expenditure ceiling for heading 3 (Security and citizenship), it is necessary to mobilise the Flexibility Instrument to supplement the financing available in the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2018, beyond the ceilings of heading 3 by the amount of EUR 837 241 199 to finance measures in the field of migration, refugees and security. This amount includes amounts which lapsed in the previous years of the European Union Solidarity Fund and of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund and which are made available for the Flexibility Instrument in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 11(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013.

(5)

On the basis of the expected payment profile, the payment appropriations corresponding to the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument should be distributed over several financial years.

(6)

In order to allow for the quick use of the funds, this Decision should apply from the beginning of the financial year 2018,

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