Activities of Igor ŠOLTES related to 2015/2196(DEC)
Plenary speeches (1)
Discharge 2014: Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy (A8-0097/2016 - Marian-Jean Marinescu) SL
Amendments (11)
Amendment 2 #
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2014 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2014;
Amendment 4 #
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants toRefuses to grant the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2014;
Amendment 7 #
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2014 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2014;
Amendment 9 #
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ARefuses to approves the closure of the accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2014;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the Court's report emphasised the fact that the Council conclusions adopted on 7 July 201013 approved EUR 6 600 000 000 (in 2008 values) for the Joint Undertaking contribution to the ITER construction phase of the project; notes that that figure, which doubled the initial budgeted costs for this phase of the project, did not include EUR 663 000 000 proposed by the Commission in 2010 to cover potential contingencies; acknowledges that the Joint Undertaking set up a Reserve Fund with the aim of providing a clearer mechanism that compensates the Domestic Agencies for design changes and incentivises the Internal Organisation to adopt solutions that minimise costs in an attempt to rectify the weakness identified by 2013 ITER Management Assessment14 ; considers that the significant increase of the project costs may put into danger other programmes which are also financed by the Union budget and may be contradictory to the ''value for money'' principle; __________________ 13 Council conclusions on ITER status of 7 July 2010 (ref. 11902/10). 14 Follow-up report 2013 Discharge Follow-up report 2013 Discharge
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes note that the latest estimate of the shortfall (“negative contingency”) until the finalisation of the construction phase, calculated by the Joint Undertaking in November 2014, was EUR 428 000 000 (2008 values); acknowledges that the Joint Undertaking is currently working on a more accurate and updated estimate through cost containment measures and that cost control will continue to be a priority at global project management level under the leadership of the new Director General of the ITER Organization; Points out that during the meeting of the Committee on Budgetary Control held on 22 February 2016 the Commission publically stated that it “rejected” the proposal of the action plan made by the new Director General of the ITER Organization; notes, furthermore, that the Joint Undertaking has implemented a central system to manage costing data in order to maintain close control of the evolution of the budget and to monitor cost deviations on a regular basis16 ; __________________ 16 Follow-up report 2013 Discharge Follow-up report 2013 Discharge
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Fears that the new action plan proposed by the new Director General of the ITER Organization may lead to extra over costs and further delay of the ITER Project; is of the opinion that this could be to the detriment of other EU research programmes funded by the Union; stresses that it could be also contradictory to the ''value for money principle'';
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the conclusions of the ITER Council of 15 and 16 June 2016 which confirmed that the ITER Project is now going in the right direction, in a way that will allow for a sound, realistic and detailed proposal for schedule and associated cost up to First Plasma, endorsed the updated Integrated Schedule for the ITER Project, which identifies the date of First Plasma as December 2025, indicated that the successful completion of all project milestReminds that during the meeting of the Committee on Budgetary Control held on 22 February 2016 the Commission publically stated that it "rejected" the proposal of the action plan made by the new Director General of the ITER Organization; takes notes of the conclusiones to date, on or ahead of schedule, is a positive indicator of the collective capacity ofof the ITER Council of 15 and 16 June 2016 which have not been made public yet; regrets the lack of transparency from the ITER Organization ; demands the Domestic Agencies to continue to deliver on the updated Schedule and underlined that the evidence of increased effectiveness of decision-making, improved understanding of risks, and rigourpublication of the final action plan including the new time schedule and the new estimated costs compared to the initial action plan; fears that additional costs will lead to further cuts in adothering to commitments provides a renewed basis for confidence that the ITER Project will maintain its current positive momentum EU Research programmes such as Horizon 2020; demands therefore a formal vote by the budgetary authorities of all stakeholders on the new action plan to ensure the most transparent and democratic process;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Urges the new Director General of the ITER Organization to present publically his new action plan; expects that the new action plan clearly avoids any further delay or additional cost of the ITER Project;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. ObservesIs deeply concerned that the Joint Undertaking has not yet adopted all rules implementing the Staff Regulations; notes with concern that the Joint Undertaking relied on two transitional measures in order to avoid a legal vacuum pending the formal adoption of outstanding implementing rules to the Staff Regulations; notes however that progress has been made in this regard; urges the Joint Undertaking to urgently remediate to the situation; calls on the Joint Undertaking to inform the discharge authority on further advancements and state of implementation19 ; __________________ 19 ITER AAR - p. 104 & Follow-up report 2013 Discharge
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes fromexpresses concerns about the Court’s reportfinding that, with one exception, the Joint Undertaking failed to provide the amount allocated to the different contracts from the EUR 6 600 000 000 capped budget at the time of launching the procedure, and did not provide the value for the estimate at completion (EAC) of those activities; reminds the Joint Undertaking that such information is essential to calculate the cost deviations from the capped budget; notes, furthermore, that in one case, the deviation of the awarded value of the contract over the cost baseline was 29 % and that that deviation was not reported in the evaluation committee report; urges the Joint Undertaking to be transparent and to strictly respect the sound financial management principles;