HC Deb 26 July 1993 vol 229 cc596-7W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent meeting of European Ministers at the Budget Council.

Sir John Cope

The Budget Council met in Brussels on 22 July. I represented the United Kingdom.

The council established a first reading draft budget for 1994, totalling 72.4 billion ecu—£55.7 billion—in commitment appropriations and 69.0 billion ecu—£53.1 billion—in payment appropriations, respectively 760 million ecu—£585 million—and 1,088 million ecu—£837 million—below the figures proposed by the Commission in its preliminary draft budget. The draft budget would require own resources totalling 1.18 per cent. of Community gross national product, compared with the own resources ceiling for 1994 of 1.2 per cent.

The draft budget respects the financial perspective expenditure ceilings agreed at the Edinburgh European Council in December 1992. The summary table compares the outcome of the Budget Council to the proposals in the Commission's preliminary draft budget by reference to the financial perspective ceilings.

The European Parliament will consider the draft budget for 1994 at its plenary session in October. The Parliament's amendments and modifications will be considered at the second Budget Council in November. The European Parliament's second reading is set for mid-December.

The Council took no formal votes, the presidency concluding that there was the necessary majority to establish the draft budget for 1994.

The Budget Council also considered the Commission's proposed supplementary and amending budget for 1993. It believed that further consideration of the proposal was necessary before any decision could be reached.