In their negotiations on the 2014-20  budget, MEPs sought firmer assurances from the member states that the European Commission’s €11.2 billion top-up request for the 2013 budget would be met. The  Commission says that additional contributions from the member states are needed to pay all outstanding bills that are due to be paid in 2013, for commitments made in previous years. In May, the member states agreed to pay a first instalment of €7.3bn and to consider a second instalment once the Commission came up with figures in the autumn on actual payment requests rather than projections. 

As part of the agreement reached last week (27 June), the member states committed themselves “to decide without delay on a further draft amending budget to avoid any shortfall in justified payment appropriations”, and to give formal approval for the first instalment no later than a meeting of finance ministers next Tuesday (9 July).