Press Release - Cyprus Presidency oversees a number of financing successes on Justice and Home Affairs funding

Source: Cypriotisch voorzitterschap Europese Unie 2e helft 2012 i, published on Wednesday, December 19 2012.

Agreement was reached today in the Council on the compromise texts proposed by the Presidency regarding the financial instrument for the Asylum and Migration Fund, as well as for the Fund on Internal Security for police cooperation, preventing and combating crime and crisis management. These agreements reached in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) II marks the successful conclusion of all four instruments in the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) area for the MFF 2014-2020.Agreement was also confirmed on two proposals relating to the current financing period (2007-2013), which aim to increase the co-financing rate for Member States that face serious financial difficulties and are already benefiting from the financial support mechanism.

Regarding the financial instrument for the Asylum and Migration Fund, as well as for the Fund on Internal Security for police cooperation, preventing and combating crime and crisis management, the amounts remain in brackets awaiting the conclusion of negotiations on the final amounts for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020.

Member States acknowledged the intensive efforts made by the Presidency to accommodate all comments, suggestions and concerns to the degree possible.Through the fruitful discussion in Coreper II it became clear there is a qualified majority in favour of the current compromise proposals, which will now form the basis for negotiations with the European Parliament.

Coreper II had reached agreement on November 30 and December 5 on the Horizontal Regulation and the Internal security Fund on Borders and Visas respectively.

Current Financing Period

Coreper II also confirmed the agreement on the two proposals to increase the co-financing rate for Member States that face serious financial difficulties and are already benefiting from the financial support mechanism, for the current financing period 2007-2013.

The aim of the proposals is to allow the contribution from the EU to be increased by 20% as regards the funds in order to enable Member States with financial difficulties to still implement programs under the General Programme on ‘Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows’, known as ‘SOLID’ funds, allocated for the period 2007 to 2013.

The SOLID funds are aimed at helping the EU to respond to the challenges relating to external border managemnt and asylum and migration policy. They are also designed to increase solidarity between Member States and at the same time help to strengthen freedom, security and justice within the EU.

Through the discussion it became clear that the vast majority of Member States support the proposals with no amendments, while the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee of the European Parliament has already adopted the two proposals without amendments on December 17. Therefore, the Presidency will proceed to inform the LIBE Committee chairman accordingly by letter.