- €4.8 billion allocated for support to Ukraine
- Further increases for Western Balkans and European Defence Fund
- 2024 EU budget update necessary due to the mid-term revision of the EU’s long-term budget
Budget MEPs have approved changes to the current EU budget resulting from the revised Multiannual Financial Framework, leading to a €5.8 billion increase.
Members of the Committee on Budgets on Monday have approved the Draft Amending Budget No 1 for the year 2024 (DAB 1/2024) by adopting the relevant draft report by Siegfried Mureșan (EPP, RO) with 16 votes in favour, one against and two abstentions. The DAB 1/2024 increases expenditure by €5.83 billion in commitment appropriations and €4.14 billion in payment appropriations. MEPs regard these increases as “significant reinforcements”, already proposed by Parliament previously. These reinforcements could not be integrated into the 2024 budget earlier due to delays in adopting the revised Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) regulation, which was ultimately approved in February.
Support for Ukraine
The DAB 1/2024 adds funds from the €50 billion Ukraine Facility, also adopted in February, to the 2024 EU budget. In this context, €4,8 billion from the newly created Ukraine Reserve will be mobilised to enable the payment of grants to Ukraine. MEPs stress that grant- and loan-based financial support through the Ukraine Facility will “help to keep the state and essential services functioning, while supporting Ukraine on its path to reconstruction, recovery, reform and membership of the Union”.
Western Balkans and Defence
Similarly, the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans will be endowed with a first tranche of €500 million for 2024. MEPs underline that they, along with the Council of the EU, intend to modify the relevant nomenclature in the EU budget later this year to ensure appropriate political and budgetary scrutiny of the Western Balkans Facility.
The European Defence Fund (EDF) will be reinforced with €376 million, resulting from the creation of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) regulation, also part of the recently adopted MFF mid-term revision.
Next steps
The DAB 1/2024 still needs to be approved by the full house on 25 April.
Further information