PURPOSE: definitive adoption of amending budget No 1/2020.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Definitive adoption (EU, Euratom) 2020/536 of Amending budget No 1 of the European Union for the financial year 2020.

CONTENT: amending budget No 1/2020 shall provide, in commitment appropriations the following:

Migratory pressure in Greece (EUR 350 million)

The requested EUR 350 million in commitment appropriations shall be used to meet the needs resulting from the increased migration pressure in Greece as follows:

- EUR 280 million shall be made available under AMIF to cover various activities in Greece;

- EUR 50 million under ISF Borders & Visa to cover the costs related to the deployment and operational costs of borders guards and police officers at the external borders of Greece and/or Bulgaria and the acquisition of relevant equipment;

- an increase of EUR 10 million for the European Border and Coast Guard agency (Frontex);

- a EUR 10 million increase in commitment and payment appropriations for the EU contribution to European Asylum Support Office (EASO) for the deployment of experts in Greece.

Urgent response to COVID-19 (EUR 115 million)

The COVID-19 outbreak represents a severe public health emergency for citizens, societies and economies with infection spreading very rapidly in all Member States. Member States need to repatriate a large number of EU nationals stranded in third countries and face shortages of medical countermeasures and personal protective equipment essential to fight the disease.

This appropriation is intended to cover expenditure related to civil protection intervention in third countries under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) notably to: (i) mobilise experts to assess assistance needs and facilitate European assistance in third countries in case of disasters; (ii) provide Union civil protection assistance, including the provision of relevant information on means of transport as well as associated logistics, in the event of disaster; (iii) support consular assistance to the citizens of the Union in major emergencies in third countries.

An additional EUR 115 million shall reinforce the UCPM.

Albania (EUR 100 million)

The earthquake which hit Albania on 26 November 2019 caused widespread damage and loss of life. This amending budget shall provide EUR 100 million in commitment appropriations to support reconstruction efforts.

Other minor adjustments have also been made regarding the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the European Court of Auditors and the Ombudsman.

Overall, the reinforcements in this AB amount to EUR 567.4 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 77.4 million in payment appropriations.