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Brussels, 15.4.2008

COM(2008) 203 final

PRELIMINARY DRAFT AMENDING BUDGET N° 4 TO THE GENERAL BUDGET 2008

STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURE BY SECTION Section III - Commission

(presented by the Commission)

PRELIMINARY DRAFT AMENDING BUDGET N° 4 TO THE GENERAL BUDGET 2008

STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURE BY SECTIONSection III - Commission

Having regard to:

- the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 272 thereof,

- the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 177 thereof,

- the Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities[1], as last amended by Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1995/2006[2], and in particular Article 37 thereof,

The European Commission hereby presents to the budgetary authority the Preliminary Draft Amending Budget No 4 to the 2008 budget.

CHANGES TO THE GENERAL STATEMENT OF REVENUE

The changes to the general statement of revenue are forwarded separately via the SEI-BUD system. An English version of the changes to the general statement of revenue is attached for information as a budgetary annex.

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The present Preliminary Draft Amending Budget No 4/2008 is intended to budget the surplus resulting from the implementation of the budget year 2007. As provided for in the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities[3], under Article 15 § 3, it is the only subject of this PDAB and it has to be submitted within 15 days following the submission of the provisional accounts, which took place on 31 March 2008.

1. The implementation of the budget year 2007 shows a surplus of EUR 1 528 833 290 (excluding the net balance with EFTA-EEA), which is therefore entered as revenue in the 2008 budget.

The registering of the surplus can be analysed as follows:

2007 | EFTA-EEA | European Communities | Total |

Revenue for the financial year | 136 671 660,00 | 117 426 308 469,91 | 117 562 980 129,91 |

Payments against current year appropriations | -122 335 221,52 | -112 905 636 590,67 | -113 027 971 812,19 |

Payment appropriations carried over to year N+1 | 0,00 | -3 114 011 336,73 | -3 114 011 336,73 |

EFTA appropriations carried over from year N-1 | -2 103 751,46 | 0,00 | -2 103 751,46 |

Cancellation of unused appropriations carried over from year N-1 | 579 671,59 | 245 683 538,88 | 246 263 210,47 |

Exchange differences for the year | 0,00 | -123 510 791,35 | -123 510 791,35 |

Budget outturn 2007 | 12 812 358,61 | 1 528 833 290,04 | 1 541 645 648,65 |

2. The budgeting of the surplus will diminish accordingly the global contribution of the Member States to the financing of the EU Budget. This global decrease by Member State will also be influenced by the updated own resources forecast (TOR, VAT and GNI) including the updated amount of the UK correction. In early June, the Commission will present, in a separate Preliminary Draft Amending Budget, updated forecasts, which are expected to change further the amounts of the contributions by country.

[1] OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

[2] OJ L 390, 30.12.2006, p. 1.

[3] OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p.1.