EP debatteert over het betalingstekort Erasmus-programma (en)

Budgets Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski will brief Parliament on the current payments shortfall for the Erasmus scholarship programme on Thursday. To remedy this and other shortfalls, the Commission tabled a remedial budget on Tuesday.

In Monday's debate on the EU's 2013 budget, many MEPs worried that the current Erasmus shortfall will be repeated in 2013 if member states stand by the deep cuts they propose to make in the draft budget for 2013, which was presented in April.

To avoid further payments shortfalls, MEPs voted to reverse the Council cuts and bring the 2013 budget back into line with the Commission's proposal.

Not only Erasmus is in danger. The 7th Framework programme for Research and Development, The European Social Fund and the Lifelong Learning Programme also lack sufficient funds to meet all their commitments in 2012. The remedial budget for 2012 totals €8.9 billion.