Despite of the declaration, signed a year ago by all member states and Parliament to avoid any shortfall in payment appropriations for 2012, Parliament's President Martin Schulz highlighted that a minority of member states are still refusing to agree on an amending budget for 2012. According to Mr Schulz, these member states' refusal to agree on an amending budget for 2012 was the reason why budget negotiations broke down on November.

Martin Schulz, European Parliament's President, called on member states to stop preventing the European Commission from paying bills it is legally obliged to pay. According to Mr Schulz, there are some member states in the Council which are not willing to honour their own promises. These member states' refusal to agree on an amending budget for 2012 was the reason why budget negotiations broke down on 10 November.

In 2011, member states and Parliament signed a declaration which says: "The Council and the European Parliament (...) ask the Commission to request additional payment appropriations in an amending budget if the appropriations entered in the 2012 budget are insufficient. (...) The Council and the European Parliament will take a position on any draft amending budget as quickly as possible in order to avoid any shortfall in payment appropriations." Despite last year's promise to act promptly to remedy any such shortfalls, a blocking minority of member states refuse to adopt an amending budget to enable the Commission to pay its bills.

This refusal was, according to Mr Schulz, the reason why budget negotiations broke down on 13 November. The Commission is to present a new draft budget on Friday, 23 November. After that, negotiations will re-start between Parliament and Council, aiming for a deal to be adopted at the 10-13 December plenary session.