European Parliament 2019-2024
Committee on Budgetary Control
2018/2168(DEC)
AMENDMENTS 1 - 20
Draft report Isabel García Muñoz (PE638.755v01-00)
Discharge 2017: General budget of the EU - Council and European Council (2018/2168(DEC))
AM\1188293EN.docx PE641.114v01-00
EN United in diversityEN AM_Com_NonLegReport
PE641.114v01-00 2/12 AM\1188293EN.docx EN Amendment 1 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Recital A
Motion for a resolution Amendment
A. whereas all Union institutions A. whereas all Union institutions must ought to be transparent and fully be transparent and fully accountable to all accountable to the citizens of the Union for the citizens of the Union for the funds the funds entrusted to them as Union entrusted to them to perform their duties; institutions;
Or. fr
Amendment 2 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Recital B
Motion for a resolution Amendment
B. whereas Parliament is the sole B. whereas Parliament is the sole directly elected body among the Union directly elected body among the Union institutions and has responsibility to grant institutions, with the responsibility to grant discharge in respect of the implementation discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European of the general budget of the European Union; Union;
Or. fr
Amendment 3 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Recital C
Motion for a resolution Amendment
C. whereas the procedure of giving C. whereas the procedure of giving discharge separately to the individual discharge separately to the individual Union institutions and bodies is a long- Union institutions and bodies is a long- standing practice accepted by all the other standing practice accepted by all the other institutions except the Council, and institutions except the Council, and
AM\1188293EN.docx 3/12 PE641.114v01-00 EN whereas this procedure has been developed whereas this procedure has been developed to guarantee transparency and democratic to guarantee transparency and democratic accountability towards Union citizens; accountability towards Union citizens and to pursue the necessary fight against fraud;
Or. fr
Amendment 4 Maria Grapini
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1
Motion for a resolution Amendment
1. Recalls that the Union institutions 1. Recalls that the Union institutions have administrative autonomy in matters have administrative autonomy in matters relating to their respective operations; relating to their respective operations; underlines the importance of them acting underlines the importance of them acting responsibly in the implementation of their responsibly and professionally in the budgets; implementation of their budgets;
Or. ro
Amendment 5 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2
Motion for a resolution Amendment
2. Underlines the role of Parliament 2. Underlines the role of Parliament within the discharge procedure, as within the discharge procedure, as governed by the Treaty and the Financial governed by the Treaty and the Financial Regulation and that, in full Regulation; adds that a distinction acknowledgment of the Council’s role as between Parliament's and the Council's an institution giving recommendations in roles absolutely must be maintained in the discharge procedure, a distinction order to comply with the institutional must be maintained in respect of the framework laid down in the Treaties and in different roles of Parliament and the the Financial Regulation; Council in order to comply with the institutional framework laid down in the Treaties and in the Financial Regulation;
Or. fr PE641.114v01-00 4/12 AM\1188293EN.docx EN Amendment 6 Maria Grapini
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4
Motion for a resolution Amendment
4. Regrets that the Council again 4. Regrets that the Council again failed to provide answers to the written failed to provide answers to the written questions sent by Parliament and that the questions sent by Parliament and that the Secretary-General of the Council did not Secretary-General of the Council did not attend the hearing organised on 27 attend the hearing organised on 27 November 2018 in the context of the November 2018 in the context of the annual discharge procedure; further regrets annual discharge procedure; further regrets that the Council also did not reply to the that the Council also did not reply to the observations made by Parliament in its observations made by Parliament in its discharge resolution of 26 March 2019; discharge resolution of 26 March 2019, thereby disregarding the role of the European Parliament;
Or. ro
Amendment 7 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4
Motion for a resolution Amendment
4. Regrets that the Council again (Does not affect the English version.) failed to provide answers to the written questions sent by Parliament and that the Secretary-General of the Council did not attend the hearing organised on 27 November 2018 in the context of the annual discharge procedure; further regrets that the Council also did not reply to the observations made by Parliament in its discharge resolution of 26 March 2019;
Or. fr
Amendment 8 AM\1188293EN.docx 5/12 PE641.114v01-00 EN Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5
Motion for a resolution Amendment
5. Recalls the difficulties repeatedly 5. Recalls the difficulties repeatedly encountered in the discharge procedures to encountered in the discharge procedures to date due to the lack of cooperation from date due to the lack of cooperation from the Council which is the reason why the Council and which led Parliament to Parliament refused to grant discharge to refuse to grant discharge to the Secretary- the Secretary-General of the Council in General of the Council in relation to the relation to the financial years 2009 to 2016 financial years 2009 to 2016 and in March and in March 2019 for the financial year 2019 for the financial year 2017; 2017;
Or. fr
Amendment 9 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6
Motion for a resolution Amendment
6. Notes that the Council replied to 6. Notes that the Council replied to the proposal of Parliament's Committee on the proposal of Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control on the Council Budgetary Control on the Council discharge procedure on 2 May 2018 with discharge procedure on 2 May 2018 with an amended proposal, and that Parliament's an amended proposal, and that Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control sent its Committee on Budgetary Control sent its reaction to the Council’s amended proposal reaction to the Council’s amended proposal on 16 July 2018; urges the Council to react on 16 July 2018; urges the Council to react to the latest proposal swiftly so that the to the latest proposal swiftly so that the new arrangements for the discharge new arrangements for the discharge exercise can be applied as soon as possible; exercise can be applied as soon as possible; stresses that no answer from the Council has been received so far;
Or. fr
Amendment 10 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution PE641.114v01-00 6/12 AM\1188293EN.docx EN Paragraph 7
Motion for a resolution Amendment
7. Regrets that the request to separate 7. Regrets that the request to separate the budget of the European Council and the the budget of the European Council and the Council into one budget for the European Council into one budget for the European Council and one budget for the Council, Council and one budget for the Council, made by Parliament in previous discharge made by Parliament in previous discharge resolutions, has not been considered; resolutions, has not been considered; insists on this separation which will insists on this separation which will contribute to transparency in the financial contribute to better transparency in the management of both institutions and financial management of both institutions improve their accountability; and improve their accountability; deplores, further, its failure to give sufficient information on real estate policy;
Or. fr
Amendment 11 Maria Grapini
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7
Motion for a resolution Amendment
7. Regrets that the request to separate 7. Regrets that the request to separate the budget of the European Council and the the budget of the European Council and the Council into one budget for the European Council into one budget for the European Council and one budget for the Council, Council and one budget for the Council, made by Parliament in previous discharge made by Parliament in previous discharge resolutions, has not been considered; resolutions, has not been considered; insists on this separation which will insists on this separation which will contribute to transparency in the financial contribute to transparency in the financial management of both institutions and management of both institutions and improve their accountability; improve their accountability and expenditure efficiency;
Or. ro
Amendment 12 Isabel García Muñoz
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7
AM\1188293EN.docx 7/12 PE641.114v01-00 EN Motion for a resolution Amendment
7. Regrets that the request to separate 7. Regrets that the request to separate the budget of the European Council and the the budget of the European Council and the Council into one budget for the European Council into one budget for each Council and one budget for the Council, institution, made by Parliament in previous made by Parliament in previous discharge discharge resolutions, has not been resolutions, has not been considered; considered; insists on this separation which insists on this separation which will will contribute to transparency in the contribute to transparency in the financial financial management of both institutions management of both institutions and and improve their accountability; improve their accountability;
Or. en
Amendment 13 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10
Motion for a resolution Amendment
10. Acknowledges improvements in the 10. Acknowledges improvements in the Council's process of administrative Council's process of administrative modernisation, for example that internal modernisation, for example that internal rules for reporting serious irregularities are rules for reporting serious irregularities are published on the Council’s website along published on the Council’s website along with a guide to ethics and conduct for with a guide to ethics and conduct for members of staff of the Council; calls on members of staff of the Council; calls on the Council to raise awareness about these the Council to ensure that all members of rules and to ensure that all members of staff are properly informed of their rights; staff are properly informed of their rights;
Or. fr
Amendment 14 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11
Motion for a resolution Amendment
11. Recalls that the Council agreed on 11. Recalls that the Council agreed on the Commission proposal for a mandatory the Commission proposal for a mandatory transparency register on 6 December 2017, transparency register on 6 December 2017, PE641.114v01-00 8/12 AM\1188293EN.docx EN but has still not implemented it; calls on but has still not implemented it; strongly theCouncil to continue discussions on the deplores the Council's failure to technical aspects of the package of participate in the transparency register instruments regarding the Transparency scheme; strongly calls on the latter to Register, in order to achieve a political continue discussions on the technical agreement between the three institutions as aspects of the package of instruments soon as possible; regarding the Transparency Register, in order to achieve a political agreement between the three institutions as soon as possible;
Or. fr
Amendment 15 Maria Grapini
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11
Motion for a resolution Amendment
11. Recalls that the Council agreed on 11. Recalls that the Council agreed on the Commission proposal for a mandatory the Commission proposal for a mandatory transparency register on 6 December 2017, transparency register on 6 December 2017, but has still not implemented it; calls on but has still not implemented it; calls on theCouncil to continue discussions on the the Council to continue discussions on the technical aspects of the package of technical aspects of the package of instruments regarding the Transparency instruments regarding the Transparency Register, in order to achieve a political Register, in order to achieve a political agreement between the three institutions as agreement between the three institutions as soon as possible; soon as possible, given that transparency in the European institutions will increase public confidence in the EU;
Or. ro
Amendment 16 Daniel Freund
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12
Motion for a resolution Amendment
12. Emphasises that Parliament backed 12. Emphasises that Parliament backed the Ombudsman’s proposals in a plenary the Ombudsman’s proposals in a plenary vote related to the Ombudsman's vote related to the Ombudsman's AM\1188293EN.docx 9/12 PE641.114v01-00 EN recommendations to the Council to allow recommendations and suggestions to the public to follow the EU legislative Council to allow the public to follow the process more easily (transparency of the legislative process of the Union more Council legislative process, easily (transparency of the Council OI/2/2017/TE); recalls that the Council legislative process, OI/2/2017/TE); recalls should systematically record the position of that Council should, among other each Member State in preparatory bodies, things, systematically record the position and should develop a dedicated webpage of each Member State in Council for each legislative proposal and improve preparatory bodies, develop clear and the user-friendliness of the public register publicly available criteria for the of documents; designation of documents as ‘LIMITE’, in line with Union law, and develop a dedicated webpage for each legislative proposal and improve the user-friendliness of the public register of documents;
Or. en
Amendment 17 Olivier Chastel, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12
Motion for a resolution Amendment
12. Emphasises that Parliament backed 12. Emphasises that Parliament backed the Ombudsman’s proposals in a plenary the Ombudsman’s proposals in a plenary vote related to the Ombudsman's vote related to the Ombudsman's recommendations to the Council to allow recommendations to the Council to allow the public to follow the EU legislative EU citizens to follow the EU legislative process more easily (transparency of the process more easily (transparency of the Council legislative process, Council legislative process, OI/2/2017/TE); recalls that the Council OI/2/2017/TE); recalls that the Council should systematically record the position of should systematically record the position of each Member State in preparatory bodies, each Member State in preparatory bodies, and should develop a dedicated webpage and should develop a dedicated webpage for each legislative proposal and improve for each legislative proposal and improve the user-friendliness of the public register the user-friendliness of the public register of documents; of documents;
Or. fr
Amendment 18 Daniel Freund
Motion for a resolution PE641.114v01-00 10/12 AM\1188293EN.docx EN Paragraph 13
Motion for a resolution Amendment
13. Reiterates that the Council ought to 13. Reiterates that Council ought to be be transparent and fully accountable to transparent and fully accountable to Union Union citizens for the funds entrusted to it citizens for the funds entrusted to it as a as a Union institution; Union institution; recalls the relevant judgments of the European Court of Justice (in particular T-540/15) 1a and the paper from the Dutch COSAC delegation, 'Opening up closed doors: Making the EU more transparent for its citizens', confirming this obligation; ______1a Judgment of the General Court of 22 March 2018, Emilio De Capitani v European Parliament, T-549/15, ECLI:EU:T:2018:167.
Or. en
Amendment 19 Olivier Chastel, Ramona Strugariu, Cristian Ghinea, Gilles Boyer
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14
Motion for a resolution Amendment
14. Insists that an effective budgetary 14. Insists that an effective budgetary control exercise requires cooperation control exercise requires cooperation between Parliament and the Council; between Parliament and the Council with considers that satisfactory cooperation due respect for their respective roles; between both institutions in the form of an considers that satisfactory cooperation open and formal dialogue procedure would between both institutions in the form of an be a positive sign to send to the citizens of open and formal dialogue procedure would the Union; be a positive sign to send to the citizens of the Union;
Or. fr
Amendment 20 Isabel García Muñoz, Lara Wolters
Motion for a resolution AM\1188293EN.docx 11/12 PE641.114v01-00 EN Paragraph 14 a (new)
Motion for a resolution Amendment
14 a. Expresses its concerns about the information reported by the European media regarding the corporate sponsorship of Member States hosting the Union Presidency and echoes the concerns expressed by European citizens and Members of the Parliament; acknowledges that the Member States are expected to finance their own Presidencies and that resorting to corporate sponsorship to cover some of its expenses has become common practice in recent years; is highly concerned about the possible reputational damage and the risk of loss of trust that this practice may incur on the Union, its institutions and especially to Council in the eyes of the European citizenship; suggests that Council adopt guidelines in order to promote the financial transparency and independency of the Presidencies; strongly recommends Council to envisage budgetisation of the Presidencies; will closely monitor the conclusions of the enquiry of the European Ombudsman related to this matter; requests Council to forward this concern to the Member States, in particular to the current trio Presidency;
Or. en
PE641.114v01-00 12/12 AM\1188293EN.docx EN