Brussels, 12 November 2022
Today, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, on a proposal from the European Commission, have reached an agreement on the EU budget for 2023. The agreement is for commitments of €186.6 billion, and payments of €168.7 billion. Once adopted, the budget would allow the EU to mobilise significant funds to help mitigate the severe consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in the country but also in the southern neighbourhood and Member States. It would also support the ongoing sustainable recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, and protect and create jobs. It would trigger further investments into a greener, more digital and more resilient Europe, while protecting the most vulnerable in its neighbourhood and around the world.
The budget agreed today will direct funds to where they can make the greatest difference, in line with the most crucial needs of the EU Member States and the EU’s partners around the world.
More concretely, it has been agreed to direct:
- 14.7 billion to support our neighbours and international development and cooperation. The agreement includes targeted increases for the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe (€12.3 billion), focusing on Ukraine and Moldova, migration in the southern neighbourhood as well as for the Humanitarian Aid programme (€1.8 billion) to address crisis situations across the globe;
- €1.5 billion for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and €956.8 million for the Integrated Border Management Fund to step up cooperation on external border management, as well as migration and asylum policy, including support to Member States receiving refugees from Ukraine;
- €3.0 billion for the Connecting Europe Facility for an up-to-date, high-performance transport infrastructure to facilitate cross-border connections, [with particular emphasis on strengthening the EU-Ukraine solidarity lanes, and the energy strand in response to the energy crisis, complementing the €20 billion euro REPowerEU proposal];
- €295.2 million for Military Mobility to improve civilian and military mobility;
- €3.7 billion for Erasmus+ to invest in young people, including pupils and students fleeing Ukraine, as well as €332.8 million for the cultural and creative sectors through the Creative Europe programme;
- €62.9 billion in commitments to support the ongoing recovery by boosting investments in economic, social and territorial cohesion;
- €53.6 billion for the Common Agricultural Policy and €1.1 billion for the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund, for Europe’s farmers and fishermen, but also to strengthen the resilience of the agri-food and fisheries sectors and to provide the necessary scope for crisis management;
- €12.4 billion for Horizon Europe, to support the EU’s research in areas like health, digital, industry, space, climate, energy, and mobility;
- €602.8 million for the Single Market Programme to support small- and medium-sized enterprises across the Union;
- €739.3 million for the EU4Health programme to support the EU Health Union and to deliver a comprehensive response to the health needs of European citizens;
- €1.5 billion under the Just Transition Fund to make sure the transition to climate neutrality works for all and €755.5 million under the LIFE programme to support environment and climate action;
- €309.9 million for the Internal Security Fund, €945.7 million for the European Defence Fund to support European strategic autonomy and security, and €157.0 million for European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act.
The full breakdown per heading is available here:
| EU budget 2023 (in million euro): | ||
| APPROPRIATIONS BY HEADING | Budget 2023 | |
| Commitments | Payments | |
| 1. Single Market, Innovation and Digital | 21,548.4 | 20,901.4 |
| 2. Cohesion, Resilience and Values | 70,586.7 | 58,058.7 |
| — Economic, social and territorial cohesion | 62,926.5 | 50,875.0 |
| — Resilience and Values | 7,660.2 | 7,183.7 |
| 3. Natural Resources and Environment | 57,259.3 | 57,455.7 |
| Market related expenditure and direct payments | 40,692.2 | 40,698.2 |
| 4. Migration and Border management | 3,727.3 | 3,038.4 |
| 5. Security and Defence | 2,116.6 | 1,208.4 |
| 6. Neighbourhood and the World | 17,211.9 | 13,994.9 |
| 7. European Public Administration | 11,311.3 | 11,311.3 |
| Thematic special instruments | 2,855.2 | 2,679.8 |
| Total appropriations | 186,616.7 | 168,648.7 |
Source: European Commission: Figures expressed in €million, in current prices
Together with the budget for 2023, the EU institutions agreed to endorse the proposed amendments to the 2022 budget as tabled by the Commission earlier this year. Once the approval process is finalised, the Commission will be able to continue supporting and assisting Ukraine, help Member States more affected from the inflow of migrants and Ukraine refugees, strengthen the Union’s preparedness for forest fires, respond to the currents outbreaks of avian influenza and swine fever, and address further challenges stemming from the overall macroeconomic context.
In parallel to the annual budget for 2023, EU countries will continue to rely on support from the NextGenerationEU recovery instrument and the Recovery and Resilience Facility at its heart.
On top of the budget reinforcement the Commission proposed on 9 November an unprecedented support package for Ukraine of up to €18 billion for 2023. This will come in the form of highly concessional loans, disbursed in regular instalments as of 2023.
What happens next?
The annual budget for 2023 will now be formally adopted by the Council of the European Union and by the European Parliament. The vote in plenary, which will mark the end of the process, is currently scheduled for 23 November 2022.
For More Information
Quote(s)
During these trying times, Europe shows that it can deliver for the benefit of all. The budget agreed today will help address the consequences from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine through more funding, including for humanitarian needs, solidarity lanes, sufficient energy supplies but also support to the EU countries accepting the people fleeing Ukraine.
EU Budget 2023 deal: focus on Ukraine, energy and recovery
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Provisional deal between Parliament and Council reached on Monday
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Over €1 billion on top of Commission’s original proposal for key priorities such as humanitarian aid, Erasmus+, infrastructure
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Essential funding restored for key programmes cut by EU governments
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Deal still to be formally endorsed by Council and Parliament
MEPs have fought for and obtained better support for an EU budget 2023 that addresses the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the pandemic recovery process more effectively.
On Monday evening, the negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the 2023 EU Budget, shortly before the deadline of the conciliation period, ending on Monday 14 November at midnight. Parliament has obtained in total €1048.7 million for its priorities on top of what the Commission had initially proposed in the draft budget.
The preliminary figures are €186,6 billion in commitment appropriations and €168,7 billion in payment appropriations. Detailed figures will be available later.
MEPs were successful in increasing funding for programmes and policies which they see as vital for addressing the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, contributing to the post-pandemic recovery and strengthen efforts towards the green and digital transitions, in line with Parliament’s priorities set out in its guidelines for 2023.
Consequences of the war in Ukraine
MEPs obtained additional funding for programmes including:
- Erasmus+ with €120 million to support young refugees,
- humanitarian aid by €150 million,
- the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund with a €5 million top-up,
- the Border Management and Visa Instrument with €10 million,
- the “Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument” (NDICI – Global Europe) for the EU’s southern and eastern neighbourhood with €280 million, and
- Military Mobilitywith €58,8
Energy and climate
MEPs managed to increase EU energy independence and support citizens and SMEs with their high energy bills, while backing the green transition and biodiversity. Programmes with additional support include:
- the Horizon Europe research programme,
- the Connecting Europe Facility, which funds the construction of high-quality and sustainable trans-European transport and energy networks,
- the environment and climate action LIFE programme,
The lessons of the pandemic: health, better preparedness, culture and values
MEPs restored the €200 million cut by the Council to the EU4Health programme and obtained another €7.5 million, as the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, resulting in a need to support national health systems to become more resilient. Further priorities where Parliament fought for and obtained additional support include:
- the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM),
- the Creative Europe Programme,
- the Digital Europe Programme,
- the Rights and Values programme and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).
Quotes
Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE), Chair of the Committee on Budgets, said: “I’m delighted we reached an agreement on the budget for 2023. The additional expenditure provided for Ukraine, energy, migration and research answers to the challenges of the day. Meanwhile, it is clear that the limits of the current multiannual financial framework, the EU’s long-term budget, have been reached.”
Nicolae Ştefănuță (RENEW, RO), general rapporteur for the EU budget 2023 (for section III – Commission): “Over one billion Euros more to reduce energy prices, to deflect the effects of the war and help our allies in the East and South, to stand on our own feet on defence – this is what we fought for and what we got. Citizens do not expect institutional games, they expect results now.”
Niclas Herbst (EPP, DE), rapporteur for the other sections: “We made an important step towards reinforcing Parliament’s cybersecurity, leading the way for the other EU institutions. From the outset, we intended to improve the good functioning of the institutions, especially in these challenging times.”
Next steps
After Council has formally adopted the compromise, it will be discussed in the Committee on Budgets on Thursday (17 November), then voted on in plenary in the European Parliament (during the November session in Strasbourg) and signed into law by its President.
Around 94% of the EU’s budget goes to citizens, regions, cities, farmers and businesses.
Further information
Statement des EU-Abgeordneten Niclas Herbst (CDU) zur Einigung über den EU-Haushalt 2023
Die Unterhändler des Europäischen Parlaments und der Mitgliedstaaten haben sich am Abend auf den EU-Haushalt für das Jahr 2023 geeinigt. Dazu erklärt Niclas Herbst (CDU), haushaltspolitischer Sprecher der CDU/CSU-Gruppe im Europäischen Parlament und Berichterstatter u.a. für den Parlamentshaushalt:
“Wir sind froh dass wir heute eine Einigung erzielen konnten. Es ist wichtig, dass wir als Parlament viele unserer Prioritäten im EU-Haushalt für 2023 unterbringen konnten, zum Beispiel für mehr Mobilität, für mehr Energiesicherheit aber auch für Erasmus+, Grenzschutz und die militärische Mobilität. Auch die Mittel für das Forschungsprogramm Horizon Europe und das Gesundheitsprogramm EU4Health werden gesteigert.
Darüber hinaus haben wir es geschafft die EU-Institutionen besser abzusichern, auch in schwierigen Zeiten. Das Europäische Parlament wird zum Vorreiter in Sachen Cybersecurity. Damit haben wir ein positives Ergebnis, mit dem wir wirklich zufrieden sein können.”