Aigner, H.

Archive of European Integration

10 December 1980 (J-.1 English Edition European Communities EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Working Documents 1980- 1981 DOCUMENT 1-672/80 Report drawn up on behalfofthe Committee on Budgetary Control on th~easures taken in response to the comments contained in the resolution accompanying the decision granting a discharge in respect of the implementation of the 1977 budget Rapporteur: Mr H. AIGNER PE 68.437/fin. Pursuant to Article 85 of the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977, reports were submitted by the commission of the European Communities in document COM(80) 233 Annex forwarded on 10 June 1980, and by the Court of Auditors by letter of 12 September 1980, on the measures taken in response to the comments contained in the decision granting a discharge in respect of the implementation of the 1977 budget. At its meeting of 30 September 1980 the Committee on Budgetary Control appointed Mr Aign~r rapporteur. On 3 Nov~er 1980 the President of the European Parliament gave authorization for the committee on Budgetary Control to draw up a report on these documents and for the Committee on Development and Cooperation to deliver an opinion. The Committee on Budgetary Control considered the draft report at its meetings of 24 and 25 November and 1 and 2 December 1980 and unanimously adopted it at the latter meeting. Present: Mr Aigner, chairman and rapporteur; Mr Dankert, vice-chairman; Mrs Boserup, vice-chairman; Mr Colla, Mr Filippi, Mr Gabert, Mr Irmer, Mr Kellett-Bawman, Mr Key, Mr Notenboom, Mr Simonnet and Mr J. M. Taylor. - 3 - PE 68.437/fin. CONTENTS A. MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION 5 B. EXPLANATORY STATEfl'lENT 7 Table 8 - 4 - PE 68.437/fin. A The Committee on Budgetary Control hereby submits to the European Parliament the following motion for a resolution, together with explanatory statement : MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the measures taken in response to the comments contained in the reso-lution accompanyih; ~he decision granting a discharge in respect of the implementation of the 1977 budget The European Parliament, -having regard to the ECSC Treaty, and in particular Article.78g thereof, - having regard to the EEC Treaty, and in particular Article 206b thereof, - having regard to the EAEC Treaty, and in particular Article 180b thereof having regard to the annual report of the Court of Auditors concerning l the financial year 1977 , - having regard to the decisions granting a discharge of 16 November 1979 and the comments accompanying these decisions 2, having regard to the report by the Commission on the measures taken in 3 ' response to these comments , - having regard to the report of the Court of Auditors on the measures 4 taken in response to these comments , - having regard to the report of. the committee on Budgetary Control {Doc. 1-6 72/80) , • - whereas it is of fundamental importance for the effectiveness of the discharqe procedure that the measures taken in response to these comments be monitored, 1. Considers it necessary to remind all the institutions of the Community of their obligation under the third and fourth paragraphs of Article 85 of the Financial Regulation to report to it, when requested to do so, on I the measures taken in response to the comments accompanying the discharge decisions: 2 • · ~otes that there hae not been a satisfactory improvement in the Commission • s willingness to utilize appropriations for new policies entered by. Parliament by way of amendment and also to carry through these policies by implementing the budget. Parliament will take the necessary steps with a view to solving this problem in the context of the 1979 discharger 1 2 OJ No. C 313, 30.12.1978 3 OJ No. L 331, 27.12.1979 4 COM{80) 233 Annex PE 67.917 - 5 - PE 68.437/fin. f 3. Notes that the call for harmonization of the institutions' recruitment procedures and·for the organization of joint recruitment procedures has so far produced no practical effect and calls on the Commission to submit appropriate proposals by 1 July 1981: 4. Is pursuing the study of the institutions' accommodation problems and will in the near future consider a report by the Committee on Budgetary Control, in particular as regards 1. compli~nce with Community procedures and 2. observance of the requirements of proper financial management in the planning and use o£ new buildings for the institutions, 5. Emphasizes the progress that has been made, ~ollowing pressure applied in the context of the discharge procedure, in regard to the rate of utilization,of commitment and payment appropriations under the Social Fund: 6. Takes note of the Commission's assurances that, following the entry into force of the new Rules. The rate of utilization of appropriations will in future no longer be slowed down by procedures in the individual states: 7. Takes the view that the Commission's efforts to ensure that the princi-ple of.additionality is applied to aid under the Regional Fund are still inadequate: a. Protests once aga·in at the cancellation of the appropriation of 14 m EUA entered by Parliament by way ot modification for food aid: 9. Notes the ·c~ission 's statements to the effect that the Court o.f Auditors will be permitted to discharge its audit powers in regard to the funds allocated to UNRNA for Palestinian refugees: lO. I.nstructs its President to forward this resolution to the. Commission, the Council, the court of Justice and the Court of Aaditors. - 6 - PE 68. 437/fin. B EXPLANATORY STATEMENT 1. The decision granting a discharge in respect of the implementation of the 1977 budget was taken on 16 November 1979, more than six months after the deadline laid down in the Financial Regulation. ThEwas because of the Council's inability to forward the recommenda-tion provided for in the Treaties until 10 May 1979. 2. In the course of the discussion within Parliament a sharp contr~ersy arose with regard to the consequences that should follow the severe criticism of the Commission's financial management in 1977, in particular in connection with the implementation of the amendments adopted by Parliament. Whereas everyonetook a very grave view of the criticism it was impossible, before the dir4ct elections to Parliament of 10 June 1979, to obtain agreement on the substance of the decision in question. 3. The directly elected Parliament, which set up the Committee on Budgetary Control, took up the matter again. It fully endorsed the criticism levelled at the Commission. At the same time, it took the view that relations with the Commission had changed fundamentally after the elections. 4. Although Parliament granted the Commission a discharge in respect of the 1977 financial year, it underlines the circumstances in which this decision was reached. 5. Attention is called to the fact that of the 29 amendments to the payments side of the budget, increasing payments, - 21 were not implemented at all, 5 were implemented to a small degree (less than 50%), 2 were more fully implemented, only 1 out of the 29 was implemented in full. - 7 - PE 68.437/fin. TABLE Implementation of Parliament's amendments (payments) for the financial year 1977 (in u. a.) by the Commission I I I I Effe~t of EP rr'9tal app~opria­~~ons ava~lable II amendments- · f<;>r the finan-(payments) p~al year I Budget item 2243/Data processing 254/Action for yocng people I I elections: 12653/Nuclear fuel I 2729/Information EP 282/Econornic Analysis and Research Institutz 291/Subsidies to European movements 3031/Action for migrant workers I I 3050/E:nployrnent analysis I ' I 316/Vccational Training of farmers 3200/Hydrocarbons I 3201/0il prospecting 321/Prospecting for hydro-carbons 3380/Euratom -+500,000 + 60,000 + 60,000 +600,000 +1,000,000 + 3,600 +500,000 +130,000 + 60,000 +15,000,000 (12,000,000 frozen) +9,000,000 +2,000,000 +139 ,800 I (payments) 3,453,000 190,000 100,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 136,700 500,000 400,000 100,000 23,000,000 Total payments effected 565,000 70,600 24,600 454,000 0 126,900 12,600 79,100 100,000 2,743,000 ~- .. -------..---------------,. Tota-l unspent I (either carried forward or cancelled) %of EP amendment implemented in 1977 - --- ----------4----------i 2,888,000 0 120,.)00 0 75,300 0 545,700 I 1,000,000 9 0 9,800 0 487,400 2.5 320,800 0 -100 20,257,000 0 '"~ -··. -~ ... ~~ .... ,. .... .... ---"-"···~__....,. .. -..... --.. ·----~,....,.-........ ...........,.----~----.... .-.,.~......-r·-.......,...-...---_....-----------·-- .. ~-__.. ....... ______ ............ ·-·-······- ······--··. ---- - ~ -~~ -- ~. - ------'-----~~-~~---~---- ~~~·-- --- ---~--- --- ---~ --~---~--ttl tzJ 0\ (X) • ~ Wo -.,J ......... HI .... ::s . Budget item Effect of EP amendments (pay-ments) 3390/JRC staff 2,344,0')0 351/Health and water safety + 40,000 3540/Environmental studies +112 ,000 3541/Environmenta1 studies + 30,000 35SO/Consumer protection + 20,000 3551YConsumer projects + 30,000 356/Humanizing of work + 50,000 3621/Scientific information +500,000 3701/Second transport programme +2,836,000 3710/Basic transport research +8,000,000 393/Architectural heritage +100,000 59/Aid to disaster victims +5,000,000 930/Coop with non-associated +45,000,000 developing countries 931/Trade with non-associated +1,500,000 developing countries 9431/Commission delegations il +681,000 Maghreb countries ( 1)After transfers and· supplementary budgets. Total appropria-tions available for the financial year (payments) 0 <.1) 480,000 1,412,000 150,000 180,000 240,000 50,000 500,000 2,836,000 8,000,000 100,000 5,000,000 45,000,000 5,000,000 681,000 TABLE (cont'd) Total payments Total unspent % of EP ! I !effected (either carried amendmoant I forward or implemented J.n I cancelled) 1977 i 0 0 0 ! 202,800 277,200 0 l I 445.600 966,300 0 I 62,400 87,600 0 56,600 123,300 0 I I 0 240,000 0 i ! I ' 20.000 30,000 40 ! 144,900 355,100 28.9 I I 0 I 2,836,000 0 0 8,000,000 0 i I l 91,200 8,800 91.:1 I ! I 4,000,000 1,000,000 80 0 45,000,000 0 . 1,815,000 3,185,000 0 - 200,000 481,000 30 I·'' 

Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Budgetary Control on the measure taken in response to the comments contained in the resolution accompanying the decision granting a discharge in respect of the implementations of the 1977 budget. Working Documents 1980-1981, Document 1-672/80, 10 December 1980

10 December 1980 
(J-.1 
English Edition 
European Communities 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
Working Documents 
1980- 1981 
DOCUMENT 1-672/80 
Report 
drawn up on behalfofthe Committee on Budgetary Control 
on th~easures taken in response to the comments contained in the 
resolution accompanying the decision granting a discharge in respect 
of the implementation of the 1977 budget 
Rapporteur: Mr H. AIGNER 
PE 68.437/fin. 

Pursuant to Article 85 of the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977, 
reports were submitted by the commission of the European Communities in 
document COM(80) 233 Annex forwarded on 10 June 1980, and by the Court of 
Auditors by letter of 12 September 1980, on the measures taken in response 
to the comments contained in the decision granting a discharge in respect 
of the implementation of the 1977 budget. 
At its meeting of 30 September 1980 the Committee on Budgetary Control 
appointed Mr Aign~r rapporteur. 
On 3 Nov~er 1980 the President of the European Parliament gave 
authorization for the committee on Budgetary Control to draw up a report 
on these documents and for the Committee on Development and Cooperation to 
deliver an opinion. 
The Committee on Budgetary Control considered the draft report at its 
meetings of 24 and 25 November and 1 and 2 December 1980 and unanimously 
adopted it at the latter meeting. 
Present: Mr Aigner, chairman and rapporteur; Mr Dankert, vice-
chairman; Mrs Boserup, vice-chairman; Mr Colla, Mr Filippi, Mr Gabert, 
Mr Irmer, Mr Kellett-Bawman, Mr Key, Mr Notenboom, Mr Simonnet and 
Mr J. M. Taylor. 
- 3 - PE 68.437/fin. 
CONTENTS 
A. MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION 5 
B. EXPLANATORY STATEfl'lENT 7 
Table 8 
- 4 - PE 68.437/fin. 
A 
The Committee on Budgetary Control hereby submits to the European 
Parliament the following motion for a resolution, together with explanatory 
statement : 
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION 
on the measures taken in response to the comments contained in the reso-
lution accompanyih; ~he decision granting a discharge in respect of the 
implementation of the 1977 budget 
The European Parliament, 
-having regard to the ECSC Treaty, and in particular Article.78g thereof, 
- having regard to the EEC Treaty, and in particular Article 206b thereof, 
- having regard to the EAEC Treaty, and in particular Article 180b thereof 
having regard to the annual report of the Court of Auditors concerning 
l the financial year 1977 , 
- having regard to the decisions granting a discharge of 16 November 1979 and 
the comments accompanying these decisions 2, 
having regard to the report by the Commission on the measures taken in 
3 ' 
response to these comments , 
- having regard to the report of the Court of Auditors on the measures 
4 
taken in response to these comments , 
- having regard to the report of. the committee on Budgetary Control 
{Doc. 1-6 72/80) , 
• 
- whereas it is of fundamental importance for the effectiveness of the discharqe 
procedure that the measures taken in response to these comments be monitored, 
1. Considers it necessary to remind all the institutions of the Community of 
their obligation under the third and fourth paragraphs of Article 85 of 
the Financial Regulation to report to it, when requested to do so, on 
I 
the measures taken in response to the comments accompanying the discharge 
decisions: 
2 • · ~otes that there hae not been a satisfactory improvement in the Commission • s 
willingness to utilize appropriations for new policies entered by. Parliament by way 
of amendment and also to carry through these policies by implementing the 
budget. Parliament will take the necessary steps with a view to solving 
this problem in the context of the 1979 discharger 
1 
2 OJ No. C 313, 30.12.1978 
3 OJ No. L 331, 27.12.1979 
4 COM{80) 233 Annex PE 67.917 
- 5 - PE 68.437/fin. 
f 
3. Notes that the call for harmonization of the institutions' recruitment 
procedures and·for the organization of joint recruitment procedures has 
so far produced no practical effect and calls on the Commission to 
submit appropriate proposals by 1 July 1981: 
4. Is pursuing the study of the institutions' accommodation problems and 
will in the near future consider a report by the Committee on Budgetary 
Control, in particular as regards 
1. compli~nce with Community procedures and 
2. observance of the requirements of proper financial management 
in the planning and use o£ new buildings for the institutions, 
5. Emphasizes the progress that has been made, ~ollowing pressure applied 
in the context of the discharge procedure, in regard to the rate of 
utilization,of commitment and payment appropriations under the Social 
Fund: 
6. Takes note of the Commission's assurances that, following the entry 
into force of the new Rules. The rate of utilization of appropriations 
will in future no longer be slowed down by procedures in the individual 
states: 
7. Takes the view that the Commission's efforts to ensure that the princi-
ple of.additionality is applied to aid under the Regional Fund are 
still inadequate: 
a. Protests once aga·in at the cancellation of the appropriation of 
14 m EUA entered by Parliament by way ot modification for food aid: 
9. Notes the ·c~ission 's statements to the effect that the Court o.f 
Auditors will be permitted to discharge its audit powers in regard to 
the funds allocated to UNRNA for Palestinian refugees: 
lO. I.nstructs its President to forward this resolution to the. Commission, 
the Council, the court of Justice and the Court of Aaditors. 
- 6 - PE 68. 437/fin. 
B 
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT 
1. The decision granting a discharge in respect of the implementation of 
the 1977 budget was taken on 16 November 1979, more than six months 
after the deadline laid down in the Financial Regulation. 
ThEwas because of the Council's inability to forward the recommenda-
tion provided for in the Treaties until 10 May 1979. 
2. In the course of the discussion within Parliament a sharp contr~ersy 
arose with regard to the consequences that should follow the severe 
criticism of the Commission's financial management in 1977, in particular 
in connection with the implementation of the amendments adopted by 
Parliament. Whereas everyonetook a very grave view of the criticism 
it was impossible, before the dir4ct elections to Parliament of 
10 June 1979, to obtain agreement on the substance of the decision in 
question. 
3. The directly elected Parliament, which set up the Committee on Budgetary 
Control, took up the matter again. It fully endorsed the criticism 
levelled at the Commission. At the same time, it took the view that 
relations with the Commission had changed fundamentally after the 
elections. 
4. Although Parliament granted the Commission a discharge in respect of 
the 1977 financial year, it underlines the circumstances in which this 
decision was reached. 
5. Attention is called to the fact that of the 29 amendments to the payments 
side of the budget, increasing payments, 
- 21 were not implemented at all, 
5 were implemented to a small degree (less than 50%), 
2 were more fully implemented, 
only 1 out of the 29 was implemented in full. 
- 7 - PE 68.437/fin. 
TABLE 
Implementation of Parliament's amendments (payments) for the financial year 1977 
(in u. a.) by the Commission 
I 
I 
I I 
Effe~t of EP rr'9tal app~opria­~~ons ava~lable 
I
I amendments- · f<;>r the finan-
(payments) p~al year I Budget item 
2243/Data processing 
254/Action for yocng people 
I 
I 
elections: 
12653/Nuclear fuel 
I 2729/Information EP 
282/Econornic Analysis and 
Research Institutz 
291/Subsidies to European 
movements 
3031/Action for migrant workers 
I 
I 3050/E:nployrnent analysis I 
' 
I 
316/Vccational Training of 
farmers 
3200/Hydrocarbons 
I 3201/0il prospecting 
321/Prospecting for hydro-
carbons 
3380/Euratom 
-+500,000 
+ 60,000 
+ 60,000 
+600,000 
+1,000,000 
+ 3,600 
+500,000 
+130,000 
+ 60,000 
+15,000,000 
(12,000,000 
frozen) 
+9,000,000 
+2,000,000 
+139 ,800 
I 
(payments) 
3,453,000 
190,000 
100,000 
1,000,000 
1,000,000 
136,700 
500,000 
400,000 
100,000 
23,000,000 
Total 
payments 
effected 
565,000 
70,600 
24,600 
454,000 
0 
126,900 
12,600 
79,100 
100,000 
2,743,000 
~- .. 
-------..---------------,. 
Tota-l unspent I 
(either carried 
forward or 
cancelled) 
%of EP 
amendment 
implemented 
in 1977 
- --- ----------4----------i 
2,888,000 0 
120,.)00 0 
75,300 0 
545,700 
I 1,000,000 
9 
0 
9,800 0 
487,400 2.5 
320,800 0 
-
100 
20,257,000 0 
'"~ -··. -~ 
... ~~ .... ,. .... .... ---"-"···~__....,. .. -..... --.. ·----~,....,.-........ ...........,.----~----.... .-.,.~......-r·-.......,...-...---_....-----------·-- .. ~-__.. ....... ______ ............ ·-·-······- ······--··. 
---- - ~ -~~ -- ~. 
- ------'-----~~-~~---~---- ~~~·-- --- ---~--- --- ---~ --~---~--
ttl 
tzJ 
0\ 
(X) 
• 
~ 
Wo 
-.,J 
......... 
HI 
.... 
::s 
. 
Budget item Effect of EP 
amendments (pay-
ments) 
3390/JRC staff 2,344,0')0 
351/Health and water safety + 40,000 
3540/Environmental studies +112 ,000 
3541/Environmenta1 studies + 30,000 
35SO/Consumer protection + 20,000 
3551YConsumer projects + 30,000 
356/Humanizing of work + 50,000 
3621/Scientific information +500,000 
3701/Second transport programme +2,836,000 
3710/Basic transport research +8,000,000 
393/Architectural heritage +100,000 
59/Aid to disaster victims +5,000,000 
930/Coop with non-associated +45,000,000 
developing countries 
931/Trade with non-associated +1,500,000 
developing countries 
9431/Commission delegations 
il 
+681,000 
Maghreb countries 
( 1)After transfers and· supplementary budgets. 
Total appropria-
tions available 
for the financial 
year (payments) 
0 <.1) 
480,000 
1,412,000 
150,000 
180,000 
240,000 
50,000 
500,000 
2,836,000 
8,000,000 
100,000 
5,000,000 
45,000,000 
5,000,000 
681,000 
TABLE (cont'd) 
Total payments Total unspent % of EP ! I 
!effected (either carried amendmoant I forward or implemented J.n I cancelled) 1977 
i 
0 0 0 ! 
202,800 277,200 0 l I 445.600 966,300 0 I 62,400 87,600 0 
56,600 123,300 0 I 
I 
0 240,000 0 i ! 
I 
' 20.000 30,000 40 
! 
144,900 355,100 28.9 I 
I 0 I 
2,836,000 0 
0 8,000,000 0 i I 
l 
91,200 8,800 91.:1 I ! 
I 
4,000,000 1,000,000 80 
0 45,000,000 0 
. 1,815,000 3,185,000 0 
- 200,000 481,000 30 
I·'' 


Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Archive of European Integration

Archive of European Integration