TITLE V - THE UNION'S EXTERNAL ACTION
CHAPTER II - COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
SECTION 3 - FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE III-313
1. Administrative expenditure which the implementation of this Chapter entails
for the institutions shall be charged to the Union budget.
2. Operating expenditure to which the implementation of this Chapter gives rise
shall also be charged to the Union budget, except for such expenditure arising
from operations having military or defence implications and cases where the
Council decides otherwise.
In cases where expenditure is not charged to the Union budget it shall be charged to the Member States in accordance with the gross national product scale, unless the Council decides otherwise. As for expenditure arising from operations having military or defence implications, Member States whose representatives in the Council have made a formal declaration under Article III-300(1), second subparagraph, shall not be obliged to contribute to the financing thereof.
3. The Council shall adopt a European decision establishing the specific procedures
for guaranteeing rapid access to appropriations in the Union budget for urgent
financing of initiatives in the framework of the common foreign and security
policy, and in particular for preparatory activities for the tasks referred
to in Article I-41(1) and Article III-309. It shall act after consulting the
European Parliament.
Preparatory activities for the tasks referred to in Article I-41(1) and Article
III-309 which are not charged to the Union budget shall be financed by a start-up
fund made up of Member States' contributions.
The Council shall adopt by a qualified majority, on a proposal from the Union
Minister for Foreign Affairs, European decisions establishing:
(a) the procedures for setting up and financing the start-up fund, in particular
the amounts allocated to the fund;
(b) the procedures for administering the start-up fund;
(c) the financial control procedures.
When the task planned in accordance with Article I-41(1) and Article III-309 cannot be charged to the Union budget, the Council shall authorise the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs to use the fund. The Union Minister for Foreign Affairs shall report to the Council on the implementation of this remit.