Support for Ukraine and the Western Balkans: boost for 2024 EU budget approved

€4.8 billion allocated for support to Ukraine

Further increases for Western Balkans and European Defence Fund

2024 EU budget update necessary due to the mid-term revision of the EU’s long-term budget

Parliament has approved changes to the current EU budget resulting from the revised Multiannual Financial Framework, leading to a €5.8 billion increase.

MEPs on Thursday have approved the Draft Amending Budget No 1 for the year 2024 (DAB 1/2024) by adopting the relevant report by Siegfried Mureșan (EPP, RO) with 465 votes in favour, 53 against and 16 abstentions.

The DAB 1/2024 increases expenditure by €5.83 billion in commitment appropriations. MEPs regard these increases as "important reinforcements", already proposed by Parliament previously. These reinforcements could not be integrated into the 2024 budget earlier due to delays in adopting the revised Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) regulation, which was ultimately approved in February.

Support for Ukraine

The Draft Amending Budget adds funds from the €50 billion Ukraine Facility, also adopted in February, to the 2024 EU budget. In this context, €4,8 billion from the newly created “Ukraine Reserve” will be mobilised to enable the payment of grants to Ukraine. MEPs stress that grant- and loan-based financial support through the Ukraine Facility will “help to keep the state and essential services functioning, while supporting Ukraine on its path to reconstruction, recovery, reform and membership of the Union”.

Western Balkans and Defence

Similarly, the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans will be endowed with a first tranche of €501 million for 2024.

The European Defence Fund (EDF) will be reinforced with €376 million, resulting from the creation of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) regulation, also part of the recently adopted MFF mid-term revision.

Quote

Rapporteur Siegfried Mureșan (EPP, RO) said: "I am glad that my report amending the 2024 EU Budget, which offers a €4.8 billion additional support to Ukraine and secures additional funds to strengthen EU security, was adopted today in the Committee on Budgets. This amending budget will make the 2024 budget more fit for purpose, more flexible and better equipped to meet the challenges the Union faces. We have now approved this before the start of the European Election 2024 campaign. In this way, we ensure that the money gets to where it is needed as quickly as possible."

Background

Overall, the DAB 1 increases expenditure by EUR 5.83 billion in commitment appropriations and EUR 4.14 billion in payment appropriations. Commitment appropriations cover the total cost of what can be spent for a certain initiative during the current or following years. A decision on commitments creates an entitlement to payments: payment appropriations cover expenditure arising from commitments entered into during the current financial year or preceding years.