"We will strive for a positive outcome of the negotiations, which would bring us to an agreement on the 2014 EU budget, the first budget of the new multiannual financial framework," said Deputy Minister of Finance Algimantas Rimkūnas, President of the ECOFIN (Budget) Council.
The Budget Council will start its work by providing guidance to the Lithuanian Presidency for the negotiations with the European Parliament as the meeting of Conciliation Committee will take place later the same day. The European Parliament asks to increase the payments in the 2014 EU budget by EUR 1.3 billion and the commitments by EUR 855 million as compared to the Council's position.
The discussion in the Conciliation Committee will include elements of 2014 budget as well as 2013 draft amending budget No 9.
This amending budget covers 400.5 million euros in commitments and payments for the EU solidarity fund to Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, which suffered from floods, and Romania, which suffered from drought and forest fires.
