Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-23-Speech-2-163"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030923.5.2-163"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, the European Union budget presented by the Council shows a very disciplined approach. Payment appropriations account for just 0.99% of GDP, or, in terms of cash, EUR 11.4 billion below the financial perspective.
The Commission’s budget has been drawn up as an activity-based budget concerning 31 policy areas. This has long been our group’s clear objective. It will facilitate the monitoring of EU activity. The costs associated with each policy area are clearly visible. Administrative and operational costs are itemised. Efficiency can be more easily assessed, as can the relation between achieved results and money spent. Excessive bureaucracy is a glaring signal of immoderate administrative costs.
The biggest problem with EU budgetary policy is outstanding appropriations. Year in, year out, Parliament struggles to adapt the budget to the financial frameworks. In the financial statements we state that arguments over a few euros are totally superfluous when there are billions in outstanding appropriations, easily exceeding as much as EUR 10 billion every year.
Next year’s budget will be dominated by the enlargement of the EU. The Council has had a strict view on posts in the Commission that are required for enlargement. It is the opinion of our group that enlargement requires an adequate number of posts but it must not be used as a pretext for swelling the ranks of officialdom. The administrative success of enlargement will depend not only on the creation of posts but also how existing resources can be reallocated and used more effectively.
Our group supports the priorities that Mr Mulder has proposed. We are worried about funding for human rights, as we are too about funding in respect of the International Court of Justice in the Hague. We also hope that the Northern Dimension Action Plan will be taken proper account of in the budget headings. We should also step up cooperation with our new neighbours within the framework of the Wider Europe programme, and the administration of appropriations connected with that should be simplified."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples