WIREDGOV

The European Commission will run out of funds to make payments in November unless Parliament approves a €2.7 billion supplementary and amending budget this week, President Schulz told MEPs. Mr Schulz reported that he had been warned of the impending cash shortfall by Commission President José Manuel Barroso, this morning.

He suggested that if the Council could deliver a supplementary budget proposal in time, then the Budgets Committee could check it on Tuesday evening and if appropriate recommend putting it to a plenary vote on Wednesday or Thursday.

He noted that Parliament had previously been prepared to approve this supplementary and amending budget (N° 6). The Council itself had taken a different view at the time, but now wanted it approved via the urgent procedure, he added.

Agenda changes

Tuesday's votes on the Böge report on the financing of the European Social Fund and the La Via report on strengthening it to increase allocations to France, Italy and Spain were taken off the agenda, not having being adopted by the Budgets committee.