What changed

ORDINARY LEGISLATIVE procedure

P9_TA(2024)0343

Follow up to the European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishingEstablishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans

1. Rapporteur: Karlo RESSLER (EPP / HR), Tonino PICULA (S&D / HR)

Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Budgets

2. Reference numbers: 2023/0397 (COD) / A9-0085/2024 / P9_TA(2024)0343

PE758.888

3. Date of adoption of the resolution: 24 April 2024

European Parliament legislative resolution of 24 April 2024 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans (COM(2023)0692 – C9-0408/2023 – 2023/0397(COD))

4. Legal basis: Articles 212 and 322(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

5. Competent Parliamentary Committee: Committee on Budgets (BUDG), Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)

– having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0692),

6. Commission's position: accepts all amendments. The Commission presented the following statements:

– having regard to Article 294(2) and Articles 212 and 322(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C90408/2023),

Commission statement 1:

– having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

“Recognising the importance for the European Parliament and Council to be in a position to discharge their responsibility as budgetary authorities in a well-informed manner, the Commission will make available to the budgetary authority information on budgetary commitments and payments both affected and planned under the Western Balkans Facility per beneficiary on a bi-monthly basis”.

– having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors of 30 January 2024,

Commission statement 2:

– having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committees responsible under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 8 April 2024 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

“The Commission takes note of the statement by the European Parliament and the Council on the budgetary nomenclature for the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which could potentially affect the implementation of the Facility. In any case, it would unduly interfere with the proper conduct of the budgetary procedure. The Commission considers that this should not constitute a precedent”.

– having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Budgets under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinions of the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Regional Development;

– having regard to the letter from the Committee on Budgetary Control,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Budgets (A9-0085/2024),

1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2. Approves the joint statement by Parliament and the Council annexed to this resolution, which will be published in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union;

3. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

4. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

P9_TC1-COD(2023)0397

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 24 April 2024 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2024/… of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1449.)

ANNEX TO THE LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Joint statement by the European Parliament and the Council on the appropriate budgetary nomenclature for the Western Balkans Facility

The European Parliament and the Council take note of the declaration of the European Commission on reporting. Without prejudice to the prerogatives of the budgetary authority under the Treaties, the European Parliament and the Council intend to review the nomenclature of the Facility, for instance on appropriations per beneficiary, to ensure appropriate political and budgetary scrutiny. The European Parliament and the Council invite the European Commission to give this statement due consideration, as appropriate, in the preparation of the Draft Budget 2025.