64 Amendments of Ingeborg GRÄSSLE related to 2008/2186(DEC)
Amendment 2 #
Paragraph 1
1. .........Grants the Commission discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2008;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 g (new)
Paragraph -1 g (new)
-1g. Continues to worry about the lack of EU capacity in crisis management; considers that the EU is losing in political guidance, visibility and accountability when using international trust funds which could have been managed by the Commission if it had respected discharge reports 2005 and 2006 and built up an own post-crisis instrument; is highly preoccupied by the lack of control of EU funds implemented by certain UN agencies and the unwillingness by UN agencies to follow up on fraud cases where EU funds are involved;
Amendment 16 #
Paragraph 1
1. .........Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2008;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with an overview of budgetary support granted, by country and by fund, for the years 2005 to 2009;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46a (new)
Paragraph 46a (new)
46a. is surprised about the fact that the Commission has offered a EUR 1,5 million contribution to the Parliament's fitness centre from the Commission's ex- Economat off budget bank accounts (COM(2008)0692); disagrees with this way of seeking the agreement of the Parliament to use non-budgetised money violating the budgetary prerogatives of the budgetary authority and calls on the Commission to enter the money from the ex-Economat off budget bank accounts into the regular budget before making proposals for its use;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 d (new)
Paragraph 50 d (new)
50d. Is greatly concerned at the fact that only 6.7% of OLAF's ‘judicial follow-up’ recommendations gave rise to actual judicial proceedings; is aware that in 2007 60% of all OLAF investigations gave rise to ‘judicial follow-up’ recommendations; regards this state of affairs, which undermines the rule of law and citizens' confidence and from which only presumed fraudsters can benefit, as unacceptable; therefore strongly urges the Commission to use all the powers available to it under the Treaties to bring about effective cooperation among national authorities in the fight against Community fraud;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 e (new)
Paragraph 50 e (new)
50e. Notes with concern that between 2006 and 2008 only 37 out of 222 internal investigations gave rise to disciplinary proceedings and that, of these 37 investigations, only two produced genuine consequences, three were halted for lack of evidence and the other 32 – i.e. 87% – have yet to produce results; calls on the Commission to undertake to pursue internal investigations just as vigorously as external investigations and to ensure that those investigations which have not yet given rise to effective disciplinary follow-up produce results;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 f (new)
Paragraph 50 f (new)
50f. Calls once again on the Commission to establish a mechanism for exchanges of information between OLAF and the Member States concerning the follow-up to Community anti-fraud investigations; in particular, calls on the Commission to ensure that national judicial authorities keep OLAF regularly informed, by means of progress reports, on the outcome of the judicial action taken in the fight against Community fraud, following the forwarding of OLAF files;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Proposes that national audit bodies, in their capacity as independent external auditors, and with due regard for international audit standards, issue national audit certificates for the management of EU funds, which would be the basis of national management declarations; calls on the Commission to examine the possibility of modifying and adapting the discharge timetable in order to allow for timely audits of these national management declarations by the (national) external auditors;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. WelcomesTakes note of the above-mentioned Commission communication of 16 December 2008 on a common understanding of the concept of tolerable risk of error as a sound methodological basis for an economic analysis of acceptable levels of risk; recalls its doubts concerning the figures provided by the Member States on control costs and calls on the Commission to update and complete the figures used in the communication;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70
Paragraph 70
70. Notes the small decrease (from 31,8 % in 2007 to 30,9 % in 2009) in staff allocated to ‘administrative support and coordination functions’, which forms only part of the overall overhead; recalls its previous demands for measures aimed at attaining a proportion of 20 % in this area (paragraph 217 of its above-mentioned resolution of 23 April 2009); deplores the Commission’s failure to achieve any visible progress;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74 a (new)
Paragraph 74 a (new)
74a. Is concerned about as yet unapproved certificates on the methodology (CoM and CoMAv) and urges the Commission to establish the necessary comprehensible criteria for approving certificates on the methodology for both personnel and indirect costs; believes that beneficiaries should be allowed to use average personnel costs and to apply an established methodology for calculating the indirect cost; calls for a timely start of approving (or rejecting) the certificates to make sure that the funds foreseen for research can be used;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 a (new)
Paragraph 71 a (new)
71a. Calls on the Commission, in the run- up to review of the Staff Regulations and Conditions of Employment, to devise and submit alternative methods for the adjustment of the pay of officials and other servants on a proper legal and actuarial basis; considers that this should bring about a broader basis of calculation for the annual adjustment and a prompter pay adjustment and thus more appropriately reflect general economic developments in the Member States;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74 b (new)
Paragraph 74 b (new)
74b. With a view to simplifying the administrative procedures and the application for grants, recalls its request for one single contact point for beneficiaries regarding the research framework related issues with the competence to decide on these issues;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 b (new)
Paragraph 71 b (new)
71b. Calls on the Commission to assess the value of placing candidates in entry pay grades solely in the light of their suitability and to put forward proposals for placing qualified staff in higher pay grades; expects also, as part of the assessment, a report on the practical use of cabinet members after they leave office and in relation to the entry conditions they were expected to fulfil;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74 c (new)
Paragraph 74 c (new)
74c. As a requirement for legal certainty, requests the Commission to refrain from re-calculating the financial statements of projects under the 6th Framework Programme, that have been already approved and settled by the Commission, by applying new interpretations to the eligibility criteria for costs established in the General Conditions (Annex II) of the FP6 model contract;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 c (new)
Paragraph 71 c (new)
71c. Calls on the Commission to state its position on the extent to which the savings targeted in the 2004 Staff Regulations reform have actually been achieved, especially with regard to the increase in contributions by officials and other servants in the areas of health care and pensions;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 d (new)
Paragraph 71 d (new)
71d. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to report to Parliament annually on the extent to which the consolidation of pension payments targeted in the 2004 Staff Regulations reform has so far been achieved and is at all achievable going forward;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Welcomes the undertakings of 15 January 2010 by the new Commission to unblock discussions in the Council about the reform of OLAF and to come forward, as a matter of urgencyt the latest by mid-2010, with the promised and long-awaited overdue Commission’s ‘reflection paper’ as a basis for negotiations in the Council;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 76
Paragraph 76
76. Reiterates the importance of taking into account Parliament’s first-reading position of 20 November 2008 on a proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), and wishes to re- emphasise that, for the future strength of OLAF, it should remain within the Commission whilst retaining its independence; recalls that Article 317 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union places an enhanced responsibility on the Member States and thus supports Parliament’s continuous call for improved cooperation by the Member States with OLAF;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78 a (new)
Paragraph 78 a (new)
78a. Reaffirms its opinion that the procedure for the appointment of the interim Director General of OLAF must follow mutatis mutandis the rules contained in the act providing for OLAF’s legal basis, namely Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)1; contests the Commission’s general application of the Staff Regulations; is concerned that the Commission’s position makes OLAF’s investigations during the interim period legally challengeable; calls on the Commission to rapidly remedy this situation;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79 a (new)
Paragraph 79 a (new)
79a. Takes note, with deep concern, of the Commission’s report on Greek government deficit and debt statistics (COM(2010)0001), which raises serious doubts concerning the reliability of the data delivered by the Greek authorities; calls on the Commission to establish by its own investigations the validity of the data made available in 2008 and to confirm the regularity and legality of the calculation and contribution of the own resources made available;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102
Paragraph 102
102. Notes that between 2004 and 2007 EUR 650 000 000 in Phare funding, EUR 445226 000 000 in Sapard funding and EUR 440 500 000 in ISPA funding were made available to Bulgaria, while some EUR 1 346 500 000 in Phare funding, EUR 526 300 000 in Sapard funding and EUR 1 027 900 000 in ISPA funding were made available to Romania over the same period;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79 b (new)
Paragraph 79 b (new)
79b. Calls on the Commission to inform Parliament about the steps taken as a result of the statement of the Greek Prime Minister with regard to widespread corruption in the Greek public sector; asks the Commission to present its plans on the future handling of operations with the Greek administration; stresses that staff involved in the management of European funds must be excepted from cost-cutting measures in order to ensure the maintenance and integrity of the management structures;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83
Paragraph 83
83. Notes with concern the wide variation inextreme spread of on-the-spot error -rates by Member State in the implementation of area aid schemess (France 0.20 %, United Kingdom 0.24 %, Germany 0.3 %, Greece 3.70 %, Romania 12.57 %, Bulgaria approximately 6 %) and insists that the overall credibility of the system must not be jeopardised; calls for well-directed, immediate measures resulting both in administrative relief for outperforming Member States and effective countermeasures;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 97
Paragraph 97
97. Is concerned that errors in the area of Cohesion funding indicate that at least 11 % of the total amount reimbursed should not have been paid out, with no improvement on 2007, and that, as in former years, the complexity of the system and the effects of shared management are cle; regrets that financial corrections and recoveries are only partly functional; notes that the following financial corrections have been made for the 2000-2006 programming period: Spain EUR 1 535,07 million; Greece EUR 881,24 million; Italy EUR 693,90 million; France EUR 248,48 million; United Kingdom EUR 155,94 million; Portugal EUR 128,24 million; Poland EUR 88,99 million; Hungarly indicated as major problemsEUR 40,62 million; Slovak Republic EUR 39,16 million; Ireland EUR 25,55 million; Germany EUR 19,33 million; Sweden EUR 11,30 million;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 112
Paragraph 112
112. Agrees with the Commission that all actions and measures recently taken by Bulgaria need to be followed up by credible, structural corrective actions and a fundamental reform of all structures involved in the management of EU funds, ensuring the correct and timely absorption of funds and a high level of transparency; calls in this context on the Commission to closely monitor the implementation of the various action plans submitted to it by Bulgaria, and to keep Parliament informed thereof; requests from the Commission that it receive a special report on the state of play of the management and control of all EU funds in Bulgaria covering the period until 15 July 2009;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 112 a (new)
Paragraph 112 a (new)
112a. In the light of the last progress report and the setbacks with regard to the fight against corruption, requests from the Commission to receive a special report on the state of play of the management and control of all EU funds in Romania and on the measures taken and the progress made in the fight against corruption covering the period until 15 July 2009;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 97 a (new)
Paragraph 97 a (new)
97a. Deplores the fact that the Member State returning the highest error rate and receiving the largest share of structural funds received EUR 59 billion between 2000 and 2006 and only had to repay EUR 1.5 billion to the EU; notes that this is less than 3 %; is concerned that the cost of maintaining proper control systems manifestly exceeds this amount, so that this is a negative incentive;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 114
Paragraph 114
114. Calls on the Commission to play a more active role in connection with the expenditure control systems existing in Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the other Western Balkan countries during the pre-accession stage, and requests it to provide Parliament, in its report on the progress of those countries, with more detailed information on this issue, to include a detailed analysis of the reasons for any failings; calls on the Commission to introduce in the progress reports a system of traffic lights (green, amber and red lights) to denote the progress made towards achieving the various key objectives;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 99
Paragraph 99
99. Notes that the Action Plan to strengthen the Commission’s supervisory role under shared management of structural actions, presented in 2008, was not fully implemented in 2008 and would not have remedied the main problem, namely that of over-complex rules combined with implementation requirements which differ from one Member State to another and sometimes even between different regions; asks the Commission to provide for translation in due course of the guidelines for public authorities in the Member States; stresses moreover that its impact cannot be assessed as errors committed in previous years are still affecting the expenditure reimbursed by the Commission, as the Court has rightly pointed out in its Annual Report (point 6.34);
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading after paragraph 119 (new)
Subheading after paragraph 119 (new)
European Schools
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 119 a (new)
Paragraph 119 a (new)
119a. Expects the Commission to ensure that the Belgian and United Kingdom governments commit to meeting their obligations under the existing inter- governmental agreements - for Belgium the earliest possible availability of a forth or even a fifth European school, for the UK the sufficient secondment of teachers - and expects that the current enrolment policy regarding the Berkendael/Laeken schools is revised in order to avoid long and unacceptable travelling times for children;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 110
Paragraph 110
110. Notes that the number of irregularities reported by the Member States to the OLAF for the year 2008 varies widely, and is concerned that this may result in a less: Italy 802, Spain 488, United Kingdom 483, Portugal 403, Germany 372, Poland 329, the Netherlands 262, Sweden 146, France 98, Greece 96, Czech Republic 80, Slovak Republic 62, Hungary 39, Austria 37, Belgium 35, Estonia 28, Finland 28, Lithuania 26, Latvia 22, Slovenia 13, Cyprus 4, Bulgaria 4, Ireland 2, Malta 1, Romania 0; is concerned that this does not point towards a coherent reporting system;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 121
Paragraph 121
121. Voices its disappointment at the incorrectadequate information givenforwarded by the Commission in 2005 and 2006 in this area, which is extremely important from a budgetary point of view; acknowledges the efforts made in the meantime as regards transparency on the Commission web site and the annual staff screening report;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111
Paragraph 111
111. Asks the Commission to constantly monitor the plausibility of the reported numbers and to verify on the basis of its own investigations the efficiency of reporting systems where the reported number of irregularities appears to be excessively low;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111 a (new)
Paragraph 111 a (new)
111a. Calls on the Commission to provide detailed information on the implementation figures and distribution schemes for payments made out of the European Union Solidarity Fund by the Greek authorities following the devastating forest fires; calls on the Commission to provide information on the ex-post controls carried out and the results thereof;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 119
Paragraph 119
119. Recalls at the same time its demands raised in its above-mentioned resolution of 23 April 2009 (paragraph 117 et al), in particular its request for abstention from any retroactive changes, and for beneficiaries’ legitimate expectations to be honoured, as well as speeding up the acceptance of certificates concerning the methodology applied in relation to average personnel costs, where no visible progress has been achieved; calls on the Commission, for the purposes of good law- making, to submit realistic proposals in terms of both targets and procedures in the future;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 119 a (new)
Paragraph 119 a (new)
119a. In that regard, notes with deep concern that only one certificate concerning the methodology applied in relation to average personnel costs has been approved;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 147 a (new)
Paragraph 147 a (new)
147a. Notes that decommissioning work at the Kozloduy nuclear power station is to be completed by 19 October 2035; notes a lack of transparency in the origin of the funds from various Directorates-General at the Commission; requests the Court of Auditors to scrutinise the funds used there;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 150
Paragraph 150
150. Supports the suspension by the Commission of payments in Bulgaria under the three pre-accession programmes, Phare/Transition Facility, ISPA and SAPARD, made in 2008 in order to protect the financial interests of the EU in view of weaknesses and irregularities identified by its services in the management of these funds; welcomes the positive reaction from Bulgaria to all recommendations, which allowenabled the Commission to withdraw its payment suspensions in 2009; asks the Commission to provide information concerning the investigations carried out by the Bulgarian police against staff of the Bulgarian paying agency which resulted in a search of its premises and arrests in January 2010, and to state what amount of EU funds were affected by this in 2008; emphasises that Parliament recognises the efforts made by Bulgaria to achieve proper functioning of administrative systems and to combat corruption; considers it important that measures taken are sustainable and that European funds granted contribute in reality to stable economic and social conditions and result in the proper functioning of administration;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 150
Paragraph 150
150. Supports the suspension by the Commission of payments in Bulgaria under the three pre-accession programmes, Phare/Transition Facility, ISPA and SAPARD, made in 2008 in order to protect the financial interests of the EU in view of weaknesses and irregularities identified by its services in the management of these funds; welcomnotes the positive reaction from Bulgaria to all recommendations, which allowenabled the Commission to withdraw its payment suspensions in 2009; asks the Commission to provide information concerning the investigations carried out by the Bulgarian police against staff of the Bulgarian paying agency which resulted in a search of its premises and arrests in January 2010, and to state what amount of EU funds were affected by this in 2008;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 151
Paragraph 151
151. Nevertheless, regrets the weaknesses, in particular the failure to identify irregular support applications and adequately to follow up the irregularities, and urges Bulgaria to adopt a detailed action plan in close cooperation with the Commission and under close supervision by an independent auditor; stresses that this action plan must attain specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timed targets, such as the creation of transparent procurement rules which meet international standards and do not restrict competition from international bidders by placing huge internal administrative burdens on them; further considers that these targets must focus on the establishment and maintenance of fully operational judicial and administrative structures; calls on the Commission to make cash-flow operations contingent on the attainment of such targets;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 152
Paragraph 152
152. Welcomes the updated information from the Commission on the status of implementation of EU funds in Bulgaria and Romania; however, notes the continuous existence of inconsistencies and irregularities in the progress reports submitted; finds its efforts to evaluate progress in the judicial and administrative system frustrated by the existing designs of the progress reports; requests the Commission to continue to closely monitor those Member States’ systems and the implementation of the agreed action plans, and suggests that OLAF also should maintain the support given by it to those Member States in fulfilling their obligations concerning the protection of the financial interests of the Union;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 152 a (new)
Paragraph 152 a (new)
152a. Demands that the reports give clear indications as to progress in the key areas of the fight against fraud and corruption; recalls its demand for a traffic-light system (red, amber and green), based on specific indicators (quantity and quality of legal and administrative measures taken to prevent, deter and punish fraud and corruption), so as to give a clear picture of the evolution of existing systems in those countries; is astonished that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) was not always consulted in the compilation of the reports; asks the Commission to include OLAF’s comments in the upcoming progress reports;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 153
Paragraph 153
153. WelcomNotes the steps taken by the Commission to improve the overall performance of pre-accession assistance in Croatia in close cooperation with the national authorities and to closely monitor the conditions for the full decentralisation of IPA funds; stresses that lessons learned from problems concerning the implementation of pre-accession funds in Bulgaria and Romania should help the Croatian authorities, with the Commission’s assistance, to avoid similar difficulties when implementing the pre- accession funds in respect of their country; deplores the fact that the Commission failed to act on Parliament’s request for a traffic-light system (green, amber and red) to be introduced into the progress reports, showing developments in areas of high importance for the fight against fraud such as the establishment and maintenance of stable and efficient structures for the judiciary and the administration;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 154
Paragraph 154
154. Encourages the Commission to support the Turkish authorities in their goal to remedy two mainIs disappointed by the fact that key weaknesses (lack of programming readiness and uneven performance across sectors), which have resulted in a ‘moderately unsatisfactory’ overall performance as regards pre- accession assistance in Turkey, continue to prevail;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 155
Paragraph 155
155. SupportNotes the steps taken by the Commission in the candidate countries and other countries in the Western Balkans to fight corruption, and encourages the implementation of projects strengthening the independence of the judiciary, the development of professional law enforcement and support for the fight against corruption, within the framework of the regional and national assistance; recalls that under the Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans the EU undertook to work closely with the western Balkan countries to further consolidate peace and to promote stability, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human and minority rights; stresses that this also applies to the fight against organised crime and corruption as well as to the enhancement of regional cooperation;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 155 a (new)
Paragraph 155 a (new)
155a. Recalls that the Court of Auditors found no clear Commission methodology by which the Commission measures progress in those areas; in particular, asks the Commission’s Secretariat- General to provide Parliament with a report on the implementation of the Thessaloniki Agenda which could be the basis for an external evaluation of its progress; calls on the Commission to establish a clear connection between the payment of pre-accession funds and evidenced and visible achievements in the fields of the Thessaloniki Agenda;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 155 b (new)
Paragraph 155 b (new)
155b. Recalls that the 2009 progress report for Croatia shows deficiencies in the fields of the judiciary due to shortcomings in the transparency and the application of uniform, objective criteria in the selection of judges and prosecutors; doubts therefore that the funds spent on Chapter 23 were spent efficiently and effectively;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 155 c (new)
Paragraph 155 c (new)
155c. Notes that the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) has been active for more than a year; asks the Commission to provide information with a view to strengthening regional cooperation under the decentralised implementation system and to present to the budget authority its strategic considerations in that area;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 155 d (new)
Paragraph 155 d (new)
155d. Recalls the need for the candidate countries to ensure effective implementation of new and reformed legal provisions by means of an ambitious, transparent, accountable, effective and efficient public service; notes with concern that both in Croatia and in Macedonia corruption is still widespread and constitutes a very serious problem; deplores the fact that in cases of high-level corruption only limited investigation was carried out and that, overall, only a small number of investigations led to criminal charges; stresses that this indicates serious shortcomings in the judicial system; asks the Commission to continuously monitor and report to the budgetary authority on the backlog and number of new criminal charges and verdicts and the backlog and number of new court cases brought on charges of infringement of public procurement laws;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 155 e (new)
Paragraph 155 e (new)
155e. Concludes that the need for constant, objective and transparent progress monitoring remains; in that regard, calls on the Commission in the event of accession proceedings to establish a starting-point in key areas relevant for accession and to use that starting-point as a reference and benchmark throughout the accession process; considers that the sustainability of progress in the accession process and affirmation of the aims achieved during such process are of paramount importance for the successful continuation of the Union; consequently, asks for a regular post-accession follow- up;
Amendment 188 #
Part XVIa. Special Report No 16/2009 on the European Commission’s management of pre-accession assistance to Turkey
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution – Conclusions concerning the special reports issued by the Court of Auditors
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 a (new)
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 a (new)
260a. Welcomes the Court’s sound assessment regarding the administration by the Commission of pre-accession assistance to Turkey;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution – Conclusions concerning the special reports issued by the Court of Auditors
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260b (new)
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260b (new)
260b. Considers it worrying that the strategic planning of pre-accession assistance for Turkey in 2002-2006 as well as the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA 2007-2013) did not include strategic and measurable goals or any consideration of the indicators, level and measures required concerning progress towards accession;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution – Conclusions concerning the special reports issued by the Court of Auditors
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 c (new)
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 c (new)
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution – Conclusions concerning the special reports issued by the Court of Auditors
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 d (new)
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 d (new)
260d. Given the inability to measure progress towards accession goals, regards the enhancement of resources for Turkey in the period 2007-2013 as inadequate and considers a yearly continuation of the financial level of accession assistance from 2006 as adequate until such time as measurable priorities are unambiguously defined and implemented in the respective regulations;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution – Conclusions concerning the special reports issued by the Court of Auditors
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 e (new)
Part XVI a – Paragraph 260 e (new)
260e. Calls on the Commission to amend the objectives of the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance, which has to be accessible not only by virtue of EU membership but also by virtue of an intensified relationship with the EU, for example by means of special neighbourhood instruments or special forms of membership, in the event that inadequate political reforms and deficient implementation of the Instrument for Pre- Accession by the candidate for accession require such action;