PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2018.

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

CONTENT: Council Regulation (EU, EURATOM) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, within an annual ceiling of EUR 500 million (2011 prices), over and above the relevant headings of the financial framework.

Point 11 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters on and sound financial management set out the modalities for the mobilisation of the Fund.

The conditions of eligibility to the Fund are detailed in the Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, which foresees that an amount of up to a maximum of EUR 50 000 000 in both commitment and payment appropriations shall be included in the budget for the payment of advances.

The Commission therefore considers that it is necessary to provide for this mobilisation in order to ensure the timely availability of budgetary resources, and proposes that these amounts be included in the Draft Budget 2018.