Activities of Angelika WINZIG related to 2022/2129(DEC)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2021
Amendments (20)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. NotWelcomes that the report of the Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’) on the Joint Undertaking’s annual accounts for the financial year of 2021 (the ‘Court’ s report’) finds the annual accounts to present fairly, in all material respects, its financial position at 31 December 2021and the results of its operations, its cash flows, and the changes in net assets for the year then ended, in accordance with its financial regulation and with the accounting rules adopted by the Commission’s accounting officer; notehighlights, in addition, that the underlying transitions to the accounts for the financial year 2021 are, in all material respects, legal and regular;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. NoteRegrets, however, that the Court’s report draws attention to the fact that the Joint Undertaking’s annual accounts for the financial year 2021 disclose the Joint Undertaking estimate of the total cost for completing its delivery obligations for the ITER project, assessed at €18.3 billion (in 2021 values) and to the fact that changes in key assumptions for the estimate and risk exposure could lead to significant costs increases and/or to further delays in the implementation of the ITER project;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Acknowledges that Horizon Europe envisages ambitious goals for the Joint Undertaking, that can only be achieved if effective solutions that address the weaknesses in the internal control systems and prepare for the future challenges arising from increased responsibilities, e.g. in the area of human resources management and planning, are designed and implemented; points out, in this context, that particularly complicated and burdensome calculations and reporting requirements represent a significant risk of error and calls therefore, to explore the possibilities of simplifications wherever possible and compatible with the existing legal framework;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that changes in key assumptions for the above estimate and in risk exposure may lead to further cost increases and projects delays and, for 2021 considers that, based on the Court’s report, special attention should be paid to some events that may have a significant impact on the estimate at completion; underlines that in the event of delivery problems resulting in the lack of crucial components for the continuation of the project, alternative supply streams should be explored;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes, that the ITER Council, in the first quarter of 2023, plans to adopt a new ITER baseline, setting out the calendar for certain achievements, which will significantly push back the dates when it expects to accomplish key milestones and consequently impact the estimate at completion; calls on the Joint Undertaking to report on the outcome and the expected delays as well as the consequences for the completion of the project;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes in regard toCalls on the Joint Undertaking to revise the cost estimate for the Hot Cell Complex that it has not been revised, and that, in order to allow - in line with the current maturity stage of the ITER-IO design requirements does not allow the Joint Undertaking to prepare- the preparation of a reliable cost estimate;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. NotWelcomes that the final available appropriations, including the carry-over from the previous year, amount to EUR 1 069.88 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 764.83 million in payment appropriations;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. NoAppreciates that, following the 2020 discharge recommendation on the calculation method for the 2020 membership contributions, the Joint Undertaking has adopted corrective measures, in particular the approval of the draft Single Programming Document, to avoid the issue brought up by the Court happening again;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that, as from January 2016, Joint Undertakings that are only partly financed from the EU budget should pay the part of the employer’s contributions to the EU pension scheme, corresponding to the ratio of their non-EU subsidised revenues to their total revenues4 ; notesis concerned that, as the Commission has neither provided for this expenditure in the Joint Undertakings’ budgets, nor formally requested the payments, the Joint Undertaking has not yet paid such contributions; _________________ 4 Article 83a of Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC) laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. NoteCalls in this regard that, in line with the Commission’s guidance to the Joint Undertakings, on the Commission’s Office for Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements shouldto calculate the employer contribution for each Joint Undertaking as a percentage of the non-EU revenue related to the total revenue of the Joint Undertaking, including non-EU revenue for operational expenditure; notes that, for ITER this percentage share was set at 21.6 % for the period 2017-2020 or around €5.8 million, and at 19.8 % for the year 2021 or around €1.5 million; notunderlines, in addition, that this guidance only takes account of the respective provisions of the Staff Regulations in determining the calculation method for the Joint Undertakings’ payments of employer contributions to the EU budget based on revenue;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Calls on the Joint Undertaking not to wait for the final calculation of outstanding contributions, but to consider this obligation when planning its future budget e.g. through a corresponding accrual for pension contributions;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. NotesIs aware, however, that the respective provisions of the Joint Undertaking’s Statutes require that the total amount of membership contributions shall not exceed 10 % of the Joint Undertaking’s annual administrative costs, suggesting an employer contribution of around €740 013 per year for the Joint Undertaking (based on 2021 figures); noteis, therefore, concerned that the concurrence of these different legal provisions risks the elaboration of diverse interpretations regarding the calculation of the Joint Undertaking’s employer contribution, with varying financial impact and expects that this legal uncertainty is clarified wihout any delay;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. NotWelcomes that, during 2021, the Joint Undertaking has further progressed in the work and continued the delivery of some of the major components to ITER in order to start the assembly activities according to plan for the achievement of First Plasma at the end of 2025; notes that the ITER Organisation is currently re- planning the First Plasma baseline, the outcome of which is expected to be decided by ITER Council in 2022 and that the Joint Undertaking will subsequently adjust its planning accordingly;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that during 2021 the COVID 19 pandemic continued to have a significant impact on the Joint Undertaking supply chain, as many of the Joint Undertaking’s suppliers have been affected, with restrictions on work attendance and travel, and ongoing and future efficiency impacts due to enhanced sanitation measures required in most Member States; noteregrets that delays in some deliveries were up to 4 months, resulting in a “cost at completion” impact of EUR 45 million (EUR 57 million in 2020 - both in 2008 values):
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. NotWelcomes that the implementation of the actions in the Anti-fraud Action Plan is systematically monitored through a dedicated database (RAPID) which details the scope of each action, the action owner and the target date for its implementation; notes, for 2021, and that good progress has been achieved as regards the implementation of anti-fraud actions;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. NoAppreciates that rules, procedures, processes and best practices in ethics and prevention and management of conflicts of interest have been communicated to staff in 2021, including via the Joint Undertaking Manual with specific chapters on Ethics & Integrity and Fraud Prevention, a page on Whistleblowing as well as a section on the Prevention and Management of Conflicts of Interest;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. NoteRegrets that, in November 2021, the staff of the Joint Undertaking went on strike and that, according to internal and external management assessments and several internal surveys, the main reasons for the deterioration of the working environment at the Joint Undertaking were shortcomings at senior management level (e.g., non-transparent and dysfunctional decision-taking and a lack of social dialogue); notes, furthermore, the disproportionate use of external staff resources increased challenges and risks for the working environment, which was confirmed by the Joint Undertaking’s staff representatives and their formal letters, sent to the responsible Commissioners; notes that the Commission (DG ENER) in its reply to the letters, stated that the 2022 annual assessment of Joint Undertaking will exclusively focus on human resource management matters and has encouraged the Joint Undertaking in using a 360- degree management assessment for its management team;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. NotesIs aware that, during 2020 and 2021, the Joint Undertaking was subject to the regular annual assessments by external experts and intensive internal audits covering most of its critical areas of its activities and that the implementation of the remedial actions in response to audits and assessments, in order to address the identified risks,; regrets, however, that this resulted in an increase of the administrative burden, while it was not evident that the added controls were efficient and improved the system;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Notes that, in the 2020’s CAAR, the Joint Undertaking concluded that all the components are operating together in an integrated manner; notdeplores, however, that due to the fact that one component was found to have a critical deficiency (the issue occurred with the formalisation of legal commitments for operational expenditure in the Joint Undertaking’s contract management tool that was adapted for new contracts while remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic) impacting the Internal Control System and included by the Director as a reservation in his Declaration of Assurance, the Joint Undertaking Management concluded that the overall internal control system was partially effective.