The Council has adopted on October 10th, 2008, a Proposal of Decision (COM (2008) 631 final) about the financial contributions to be made by Member States to the European Development Fund, for the period of 2009 and 2010. The amount of the first instalment of MS contributions for 2009 will be of 1,820 M€.

The Financial Regulation of February 18th, 2008, applicable to the 10th European Development Fund,  provides a new procedure for the calls for contributions to be paid by Member States in order to support the European Development Fund (EDF). This new procedure will apply for the first time for 2009.

In accordance with this procedure, the Commission has presented a proposal for October 15th, 2008, specifying the following contributions to the Commission and to the European Investment Bank (EIB) by Member States:

• The ceiling for the annual amount of the contribution for 2010, which will be of 3,500 M€ for the Commission and 280 M€ for the EIB.
• The annual amount of the contribution for 2009, which will be of 3,300 M€ for the Commission and 200 M€ for the EIB.
• The amount of the first instalment of the contribution for 2009, which will be of 1,750 M€ for the Commission and 70 M€ for the EIB.

The Council will decide on this proposal by November 15th 2008 and Member States pay the first instalment of the contribution for 2009 at the latest by January 21st, 2009. This decision is addressed to the Member States contributing to the 9th EDF.