SADC Financial Regulations Effective 1 April 2013 Regulation  30  -­‐  Authority  of  the  Budget  Appropriations   1. The authority to expend cash or incur expenses or liabilities under an approved Budget shall strictly commence and lapse at the start and end dates of the financial year to which that Budget relates. 2. In the event that the SADC Annual Budget has not been approved and therefore the funds not being available on the first day of the financial year, the Accounting Officer shall with the approval of the Chairperson of the Council, authorise, as a temporary budget, that funds be used from reserves for member state funded budget items and from project accounts where appropriate. 3. Such temporary budgets shall be submitted for ratification by Council. 4. Funds required in terms of 2 above: a) may be used to defray current and capital expenditure in connection with votes for which funds were appropriated in the approved budget for the previous financial year; and b) may not: (i) during any month, exceed eight per cent (or approximately one month in twelve) of the total amount pending approval for current expenditure, which percentage shall be scaled down proportionately if revenue flows are not at least at the same level as the previous financial year; and (ii) exceed the amount actually available. c) are not additional to funds appropriated for the budget year, and any funds withdrawn in terms of such temporary budgets shall be regarded as forming part of the funds appropriated in a subsequently approved annual budget for the budget year. 5. Following approval of the Budget, the related contributions or grants from individual Member States becomes receivable. 6. Controlling Officers are required to strictly adhere to provisions in respect of Budgetary Control in the financial regulations and procedures to ensure that there is no unauthorised expenditure or committed funds in excess of the approved limit or commits or expends funds where there is no budget or appropriation permitting such expenditure and also that resources are used efficiently and economically. 7. Controlling Officers shall be committing an offence of financial misconduct as stated in Regulation 25 by authorising expenditure or committing funds in Page 45 of 100