The Permanent Representatives Committee endorsed on 11 of July the draft Council's position on the 2013 EU draft budget, limiting the increase in payments to 2.79% compared to 2012. This decision paves the way for the formal adoption of the Council's position scheduled on 24 July. However, MEPs assured that this decision led to confusion. According to them, Member States made several declarations that MEPs described as inconsistent and irresponsible, although the proposed budget cuts were approved without any changes.

On the basis of a compromise text of the Cyprus presidency, the Permanent Representatives Committee which is composed of the ambassadors of the 27 EU Member States, endorsed on 11 of July the draft Council's position on the 2013 EU draft budget. This decision paves the way for the formal adoption of the Council's position scheduled on 24 July. The Commission's proposal presented in April 2012 froze future expenditure and increased payments into its draft budget 2013.

In absolute figures, the draft Council's position on the draft budget for 2013 amounts to €132.70 billion in payments, corresponding to 0.99% of the EU's Gross National Income (GNI), and €149.78 billion in commitments, leaving a margin of €3.58 billion under the overall ceiling of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF). Compared to 2012, the draft Council's position provides for an increase in payments and in commitments; and compared to the amounts proposed by the Commission, the Council wants to decrease the payments by a total of €5.23 billion and the commitments by €1.15 billion.

On the other hand, MEPs highlighted the contradictions between the agreement among EU Heads of state and the severe cuts proposed by Member States' civil servants for next year's budget. After taking the decision without any comments on 11 of July, two contradictory statements were added from Member States. The first asks the European Commission to provide a full picture of payment needs for the main policy areas in 2013 and to propose an amending budget should it deem the proposed funds insufficient. Three countries that had signed this declaration - Germany, France and Finland - then issued another declaration expressing regret that the 2013 budget had not been further reduced and underlining that the overall sums agreed for payments and commitments are an absolute maximum. Another three countries - United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Sweden - voted against the Council's position, because they felt that the cuts did not far enough, while Austria abstained.