PURPOSE: final adoption of amending budget 4/2006.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: 2006/869/EC, Euratom.

CONTENT: the European Parliament has adopted amending budget 4/2006 of the European Union in conformity with its resolution dated 24 October 2006 (please refer to the summary of the resolution).

This amending budget shall strengthen the numbers of staff in several of the executive agencies for a total amount of EUR 7 950 000 . The following agencies are concerned:

the European Aviation Safety Agency; the European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at the External Borders (FRONTEX); the European GNSS Supervisory Authority.

Amending budget 4/2006 also aims to increase the appropriations entered on the line “Translation and interpretation costs” for the European Data-protection Supervisor (an increase of EUR 554 545 ).

The total amount of the amending budget is EUR 8 504 545 .

In accordance with its parallel resolution of 24 October 2006 on the Council’s draft amending budget (refer to the summary of T6-0428/2006), the European Parliament adopted the budgetary amendments which confirm its position at first reading.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Giovanni PITTELLA (PES, IT) and Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (EPP-ED, LV) taking note of the Council's second reading, and confirming Parliament’s position at first reading. ( Please refer to the summary dated 12/09/2006). The Amending budget was adopted by 540 votes in favour to 59 against with 6 abstentions.

On the basis of the draft amending budget No 3 to the 2006 general budget established by the Council on 11 July 2006, the European Parliament proceeded with its first reading of the text at its 27 September 2006 plenary session and adopted 5 amendments (please refer to the summaries dated 27 September 2006).

The budget committee examined the amendments on 2 October 2006 and reached an agreement, by qualified majority, suggesting that the Committee of Permanent Representatives invite the Council to :

- reject, by way of amendment, the 5 amendments proposed by the European Parliament;

- approve the draft letter on this matter to be addressed to the European Parliament.

The committee adopted the report by Giovanni PITTELLA (PES, IT) and Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (EPP-ED, LV) reiterating the committee's position at 1st reading on Draft amending budget No 3/2006 (please refer to the summary dated 12/09/2006).

On the basis of the draft amending budget No 3 to the 2006 general budget established by the Council on 11 July 2006, the European Parliament proceeded with its first reading of the text at its 27 September 2006 plenary session and adopted 5 amendments (please refer to the summaries dated 27 September 2006).

The budget committee examined the amendments on 2 October 2006 and reached an agreement, by qualified majority, suggesting that the Committee of Permanent Representatives invite the Council to :

- reject, by way of amendment, the 5 amendments proposed by the European Parliament;

- approve the draft letter on this matter to be addressed to the European Parliament.

By adopting the joint report by M. Giovanni PITELLA (PSE, I) and Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (EPP/ED, LV), the European Parliament supports the increases proposed by the Commission in its PDAB No 3/2006 for the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, the European Aviation Safety Agency, the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders and the European Data-protection Supervisor.

It considers it too early in the budgetary year, however, to make up at this point for the necessary increases in these lines by reducing other lines which still might be fully implemented in 2006. Therefore, it rejects the Council's intention to cover the requests for additional appropriations through redeployment and, in particular, compensate for the increase asked for by the European Data-protection Supervisor by decreasing the Commission's section of the budget.

According to the Parliament, the practice of redeploying funds would create a dangerous precedent for all institutions as it aims to finance, during the implementation of the budget, the administrative expenditure of one institution by taking the necessary appropriations from the budget of another institution.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Giovanni PITTELLA (PES, IT) on Draft amending budget No. 3/2006. (Please see the summary dated 12/09/2006.)

The committee adopted the report by Giovanni PITTELLA (PES, IT) and Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (EPP-ED, LV) on Draft amending budget No 3/2006. Although it supported the increases proposed by the Commission in its Preliminary draft amending budget (PDAB) No 3/2006 for the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, the European Aviation Safety Agency, the European Agency for the Management of the Operational Cooperation at External Borders and the European Data-protection Supervisor, the committee felt that it was too early in the budgetary year to make up at this point for the necessary increases in these lines by reducing other lines which still might be fully implemented in 2006. It therefore rejected the Council's intention to cover the requests for additional appropriations through redeployment and, in particular, to compensate for the increase asked for by the European Data-protection Supervisor by decreasing the Commission's section of the budget .

In May 2006, the Commission forwarded a Preliminary Draft Amending Budget (PDAB) No. 3/2006 to the Council, which comprised four main elements. Three of the proposed amendments concerned changes to Section III (the Commission) and one amendment proposed a change to Section VIII Part B: the European Data-Protection Supervisor.

In summary, the proposed draft amendments requested:

- Reinforcing staff at the “European Aviation Safety Agency” to cover standardisation inspection programmes. This would involve an additional 6 AD and 2 AST temporary posts.

- Reinforcing staff at the “European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at the External Borders”. This would involve an additional 13 AD and the removal of 2 AST temporary posts.

- Strengthening the European GNSS Supervisory Authority through the financing of an additional 19 AD temporary posts. The GNSS Supervisory Authority has taken over certain tasks from the Galileo Joint Undertaking, hence the need for more staff.

- Increasing the appropriations entered on the line “Translation and interpretation costs” for the European Data-protection Supervisor.

The Commission proposed covering the commitment and payment appropriations necessary for reinforcing the staff of the European Aviation Safety Agency and the European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at the External Borders by redeploying appropriations within the budget.

Both the commitment and payment appropriations needed to strengthen the GNSS Supervisory Authority and the additional translation costs for the European Data-Protection Supervisory Authority, on the other hand, would need to be funded through additional appropriations. The extra funding needed refers to EUR 3 050 000 and EUR 554 545 respectively.

In July 2006, the Council gave its response:

- As far as the establishment plans of the “European Aviation Safety Agency”, the “Galileo Supervisory Authority” and the “European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at External Borders” are concerned, the proposed changes are accepted. Similarly, the Council has agreed to cover the appropriations needed for reinforcing staff at the European Aviation Safety Agency and the European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at External Borders through the redeployment of appropriations within the budget.

- The Council has accepted the Commission’s proposal to finance a strengthened GNSS Supervisory Body by decreasing both the commitment and payment appropriations from EUR 3 050 000 to EUR 1 600 000. The remaining amount will be covered by the transfer of appropriations within the budget.

- The Council has accepted the proposed request for additional appropriations concerning translation costs related to the European Data-Protection Supervisor. Taking account of the under-implementation of Chapter 02 01 (Administrative expenditure for “Enterprise Policy”) foreseen for the end of the 2006 financial year, the Council has agreed to compensate these additional appropriations to budget line 02 01 04 01 “Operation and development of the internal market, particularly in the fields of notification, certification and sectoral approximation – Expenditure on administrative management.”

In May 2006, the Commission forwarded a Preliminary Draft Amending Budget (PDAB) No. 3/2006 to the Council, which comprised four main elements. Three of the proposed amendments concerned changes to Section III (the Commission) and one amendment proposed a change to Section VIII Part B: the European Data-Protection Supervisor.

In summary, the proposed draft amendments requested:

- Reinforcing staff at the “European Aviation Safety Agency” to cover standardisation inspection programmes. This would involve an additional 6 AD and 2 AST temporary posts.

- Reinforcing staff at the “European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at the External Borders”. This would involve an additional 13 AD and the removal of 2 AST temporary posts.

- Strengthening the European GNSS Supervisory Authority through the financing of an additional 19 AD temporary posts. The GNSS Supervisory Authority has taken over certain tasks from the Galileo Joint Undertaking, hence the need for more staff.

- Increasing the appropriations entered on the line “Translation and interpretation costs” for the European Data-protection Supervisor.

The Commission proposed covering the commitment and payment appropriations necessary for reinforcing the staff of the European Aviation Safety Agency and the European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at the External Borders by redeploying appropriations within the budget.

Both the commitment and payment appropriations needed to strengthen the GNSS Supervisory Authority and the additional translation costs for the European Data-Protection Supervisory Authority, on the other hand, would need to be funded through additional appropriations. The extra funding needed refers to EUR 3 050 000 and EUR 554 545 respectively.

In July 2006, the Council gave its response:

- As far as the establishment plans of the “European Aviation Safety Agency”, the “Galileo Supervisory Authority” and the “European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at External Borders” are concerned, the proposed changes are accepted. Similarly, the Council has agreed to cover the appropriations needed for reinforcing staff at the European Aviation Safety Agency and the European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at External Borders through the redeployment of appropriations within the budget.

- The Council has accepted the Commission’s proposal to finance a strengthened GNSS Supervisory Body by decreasing both the commitment and payment appropriations from EUR 3 050 000 to EUR 1 600 000. The remaining amount will be covered by the transfer of appropriations within the budget.

- The Council has accepted the proposed request for additional appropriations concerning translation costs related to the European Data-Protection Supervisor. Taking account of the under-implementation of Chapter 02 01 (Administrative expenditure for “Enterprise Policy”) foreseen for the end of the 2006 financial year, the Council has agreed to compensate these additional appropriations to budget line 02 01 04 01 “Operation and development of the internal market, particularly in the fields of notification, certification and sectoral approximation – Expenditure on administrative management.”

PURPOSE : to present the Preliminary Draft Amending Budget No 3 to the general budget for 2006 which aims to increase the budget of 3 Community Agencies and to amend the budget of the European Data protection Supervisor.

CONTENT : this preliminary draft amending budget comprises four elements, three being amendments to Section III (Commission) and one an amendment to Section VIII Part B (European Data protection Supervisor). They specifically concern:

Section III (Commission):

§ strengthening the European GNSS Supervisory Authority to take account of the transfer to it of some of the activities of the Galileo Joint Undertaking : the Supervisory Authority is in a position to take over all the activities that are currently being carried out by the Joint Undertaking in the course of 2006. The proposed preliminary draft amending budget proposed an increase in staff from 20 to 39. Before the end of 2006, the Supervisory Authority should possess the necessary financing to carry out the tasks additional to those initially envisaged. A supplementary budget of EUR 3 050 000 would be required for that purpose;

§ reinforcing the staff of the European Aviation Safety Agency to cover the standardisation inspections programme : the proposed preliminary draft amending budget is based on an estimated staff for 2006 of 336 (328 planned for 2006 and a further 8 recruited on adoption of the amending budget by the budgetary authority). A supplementary budget of EUR 1 114 000 would be required for that purpose. The appropriations necessary will be taken from the budget heading for transport safety (06 02 03) by redeploying funds within the budget allocation for policy area TREN;

§ reinforcing the staff of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders : the amending budget takes account of recent operating experience and an amendment introduced by the European Parliament which raises the title 3 allocation. It has therefore been estimated that the administrative expenditure should amount to EUR 6.1 million and that 11 new posts shall also be funded. To avoid increasing the Community contribution, EUR 3.786 million in appropriations should be transferred from title 3 to titles 1 and 2.

Section VIII Part B (European Data protection Supervisor)

§ increasing the appropriations entered in line B-1 1 7 5 “Translation and interpretation costs” for the European Data-protection Supervisor : the total budget for the European Data-protection Supervisor in 2006 amounts to EUR 3 583 833. This PDAB for 2006 increases the appropriations entered in line B-1 1 7 5 “Translation and interpretation costs” from EUR 112 491 to EUR 667 036 : an additional amount of EUR 554 545.

PURPOSE : to present the Preliminary Draft Amending Budget No 3 to the general budget for 2006 which aims to increase the budget of 3 Community Agencies and to amend the budget of the European Data protection Supervisor.

CONTENT : this preliminary draft amending budget comprises four elements, three being amendments to Section III (Commission) and one an amendment to Section VIII Part B (European Data protection Supervisor). They specifically concern:

Section III (Commission):

§ strengthening the European GNSS Supervisory Authority to take account of the transfer to it of some of the activities of the Galileo Joint Undertaking : the Supervisory Authority is in a position to take over all the activities that are currently being carried out by the Joint Undertaking in the course of 2006. The proposed preliminary draft amending budget proposed an increase in staff from 20 to 39. Before the end of 2006, the Supervisory Authority should possess the necessary financing to carry out the tasks additional to those initially envisaged. A supplementary budget of EUR 3 050 000 would be required for that purpose;

§ reinforcing the staff of the European Aviation Safety Agency to cover the standardisation inspections programme : the proposed preliminary draft amending budget is based on an estimated staff for 2006 of 336 (328 planned for 2006 and a further 8 recruited on adoption of the amending budget by the budgetary authority). A supplementary budget of EUR 1 114 000 would be required for that purpose. The appropriations necessary will be taken from the budget heading for transport safety (06 02 03) by redeploying funds within the budget allocation for policy area TREN;

§ reinforcing the staff of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders : the amending budget takes account of recent operating experience and an amendment introduced by the European Parliament which raises the title 3 allocation. It has therefore been estimated that the administrative expenditure should amount to EUR 6.1 million and that 11 new posts shall also be funded. To avoid increasing the Community contribution, EUR 3.786 million in appropriations should be transferred from title 3 to titles 1 and 2.

Section VIII Part B (European Data protection Supervisor)

§ increasing the appropriations entered in line B-1 1 7 5 “Translation and interpretation costs” for the European Data-protection Supervisor : the total budget for the European Data-protection Supervisor in 2006 amounts to EUR 3 583 833. This PDAB for 2006 increases the appropriations entered in line B-1 1 7 5 “Translation and interpretation costs” from EUR 112 491 to EUR 667 036 : an additional amount of EUR 554 545.