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OPINION (2023/2129(DEC))

On 2022 discharge: General budget of the EU - Commission

AFET-AD-755024

Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Katalin Cseh

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The Committee on Foreign Affairs gives its suggestions to the Committee on Budgetary Control on the 2022 discharge of the EU general budget for the Commission, focused on external action spending. It asks the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to use the NDICI-GE cushion as intended, improve funding allocation methods and indicators, and meet climate, biodiversity and gender spending targets. It calls for rule-of-law conditionality in accession funding, clearer signals to candidate countries, and a substantive increase in the CFSP budget with one budget line per civilian CSDP mission. It asks the Commission to disburse EU funds to Palestine and to improve transparency on migration spending, including human rights impact assessments and public project overviews.

Committee position. The Committee on Foreign Affairs asks the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the discharge resolution, covering NDICI-GE spending targets, rule-of-law conditionality, transparency on migration funds, Palestine funding and a larger CFSP budget.

Key points

  1. Urges the Commission and the EEAS to ensure the NDICI-GE cushion is used as intended, since early overuse depleted it beyond its core purpose; repeats Parliament's position that new priorities need additional resources.
  2. Reiterates commitment to NDICI-GE goals and to raising Official Development Assistance to 0.7% of gross national income by 2030, with at least 20% of the Instrument for social inclusion and human development.
  3. Calls on the Commission to modify assistance where democracy, rule of law, human rights or fundamental freedoms are threatened, and to send clear signals to candidate countries facing backlashes against rule of law standards.
  4. Recommends improving the methodology for allocating funding and assessing impact, focusing the programming scope, simplifying indicators, revising the nomenclature for transparency, and standardising allocation approaches between Neighbourhood and non-Neighbourhood countries.
  5. Regrets shortfalls on the Instrument's 30% climate target, the 10% biodiversity target for 2026 and 2027, and the Loss and Damage Fund contribution; calls for a detailed plan to meet spending and gender targets by the end of the MFF.
  6. Repeats its call to implement European Court of Auditors Special Report 01/2022 recommendations on rule of law support in the Western Balkans, including guidelines on modulation and conditionality under IPA III.
  7. Encourages further mobilisation of the European Peace Facility in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine and notes the Court of Auditors' recommendation on sequencing EU defence planning and funding tools.
  8. Welcomes the revised Code of Practice on Disinformation and calls for a Task Force to monitor commitments; stresses better strategic communication of EU external actions.
  9. Commends the EUR 25 million 'EU4Belarus' assistance programme supporting societal resilience and human capital development in Belarus.
  10. Notes the Commission's internal review finding no evidence that EU funds for Palestine were diverted, and calls for due disbursement, notably to Palestinian civil society; commends UNRWA's humanitarian and education work.
  11. Regrets the Commission's management of external migration budget lines: no fundamental rights impact assessments, no public budget overviews, and refusal to give Parliament per-country spending overviews and MOCADEM documentation; urges immediate improvements.
  12. Supports the Global Gateway strategy and calls for a clear accountability mechanism and rationale for using development finance; calls for more systematic involvement of Civil Society Organisations.

Who is affected

  • The Commission and the EEAS, asked to change funding allocation, monitoring, transparency and communication practices.
  • Candidate and accession countries, which face clearer signals and stronger rule-of-law conditionality in IPA III funding.
  • Palestine and Palestinian civil society, for which due disbursement of EU funds is requested.
  • Civilian CSDP missions, which would get a substantive CFSP budget increase and one budget line each.
  • Civil Society Organisations, to be involved more systematically in Global Gateway and Team Europe Initiatives.

Figures and deadlines

  • 0.7% of gross national income: the Official Development Assistance target by 2030.
  • At least 20% under the Instrument for social inclusion and human development.
  • 30% climate target of the Instrument.
  • 10% biodiversity target in the MFF for 2026 and 2027.
  • Approximately 80% of assessed SDG targets undermined by biodiversity loss.
  • EUR 25 million: the 'EU4Belarus' assistance programme.
  • Approximately EUR 350 million per year: starting point of the CFSP budget for civilian CSDP missions.