Draft budget 2012: the PeSDC increases, evolution of foreign policy

(BRUXELLES2) In the 2012 draft budget presented by the European Commission on 20 April, I examined more particularly the lines devoted to the missions of the PESDC. These now detail the major missions (a request from the European Parliament), which makes it easier to compare.

This budget is increasing significantly. It should be remembered that only civilian missions, financed from the Community budget, are mentioned, while military missions remain financed by the Member States, with a small part pooled through a mechanism and following the best practices, off-budget, the Athena mechanism.

I also took a look, instrument by instrument, at the priorities set by foreign policy. In general, the overall budget devoted to foreign policy (title 19) remains stable: 4,36 billion euros in commitment appropriations (+0,09 billion) or 3,37 billion euros in payment appropriations (stable), the redistribution thus taking place within the headings.

PeSDC missions and crisis responses: increasing

The amounts provided for in the 2012 draft budget for the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) have increased significantly, from 362,4 million euros (+ 35,8 M€ or 11%) if we take the appropriations of commitment, rising to €316,6 million if we take the payment appropriations (+€45 million or +17%). An increase to be put into perspective, however, given the fairly modest sums involved. Of this amount, the budget devoted to missions increases to €300,7 million (+26,2 or +9,5%) or €266,4 million in payment appropriations (€31,4 million or +13%) .

The main increase is for Eulex Kosovo at €155 million (+€11 million) and the other operations at €61,7 million (+€9,2 million). Eupol Afghanistan's budget increases to 53 M€ (+ 5 M€), that of the EUMM observation mission in Georgia to 31 M€ (+ 1 M€).

The budget for emergency measures increased by €35 million (+€4,5 million). The one devoted to non-proliferation and disarmament also increased by €20 million (+€5 million). The budget for preparatory and follow-up measures stagnated at €6,75 million (+€0,2 million). The budget devoted to special envoys remains stable at €0,25 million = payments); it had dropped significantly last year, dropping from €23,3 million in 2010 to €0,23 million, as a result of the establishment of the diplomatic service.

As for the stability instrument, which is often used to supplement PeSDC missions, its "crisis response" component increased significantly, rising from €225 million (+€23,1 million) as did its "technological threats" component, rising to 49 million euros (+2,7 M€).

Note: the pilot project to support protection and surveillance measures for Union ships against the threat of piracy where €0,6 million in payment appropriations are allocated (corresponding to the €1 million committed in 2008) .

Draft budget 2012 - Foreign policy

It can be noted that for the partnership with the neighborhood there are redistributions: Palestine and the UNWRA fall (-33%) while the Mediterranean increases (11%) but above all the partnership with the countries of Eastern Europe East (+ 17%). The budget for Asia decreased a little (-3%), except for Afghanistan (stable) and the Gulf region of Yemen-Iraq-Iran (+35%). Substantial decrease for Latin America (-7%). This for commitment credits. If we look at payment appropriations, there are notable differences: we expect proportionally less consumption of appropriations in the Mediterranean and more in Eastern Europe and Latin America.

spending	Commitment Credits	Difference
CFSP	362,4	35,8
Democracy and Human Rights Instrument (EIDHR)	122,1	3,8
- including electoral missions	35,1	-2,9
Instrument for Stability (crisis response)	225	22,1
Instrument of stability (technological threats and NRBC)	46,3	-2,7
Instrument for Stability (fight against crime)	22	-8,0
Nuclear sector assistance	76	1,5
Neighborhood partnership	1980,5	81,4
- Mediterranean	935,1	92,2
- Palestine - UNWRA	200	-100,0
- Eastern Europe	653,4	97,0
of which title 4 cross-border cooperation	92,7	9,2
of which regional cross-border cooperation	99,2	-17,0
Cooperation industrialized countries	25	0,0
Latin America	352,6	-24,7
Asia	864,2	-25,7
- developing countries Asia	506,4	-37,4
- Afghanistan	199,9	-0,1
- scientific cooperation	6,3 *	-3*
Central Asia	105,2	-2,0
Iran, Iraq, Yemen	52,6	13,7
Coordination, information programs, audit and monitoring measures	33,1	2,6
Immigration asylum cooperation	60,4	6,4
Administrative expenditure – instruments of foreign policy	156,3	0,0

Draft budget 2012 Humanitarian aid / civil protection

The budget devoted to the title "humanitarian aid / civil protection" increases overall, it goes to 900 million (+ 24 million). But it is above all the budget devoted to humanitarian aid and food aid that is increasing, while that devoted to civil protection interventions is decreasing (-5 million)

spending	Commitment Credits	Difference
Staff	35,6	0,7
Humanitarian aid	553,3	16,6
Food aid	251,6	7,4
Disaster preparedness	35,2	0,8
European Volunteer Corps	3	2,0
Civil protection	22	-5,0
- interventions inside the EU	18	0,0
- third country interventions	4	-5,0
- Ability to react quickly	3,5 *	-1,5*
Total	900,4	22,2

* payment credits