Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-10-21-Speech-2-158"
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"en.20031021.5.2-158"2
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"Madam President, when the previous budget debate was held in plenary at the end of September, I expressed concern about the reports on the irregularities at Eurostat. The Commission has since presented reports on the activities, but it is, however, unfortunate that these do not make clear what has happened and who is responsible. It is essential, in this connection, to emphasise the important role played by Eurostat in monetary union. The European Central Bank depends upon reliable statistics in order to be able to take its decisions on monetary policy. It is therefore extremely important for the irregularities to be investigated without delay and for correct procedural routines to be devised, so ensuring that Eurostat’s activities are focused upon producing statistics.
I also believe it is time we began to conduct a more general debate on how the EU budget is really used. I should like to draw attention to some of the recommendations presented in what is known as the Sapir report, which observes very correctly that the EU budget is out-of-date. Expenditure, income and procedures are incompatible with the present and future situation. The report proposes, among other things, that the costs of agricultural and regional policy must be considerably reduced and that funds must be set aside from the budget in cases where they can create basic conditions for employment and growth. Everyone seems to agree about the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises for economic growth. Action should also be taken to benefit such enterprises. In the future enlarged EU, it will be necessary drastically to cut back on agricultural aid, to reform structural funds and to create room for growth through private enterprise.
Both the issue of Eurostat and that of how the EU budget is to look in the future are about credibility. If people are to have confidence in the EU, it is of fundamental importance that their money should be neither misappropriated nor squandered, but used in a sensible way that benefits people and development in the EU."@en1
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