ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΟ ΚΟΙΝΟΒΟΥΛΙΟ 2014-2019 Επιτροπή Ελέγχου του Προϋπολογισμού CONT_PV(2015)0108_1 ΠΡΑΚΤΙΚΑ Συνεδρίαση της 8ης Ιανουαρίου 2015, 9.00-12.30 ΒΡΥΞΕΛΛΕΣ Η συνεδρίαση αρχίζει την Πέμπτη 8 Ιανουαρίου 2015, στις 9.00, υπό την προεδρία της Ingeborg Gräßle (προέδρου). 1. Έγκριση της ημερήσιας διάταξης CONT_OJ 544288v01-00 Η ημερήσια διάταξη εγκρίνεται. 2. Ανακοινώσεις της προέδρου Βλέπε το τεύχος 1 του δελτίου CONT News, της 8ης Ιανουαρίου 2015 που επισυνάπτεται στα παρόντα πρακτικά. Η πρόεδρος ανακοινώνει ότι στις 10.45 το Κοινοβούλιο θα τηρήσει ενός λεπτού σιγή στη μνήμη των θυμάτων της δολοφονικής επίθεσης στο γαλλικό περιοδικό Charlie Hebdo. 3. Έγκριση των πρακτικών της συνεδρίασης της: 1-2 Δεκεμβρίου 2014 PV PE544.123v01-00 PV\1050666.doc Τα πρακτικά εγκρίνονται. 4. Απαλλαγή 2013: Γενικός προϋπολογισμός της ΕΕ - Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή CONT/8/01478 Εισηγήτρια: Ingeborg Gräßle (PPE) Αρμόδιος αντιπρόεδρος της CONT: Dan Nica (S&D) Ανταλλαγή απόψεων με τον Carlos Moedas, μέλος της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής αρμόδιο για την έρευνα, την επιστήμη και την καινοτομία, παρουσία του Alex Brenninkmeijer, αρμόδιου μέλους του Ευρωπαϊκού Ελεγκτικού Συνεδρίου PE549.132v01-00 Eνωμένη στην πολυμορφία
Τον λόγο λαμβάνουν οι ακόλουθοι: Ingeborg Gräßle, Alex Brenninkmeijer (μέλος του Ευρωπαϊκού Ελεγκτικού Συνεδρίου), Carlos Moedas (Επίτροπος, αρμόδιος για την έρευνα, την επιστήμη και την καινοτομία), Dan Nica, Barbara Kappel, Inés Ayala Sender, Martina Dlabajová, Patricija Šulin, Robert-Jan Smits (Γενικός Διευθυντής της Γενικής Διεύθυνσης έρευνας, επιστήμης και καινοτομίας). 5. Απαλλαγή 2013 - Άλλα όργανα CONT/8/02221 Εισηγητής: Ryszard Czarnecki (ECR) Ανταλλαγή απόψεων με τους Γενικούς Γραμματείς των θεσμικών οργάνων, παρουσία του Baudilio Tomé Muguruza, αρμοδίου μέλους του Ευρωπαϊκού Ελεγκτικού Συνεδρίου Το λόγο λαμβάνουν οι ακόλουθοι: Ingeborg Gräßle, Baudilio Tomé Muguruza (μέλος του Ευρωπαϊκού Ελεγκτικού Συνεδρίου), Alfredo Calot Escobar (Γραμματέας του Δικαστηρίου της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης), Eduardo Ruiz Garcia (Γενικός Γραμματέας του Ευρωπαϊκού Ελεγκτικού Συνεδρίου), Luis Planas Puchades (Γενικός Γραμματέας της Ευρωπαϊκής Οικονομικής και Κοινωνικής Επιτροπής), Jiří Burianek (Γενικός Γραμματέας της Επιτροπής Περιφερειών), Ian Harden (Γενικός Γραμματέας του Ευρωπαίου Διαμεσολαβητή), Christopher Docksey (Διευθυντής του Ευρωπαίου Επόπτη Προστασίας Δεδομένων), Ryszard Czarnecki, Dennis de Jong, Inés Ayala Sender, Martina Dlabajová. 6. Δημοσιονομικός κανονισμός για τον γενικό προϋπολογισμό της Ένωσης CONT/8/00627 Συντάκτης γνωμοδότησης: Tamás Deutsch (PPE) PA PE539.750v01-00 Επί της ουσίας: BUDG Ingeborg Gräßle (PPE) PR PE544.201v01-00 Εξέταση του σχεδίου γνωμοδότησης Λήξη της προθεσμίας για την κατάθεση τροπολογιών: 13 Ιανουαρίου 2015 στις 12.00 Το λόγο λαμβάνουν οι ακόλουθοι: Ingeborg Gräßle, Jens Geier, Olivier Waelbroeck (προϊστάμενος μονάδας, ΓΔ BUDG). 7. Διάφορα Ουδέν 8. Προσεχείς συνεδριάσεις 19 Ιανουαρίου 2015, 15.00 18.30 21 Ιανουαρίου 2015, 9.00 12.30 και 15.00 18.30 22 Ιανουαρίου 2015, 9.00 12.30 Ο πρόεδρος κηρύσσει τη λήξη της συνεδρίασης στις 12.45 PE549.132v01-00 2/13 PV\1050666.doc
ПРИСЪСТВЕН ЛИСТ/LISTA DE ASISTENCIA/PREZENČNÍ LISTINA/DTAGERLISTE/ ANWESENHEITSLISTE/KOHALOLIJATE NIMEKIRI/ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΠΑΡΟΝΤΩΝ/RECORD OF ATTENDANCE/ LISTE DE PRÉSENCE/POPIS NAZOČNIH/ENCO DI PRESENZA/APMEKLĒJUMU REĢISTRS/DALYVIŲ SĄRAŠAS/ JENLÉTI ÍV/REĠISTRU TA' ATTENDENZA/PRESENTIIJST/LISTA OBECNOŚCI/LISTA DE PRESENÇAS/ LISTĂ DE PREZENŢĂ/PREZENČNÁ LISTINA/SEZNAM NAVZOČIH/LÄSNÄOLOLISTA/DTAGARLISTA Бюро/Mesa/Předsednictvo/Formandskabet/Vorstand/Juhatus/Προεδρείο/Bureau/Predsjedništvo/Ufficio di presidenza/prezidijs/ Biuras/Elnökség/Prezydium/Birou/Predsedníctvo/Predsedstvo/Puheenjohtajisto/Presidiet (*) Ingeborg Gräßle (Chair), Igor Šoltes (2nd Vice-Chair), Martina Dlabajová (3rd Vice-Chair), Dan Nica (4th Vice-Chair) Членове/Diputados/Poslanci/Medlemmer/Mitglieder/Parlamendiliikmed/Μέλη/Members/Députés/Zastupnici/Deputati/Deputāti/Nariai/ Képviselõk/Membri/Leden/Posłowie/Deputados/Deputaţi/Jäsenet/Ledamöter Jonathan Arnott, Inés Ayala Sender, Ryszard Czarnecki, Martina Dlabajova, Jens Geier, Dennis de Jong, Bernd Kölmel, Bogusław Liberadzki, Verónica Lope Fontagné, Monica Macovei, Fulvio Martusciello, Dan Nica, Gilles Pargneaux, Petri Sarvamaa, Claudia Schmidt, Michael Theurer, Marco Valli, Joachim Zeller Заместници/Suplentes/Náhradníci/Stedfortrædere/Stellvertreter/Asendusliikmed/Αναπληρωτές/Substitutes/Suppléants/Zamjenici/ Supplenti/Aizstājēji/Pavaduojantysnariai/Póttagok/Sostituti/Plaatsvervangers/Zastępcy/Membros suplentes/supleanţi/náhradníci/ Namestniki/Varajäsenet/Suppleanter Karin Kaderbach, Andrey Novakov, Markus Pieper, Julia Pitera, Patricija Šulin 200 (2) 206 (3) Barbara Kappel, Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, Neoklis Sylikiotis, Vladimir Urutchev 53 (6) (Точка от дневния ред/punto del orden del día/bod pořadu jednání (OJ)/Punkt på dagsordenen/tagesordnungspunkt/ Päevakorra punkt/ημερήσια Διάταξη Σημείο/Agenda item/point OJ/Točka dnevnog reda/punto all'ordine del giorno/darba kārtības punkts/darbotvarkės punktas/napirendi pont/punt Aġenda/Agendapunt/Punkt porządku dziennego/ponto OD/Punct de pe ordinea de zi/bod programu schôdze/točka UL/Esityslistan kohta/föredragningslista punkt) Наблюдатели/Observadores/Pozorovatelé/Observatører/Beobachter/Vaatlejad/Παρατηρητές/Observers/Observateurs/Promatrači/ Osservatori/Novērotāji/Stebėtojai/Megfigyelők/Osservaturi/Waarnemers/Obserwatorzy/Observadores/Observatori/Pozorovatelia/ Opazovalci/Tarkkailijat/Observatörer По покана на председателя/por invitación del presidente/na pozvání předsedy/efter indbydelse fra formanden/auf Einladung des Vorsitzenden/Esimehe kutsel/με πρόσκληση του Προέδρου/At the invitation of the Chair(wo)man/Sur l'invitation du président/ Na poziv predsjednika/su invito del presidente/pēc priekšsēdētāja uzaicinājuma/pirmininkui pakvietus/az elnök meghívására/ PV\1050666.doc 3/13 PE549.132v01-00
Fuq stedina taċ-'chairman'/op uitnodiging van de voorzitter/na zaproszenie Przewodniczącego/A convite do Presidente/La invitaţia preşedintelui/na pozvanie predsedu/na povabilo predsednika/puheenjohtajan kutsusta/på ordförandens inbjudan Съвет/Consejo/Rada/Rådet/Rat/Nõukogu/Συμβούλιο/Council/Conseil/Vijeće/Consiglio/Padome/Taryba/Tanács/Kunsill/Raad/ Conselho/Consiliu/Svet/Neuvosto/Rådet (*) Комисия/Comisión/Komise/Kommissionen/Kommission/Euroopa Komisjon/Επιτροπή/Commission/Komisija/Commissione/Bizottság/ Kummissjoni/Commissie/Komisja/Comissão/Comisie/Komisia/Komissio/Kommissionen (*) Carlos Moedas (Commissioner responsible for Research, Science and Innovation) Robert-Jan Smits (General Director, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission) Manfred Kraff (Deputy Director-General, DG BUDG) Olivier Waelbroeck (Head of Unit, DG BUDG) Други институции/otras instituciones/ostatní orgány a instituce/andre institutioner/andere Organe/Muud institutsioonid/ Άλλα θεσμικά όργανα/other institutions/autres institutions/druge institucije/altre istituzioni/citas iestādes/kitos institucijos/ Más intézmények/istituzzjonijiet oħra/andere instellingen/inne instytucje/outras Instituições/Alte instituţii/iné inštitúcie/muut toimielimet/andra institutioner/organ European Court of Auditors Committee of Region Court of Justice European and Social Committee European Data Protection supervisor European Ombudsman Eduardo Ruitz Garcia (Secretary General of the ECA), Alex Brenninkmeijer (Member of the ECA), Baudilio Tomé Muguruza (Member of the ECA) Jiří Burianek (Secretary General of the Committee of the Regions) Alfredo Calot Escobar (Registrar of the Court of Justice of the European Union) Luis Planas Puchades(Secretary General of the European Economic and Social Committee) Christopher Docksey (Director of the European Data Protection Supervisor) Ian Harden (Secretary-General of the European Ombudsman) Други участници/otros participantes/ostatní účastníci/endvidere deltog/andere Teilnehmer/Muud osalejad/επίσης Παρόντες/Other participants/autres participants/drugi sudionici/altri partecipanti/citi klātesošie/kiti dalyviai/más résztvevők/parteċipanti ohra/andere aanwezigen/inni uczestnicy/outros participantes/alţi participanţi/iní účastníci/drugi udeleženci/muut osallistujat/övriga deltagare Секретариат на политическите групи/secretaría de los Grupos políticos/sekretariát politických skupin/gruppernes sekretariat/ Sekretariat der Fraktionen/Fraktsioonide sekretariaat/γραμματεία των Πολιτικών Ομάδων/Secretariats of political groups/secrétariat des groupes politiques/tajništva klubova zastupnika/segreteria gruppi politici/politisko grupu sekretariāts/frakcijų sekretoriai/ Képviselőcsoportok titkársága/segretarjat gruppi politiċi/fractiesecretariaten/sekretariat Grup Politycznych/Secr. dos grupos políticos/secretariate grupuri politice/sekretariát politických skupín/sekretariat političnih skupin/poliittisten ryhmien sihteeristöt/ Gruppernas sekretariat PE549.132v01-00 4/13 PV\1050666.doc
PPE S&D ALDE ECR Verts/ALE GUE/NGL EFDD NI Balázs Széchy,Jonas Kraft, Laure De Montagnac Maddalena Cremascoli, Codruta-Liliana Filip Dominykas Mordas Kamila Wrzesinska, Peter O'Broin Roccu Garoby Maria Barbara Gatto Emiel Van Dijk Кабинет на председателя/gabinete del Presidente/Kancelář předsedy/formandens Kabinet/Kabinett des Präsidenten/Presidendi kantselei/γραφείο Προέδρου/President's Office/Cabinet du Président/Ured predsjednika/gabinetto del Presidente/Priekšsēdētāja kabinets/pirmininko kabinetas/elnöki hivatal/kabinett tal-president/kabinet van de Voorzitter/Gabinet Przewodniczącego/Gabinete do Presidente/Cabinet Preşedinte/Kancelária predsedu/urad predsednika/puhemiehen kabinetti/talmannens kansli Paulina Boveington Fauran Кабинет на генералния секретар/gabinete del Secretario General/Kancelář generálního tajemníka/generalsekretærens Kabinet/ Kabinett des Generalsekretärs/Peasekretäri büroo/γραφείο Γενικού Γραμματέα/Secretary-General's Office/Cabinet du Secrétaire général/ured glavnog tajnika/gabinetto del Segretario generale/ģenerālsekretāra kabinets/generalinio sekretoriaus kabinetas/ Főtitkári hivatal/kabinett tas-segretarju Ġenerali/Kabinet van de secretaris-generaal/gabinet Sekretarza Generalnego/Gabinete do Secretário-Geral/Cabinet Secretar General/Kancelária generálneho tajomníka/urad generalnega sekretarja/pääsihteerin kabinetti/ Generalsekreterarens kansli Генерална дирекция/dirección General/Generální ředitelství/generaldirektorat/generaldirektion/peadirektoraat/γενική Διεύθυνση/ Directorate-General/Direction générale/glavna uprava/direzione generale/ģenerāldirektorāts/generalinis direktoratas/főigazgatóság/ Direttorat Ġenerali/Directoraten-generaal/Dyrekcja Generalna/Direcção-Geral/Direcţii Generale/Generálne riaditeľstvo/generalni direktorat/pääosasto/generaldirektorat DG PRES DG IPOL DG EXPO DG EPRS DG COMM DG PERS DG INLO DG TRAD DG INTE DG FINS DG ITEC DG SAFE Anne Vitrey, Niels Fisher Eszter Balazs PV\1050666.doc 5/13 PE549.132v01-00
Правна служба/servicio Jurídico/Právní služba/juridisk Tjeneste/Juristischer Dienst/Õigusteenistus/Νομική Υπηρεσία/Legal Service/ Service juridique/pravna služba/servizio giuridico/juridiskais dienests/teisės tarnyba/jogi szolgálat/servizz legali/juridische Dienst/ Wydział prawny/serviço Jurídico/Serviciu Juridic/Právny servis/oikeudellinen yksikkö/rättstjänsten Ulrich Rösslein Секретариат на комисията/secretaría de la comisión/sekretariát výboru/udvalgssekretariatet/ausschusssekretariat/komisjoni sekretariaat/γραμματεία επιτροπής/committee secretariat/secrétariat de la commission/tajništvo odbora/segreteria della commissione/ Komitejas sekretariāts/komiteto sekretoriatas/a bizottság titkársága/segretarjat tal-kumitat/commissiesecretariaat/sekretariat komisji/ Secretariado da comissão/secretariat comisie/sekretariat odbora/valiokunnan sihteeristö/utskottssekretariatet Carmen Castillo del Carpio, Mauro De Oliveira, Christian Ehlers, Philippe Godts, Tereza Pinto de Rezende, Olivier Sautière, Hrvoje Svetic, Michal Czaplicki Сътрудник/Asistente/Asistent/Assistent/Assistenz/Βοηθός/Assistant/Assistente/Palīgs/Padėjėjas/Asszisztens/Asystent/Pomočnik/ Avustaja/Assistenter Cinti Torrens Bermo * (P) = Председател/Presidente/Předseda/Formand/Vorsitzender/Esimees/Πρόεδρος/Chair(wo)man/Président/Predsjednik/Priekšsēdētājs/ Pirmininkas/Elnök/'Chairman'/Voorzitter/Przewodniczący/Preşedinte/Predseda/Predsednik/Puheenjohtaja/Ordförande (VP) = Заместник-председател/Vicepresidente/Místopředseda/Næstformand/Stellvertretender Vorsitzender/Aseesimees/Αντιπρόεδρος/ Vice-Chair(wo)man/Potpredsjednik/Vice-Président/Potpredsjednik/Priekšsēdētāja vietnieks/pirmininko pavaduotojas/alelnök/ Viċi 'Chairman'/Ondervoorzitter/Wiceprzewodniczący/Vice-Presidente/Vicepreşedinte/Podpredseda/Podpredsednik/ Varapuheenjohtaja/Vice ordförande (M) = Член/Miembro/Člen/Medlem./Mitglied/Parlamendiliige/Μέλος/Member/Membre/Član/Membro/Deputāts/Narys/Képviselő/ Membru/Lid/Członek/Membro/Membru/Člen/Poslanec/Jäsen/Ledamot (F) = Длъжностно лице/funcionario/úředník/tjenestemand/beamter/ametnik/υπάλληλος/official/fonctionnaire/dužnosnik/ Funzionario/Ierēdnis/Pareigūnas/Tisztviselő/Uffiċjal/Ambtenaar/Urzędnik/Funcionário/Funcţionar/Úradník/Uradnik/Virkamies/ Tjänsteman PE549.132v01-00 6/13 PV\1050666.doc
ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΑΣΗ THURSDAY 8 JANUARY 2015 9.00 12.30 public meeting Altiero Spinelli 5G3 Follow CONT meeting on the web CONT committee website 1. AGENDA The draft agenda (in EN) will be emailed to Members on 22 December 2014 and is in the file for this meeting. Direct access to meeting documents 2. ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΕΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΟΕΔΡΟΥ The Chairman draws attention to the following points: LANGUAGES AVAILABLE emeeting FR, DE, IT, NL, EN, DA, ES, FI, CS, HU, LT, PL, SK, SL, BG, RO Meeting documents: In light of the European Parliament's paperless project please bear in mind that only a very limited number of paper dossiers will be available in the meeting room. WEBSTREAMING The CONT meeting is webstreamed on the Europarl web-site. Please be aware that each time a speaker activates the microphone to make an intervention, the camera will be automatically directed to the speaker. PV\1050666.doc 7/13 PE549.132v01-00
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF CONT MEETING: The following minutes are published on the CONT website: 1-2 December 2014, which was emailed to CONT Members on 16 December 2014 If no objections are received before the end of the meeting, the minutes will be deemed to be approved. Please be aware that the summary of the recommendations concerning the CONT Coordinators' meeting held on 2 December 2014 is attached to the corresponding minutes and were endorsed by the Committee by written procedure. THURSDAY 8 JANUARY 2015 9.00 12.30 public meeting Εισηγήτρια: Ingeborg Gräßle (EPP) CONT Vice-Chair responsible: Dan Nica (S&D) 4. DISCHARGE 2013: EU GENERAL BUDGET - EUROPEAN COMMISSION Administrator: Christian Ehlers Exchange of views with the Member of the European Commission responsible for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, in the presence of the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible, Alex Brenninkmeijer Ingeb org Gräßle Dan Nica CONT Chair CONT Vice-Chair responsible CONT Timetable: Consideration of draft report on 2013 Commission Discharge: 23/2/2015 Deadline for amendments: 03/03/2015 On 5 November 2014 the European Court of Auditors (ECA) presented its Annual Report 2013. In chapter 8 (Research and other internal policies) the ECA examined 150 transactions from the different policy areas. The ECA estimates the most likely error rate to be 4,6%. The most common types of error are incorrectly calculated personnel costs; other ineligible direct costs such as unsubstantiated costs for travel or PE549.132v01-00 8/13 PV\1050666.doc
Adoption in CONT: 23/03/2015 Plenary vote: April II 2015 equipment; and indirect costs which are based on erroneous overhead rates or include ineligible cost categories not linked to the project. In addition, failures by beneficiaries to comply with public procurement rules, not previously an important source of error in this policy group, contributed significantly to the error rate in 2013. It is noteworthy that the director general of DG Research and Innovation issued a reservation concerning the rate of the residual errors with regard to the accuracy of cost claims in the Seventh Research Framework Programme. The amount affected in EUR 3 664 million. The documents of particular relevance for the exchange of views as regards the 2013 Commission discharge are: - The ECA's 2013 Annual Report - Chapters 1 and 8. - The Commission's follow-up report COM (2014)607 final and SWD (2014) 285 and 286. - The respective Annual Activity Reports of the respective Directors General. These documents are available on the CONT website. For this meeting Members submitted 28 written questions. In accordance with the timetable for the discharge procedure, the written questions for this meeting were sent to the Commission on 16 December 2014 and e-mailed to Members on the same day. The answers from the Commission should arrive on 5 January 2015 and will be emailed to Members immediately. It is proposed that today's hearing with the Commissioner shall proceed as follows: - Introduction by the Member of the European Court of Auditors, who will present the findings of the respective chapters of the Annual Report 2012, - Commissioner in charge will reply to this introduction, - CONT Rapporteur and the designated Member/Vice- Chair responsible for the hearing will put questions to the Commissioner and the Court, PV\1050666.doc 9/13 PE549.132v01-00
- Other Members will question the Commissioner and/or the Court, - Closing remarks by the CONT Rapporteur. Εισηγήτρια: Ryszard Czarnecki (ECR) Administrator: Tereza Pinto de Rezende Exchange of views with the Secretary General of the Institutions, in the presence of the Member of the Court of Auditors responsible, Baudilio Tomé Muguruza CONT Timetable: Consideration of draft report on 2013 Commission Discharge: 24/2/2015 Deadline for amendments: 03/03/2015 Adoption in CONT: 24/03/2015 Plenary vote: April II 2015 5. 2013 DISCHARGE TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS The 2013 discharge of the "Other institutions" is prepared by the ECR Rapporteur Ryszard Czarnecki. These institutions: - European External Action Service (the exchange of views with the High Representative Federica Mogherini will take place on 26 January pm), - Council and European Council, - European Court of Justice, - European Court of Auditors, - European Economic and Social Committee, - Committee of the Regions, - European Ombudsman, - European Data Protection Supervisor received the questionnaire made/received the questions put by CONT Members with technical and specific matters on 25th November and their replies were sent to CONT on the 19th December. In the beginning of November, the CONT committee invited the Secretary Generals of the "Other Institutions" to attend the exchange of views of 8 January concerning discharge. Their presence was confirmed except for the Council's Secretary General. In the exchange of views MEP will assess the expenditure and the performance of those Institutions during the financial year of 2013. According to the Court of Auditors, the expenditure in 2013 of the Other Institutions present at this CONT meeting was free of material error. No significant weaknesses were detected by the ECA in relation to the topics audited. Today's exchange of views proceedings are as follows: Introduction by the Mr Tomé Muguruza, ECA representative presenting the findings concerning the respective Institutions in the Annual Report 2013 PE549.132v01-00 10/13 PV\1050666.doc
Presentation by the Secretary Generals of the Institutions, starting by: - Court of Justice - Court of Auditors - European Economic and Social Committee - Committee of the Regions - European Ombudsman - European Data Protection Supervisor CONT Rapporteur questions the Secretary Generals Other Members questions Replies by the Institutions' Secretary Generals Closing remarks by the CONT Rapporteur Συντάκτης γνωμοδότησης: Tamás Deutsch (EPP) Administrator: Philippe Godts Consideration of draft opinion Main committee: BUDG CONT Timetable: Deadline for amendments: 13/01/2015 Adoption in CONT: 21/1/2015 Adoption in BUDG: 5/02/2015 5. FINANCIAL RULES APPLICABLE TO THE GENERAL BUDGET OF THE UNION Following the adoption of the Directives on public procurement and on the award of concession contracts (2014/23 and 24 EU), provision should be made for the rules contained in these Directives to apply to contracts awarded by the European institutions on their own account. The modifications brought about to the text of the Financial Regulation (FR) can be classified into three main groups. The first set of changes is linked to the alignment with the Directive. The second set of changes concern the articles on exclusion. The grounds for exclusion of an economic operator from procurement procedures are clarified and aligned with the Directive as well as the possibility for the economic operator concerned to take remedial measures. Exclusion is clearly distinct from the rejection of an economic operator from a given procedure in order to avoid confusion. A single system is established to allow for increased protection of the Union's financial interests which takes into account the existing Central Exclusion Database. The aim of the PV\1050666.doc 11/13 PE549.132v01-00
system is to ensure the early detection and prevention of risk as well as the publication of information related to excluded economic operators. A panel is set up to take exclusion decisions after the analysis of a case and it guarantees the right of defence of economic operators. The third set of changes is linked to clarifications of the text and simplifications. CONT is particularly interested by the second set of changes. The Rapporteur for opinion welcomes in general those provisions aimed at better protecting the financial interests of the Union. He tables amendments in order to include "tax evasion" as an exclusion ground in public procurement procedures (amendment 4), to further define the composition and principle of the action of the panel (amendment 6) and an amendment concerning the files in indirect management (amendment 9). He introduces 4 amendments aiming at finding the best balance possible between the financial rules (FR) and its rules of application (RAP) in particular as regards the rights of defence (see amendments 1, 5, 7 and 8). He intends to introduce in the FR new provisions corresponding to the political agreement reached between the Commission, the Council and the Parliament on 29 May 2014 regarding the principle of a separate discharge for the Joint Undertakings (amendments 2 and 14). The Rapporteur also introduced 4 amendments aiming at making the ECA audit activity more efficient, providing more transparency to the IAS activity (amendments 3, 10, 11, 12) and one amendment on the Council discharge ( amendment 13). Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ep_budgcontrol NEXT MEETINGS (BRUSSS) 19 January 2015, 15.00 18.30, 21 January 2015, 9.00 12.30 and 15.00 18.30 22 January 2015, 9.00 12.30 PE549.132v01-00 12/13 PV\1050666.doc
PV\1050666.doc 13/13 PE549.132v01-00