Press Release: General Affairs Council, Brussels, 19 November 2013

Main results of the Council:

The Council approved the agreement with the European Parliament on the 2014 EU budget and the financing of € 400,5 million to redress flood and drought damage in four member states. Overall payments in the budget amount to € 135,50 billion and overall commitments have been set at € 142,64 billion.

The Council took note of presentations by the presidency and the incoming presidency on a roadmap for the 2014 European Semester, as well as a presentation by the Commission on the Annual Growth Survey, thus kicking off the fourth European Semester for economic policy coordination in the EU. "Growth and jobs remain the main concerns of EU citizens and therefore our economic policy coordination is essential", said Minister Linkevičius of the Lithuanian presidency after the meeting.

The Council examined an annotated draft agenda for the European Council meeting to be held on 19-20 December.

Council of the European Union: Press Release, PRES/13/483: Council approves agreement on 2014 EU budget http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ecofin/139638.pdf

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