Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-11-15-Speech-2-685-000"
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"en.20111115.33.2-685-000"2
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"Mr President, I would like first of all to thank you for all the kind words that you have been so gently addressing to the European Court of Auditors. On behalf of all those who work there, my deepest thanks.
A word to Mr Audy. We are indeed very committed to working with the national audit institutions. In this annual report, we have worked together with the national audit institution of the Netherlands and with the national audit institution of the Czech Republic on a pilot study where we could work together. The results of that work underlie our conclusions on agriculture. This is an experience we have to assess, so as to measure the advantages and the disadvantages, the costs and benefits, but it is for sure the way we have to go, because we need to have a single concept for auditing the Union budget.
We are indeed committed to continue further cooperation with this House, with the relevant committee, the Budgetary Control Committee, and with all the committees – covering agriculture, regional development, or any other area – which find that our work is of relevance for the discharge of their responsibilities.
This annual report provides this Chamber with more detailed information. We have provided you with quantifiable indicators that might prove confusing to a non-expert reader. But we explain clearly that this offers you a kind of thermometer whereby you can compare a series of areas which are most likely to affect, and have a financial impact on, the payments underlying the budget.
We can see the evolution since 2006 and we will be able to see how the situation develops after 2010; that will be, one might say, the thermometer that we can use to see what the temperature is. But more importantly, I think, we have been able to indicate to you where the problems are and where the roots and the causes of those problems lie, so that you, as legislators, you as the discharge authority, the Council and the Commission, can take your own responsibilities to ensure that the rules are indeed implemented by all those responsible in the Commission and in the Member States.
We cannot forget that the budget is implemented by the European Commission, in cooperation with Member States. So we need to fully implement current legal frameworks but we also say that we need to simplify. I believe that the future reforms to the next financial framework envisaged by the Commission proposals offer a golden opportunity to redress the problems we face.
I think there is a focus to be put on the results to be achieved in terms of the added value we want to get from funding from the European Union budget. It must not be forgotten that we have to comply with rules, but we want more than that: we want the funds to be effectively used in the most economic way and in an efficient way.
Some of you have talked about the complexity and bureaucracy of the systems in place. The new financial period may eventually benefit from simple rules and more effective mechanisms, but minimising the costs of control cannot lead to there being no adequate accountability from those responsible, either in Member States or in the Commission; the mechanisms must be sufficiently transparent.
Be sure that the European Court of Auditors is working according to the Treaty provisions to issue its own opinions on the proposals that have been put forward by the Commission to change the regulations in agriculture and in the Structural Funds. We believe that these principles of transparency and accountability should be key, should guide all these reforms, and also should be applied to other areas that are outside the budget of the European Union. We have a lot of new interinstitutional instruments where a lot of public funds are committed, and we need to ensure that there is sufficient accountability and public audit. I think you have a good example with the European Stability Mechanism.
Allow me to make two remarks on concrete questions raised by Members of this House. Let me reassure Ms Macovei that the report on the agencies has already been delivered for all the agencies and that the horizontal issues to which she referred will be delivered in due course. She is absent, but I believe the message will get to her."@en1
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