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The European Parliament approved a compromise 2013 EU budget of €132.8bn, ending an impasse with member states that threatened negotiations over the bloc’s long-term spending plans, writes the Financial Times. The deal represents a 2.9 per cent increase, less than half the 6.8 per cent rise that MEPs and the European Commission had originally sought. Summing up the deal, the economic daily adds –
In addition to the 2013 increase, member states will also provide an extra €6bn for the current year’s budget to deal with a growing pile of unpaid bills – an issue that was the most contentious element of the talks. The UK and other budget hawks had staunchly resisted the top-up. Although they were ultimately forced to give ground, the €6bn amending budget was less than the €9bn that the commission had requested. The €3bn gap means that the parties will probably tangle again early next year over yet another amending budget to deal with those remaining bills.
European politics website EUobserver quotes EU budget commissioner Janusz Lewandowski’s concerns that the cash shortfall issue still remains. He says –
The approved budget will in all likelihood not be sufficient to pay the incoming bills ... the pressure on the 2013 EU budget will be tremendous. There is a serious risk that we will run out of funds early in the course of next year.
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