The European Parliament adopted by 575 votes to 4, with 3 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 laying down general provisions on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and on the instrument for financial support for police cooperation, preventing and combating crime, and crisis management and amending Regulation (EU) No 516/2014 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.

The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure, taking over the Commission proposal.

The proposal aims to help Member States deal with the consequences of the war in Ukraine by maximising the scope of use of Home Affairs funds, extending the eligibility period and unblocking access to unspent earmarked resources, thus avoiding the loss of unused funding due to decommitment.

Specifically, the amendments to Regulations (EU) No 514/2014, (EU) No 516/2014 and (EU) 2021/1147 aim to:

- extend the implementation period of the Home Affairs Funds 2014-2020 by one year to allow the Member States to fully use any unspent amounts from those programmes, and, if necessary, to swiftly revise the implementation of their programmes as needed to address the unforeseen challenges arising from the invasion of Ukraine;

- unblock access to unspent earmarked resources under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund - AMIF (2014-2020) to enable Member States to better address the increased pressure on their asylum and migration management systems resulting from the invasion of Ukraine;

- allow Member States and other public or private donors, during the 2021-2027 programming period, to make additional financial contributions to asylum and migration management, in the form of external assigned revenue . That external assigned revenue is to constitute a dedicated contribution from Member States and other public or private donors to finance specific items of expenditure under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for 2021-2027.

The support provided under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for the period 2014-2020 and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for the period 2021-2027 should be complementary to actions financed under other EU funds, in particular under the Cohesion Policy, in order to maximise the impact of the available funding.

This Regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

PURPOSE: optimise the use of the Home Affairs Funds 2014-2020 in the context of the mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine to EU Member States.

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

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has led to a massive influx of displaced persons from Ukraine into several Member States . This places renewed pressure on the financial resources of Member States to deal with urgent migration, border management and security needs. Taking into account the nature and dimension of the crisis, these unforeseen needs will persist beyond 2022.

This invasion has given rise to increased needs in areas, such as migration and border management, directly covered by the Home Affairs Funds (2014-2020).

The Commission considers it necessary to widen the scope of use of Home Affairs Funds as much as possible, by extending the period of eligibility and by unblocking access to unspent earmarked resources, thus avoiding the loss of unused funding following decommitment. This overall flexibility is necessary to ensure a comprehensive approach to migration management, based on mutual trust, solidarity and shared responsibility between Member States and EU institutions.

CONTENT: the proposal aims to support Member States to address the consequences of the war in Ukraine , by facilitating access to unspent financial resources for the 2014-2020 programming period under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund insofar as it concerns the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa, 2 as well as the Internal Security Fund insofar as it concerns the instrument for financial support for police cooperation, preventing and combating crime, and crisis management.

Specifically, the proposal aims to:

- extend the implementation period of the Home Affairs Funds 2014-2020 by one year. This extension will enable Member States to urgently utilise remaining funds to help address the increased pressure on their border and migration management systems arising from the invasion in Ukraine;

- unlock access to unspent earmarked resources under the AMIF 2014-2020 to enable Member States to better address the increased pressure on their asylum and migration management systems stemming from the invasion of Ukraine. This access will be provided by amending Regulation (EU) 516/2014 establishing the AMIF and laying down provisions for its use;

- enable the use of External Assigned Revenue under the AMIF 2021-2027 . The proposed amendment to Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 aims to give Member States and other public or private donors the possibility, under the 2021-2027 programming period, to make additional financial contributions to asylum and migration management in the form of external assigned revenue. This external assigned revenue will constitute a dedicated contribution from Member States and other public or private donors to finance specific items of expenditure under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for 2021-2027.