budgetary implementation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overall implementation
• The year 2012 was marked by a level of commitments in line with the multiannual
financial framework (EUR 52.6 billion) and a significant increase in payments by
EUR 5.8 billion to EUR 47.6 billion.
• Payments for the 2007-2013 programming period (EUR 45.2 billion) progressed by
15% compared to 2011. The increase could have been considerably higher if more
payment appropriations had been available at year-end.
• Payments for the closure of the previous programming period remained almost
unchanged compared to 2011 (EUR 2.4 billion). They could also have been
significantly higher if more payment appropriations had been made available.
• The total payment execution of EUR 47.6 billion compares to an initially voted budget
of EUR 42.9 billion.
• The overall level of outstanding commitments (RAL) reached EUR 137.4 billion at
the end of 2012. This corresponds to a level of 2.7 years of commitments which
reflects the n+2/n+3 de-commitment rules of the 2007-13 period.
Implementation of the 2007-2013 programming period
• Due to the EUR 10.7 billion of unpaid claims at the end of 2011 and an acceleration of
interim payment claims submitted by Member States in 2012, 2007-13 payment
appropriations were reinforced by EUR 4.4 billion through an Amending Budget.
• Thus, overall execution for the three 2007-13 Funds under Heading 1B reached
110.7% of the initially voted 2012 budget. The backlog of unpaid claims nonetheless
further increased to EUR 16.2 billion at year-end.
• The overall cumulative payments have reached 46.4% of the 2007-2013 financial
allocation and the corresponding outstanding commitments amount to EUR 131.7
billion.
• Initial payment forecasts by Member States overestimated actual payment requests by
15% in total but the forecast results vary widely between countries.
Implementation of the 2000-2006 programming period
• The closure process accelerated considerably in 2012. The increased needs in payment
appropriations for the 2000-2006 period were partially covered by some EUR 290
million in the End of Year Transfer. More operational programmes could have been
closed in 2012 had additional payment appropriations been made available.
• 64% of the programmes, representing 42% of the total 2000-2006 financial allocation,
had been closed by the end of 2012.
• Overall, by the end of 2012, the cumulative implementation for EU-15 at the global
level reached 97.4% of their 2000-2006 allocation while the EU-10 rate stood at
99.3% of their 2004-2006 allocation.
• The outstanding commitments for the 2000-2006 period decreased by 31% from EUR
8.2 billion to EUR 5.6 billion. Payments (EUR 2.4 billion) account for a reduction of
29% of the RAL while the remaining 2% were the result of closure de-commitments
(EUR 0.2 billion).
Clearance of pre-2000 outstanding commitments
• The RAL of the pre-2000 programming periods has been further reduced from EUR
109 million to EUR 101 million due equally to payments made and de-commitments
at closure.
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