Activities of Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY related to 2014/2075(DEC)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013, Section III – Commission and executive agencies
Amendments (12)
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes note of the presentation of the environment and health policy areas within the Court of Auditors Annual Report concerning the financial year 2013; is concerned that both policy areas appear again in the chapter also devoted to rural development and fisheries; reiterates its criticism towards this composition of policy areas, and urges the Court of Auditors to revise its approach with the next annual report; refers in this connection to the Court of Auditors report on the European Regional Development Fund, which stresses the need for the Commission to maintain an accurate record of direct and indirect spending on biodiversity, including Natura 2000; urges the Member States to facilitate this process by providing accurate data;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers it noteworthy in this context, that the chapter Rural development, environment, fisheries and health appears with the second highest error rate in the report of the Court of Auditors for 2013 with 6,7% against 4,7% in average; emphasizes that this error rate accounts for all policy areas encompassed in the chapter; considers it noteworthy that most of the errors can be attributed to disregard for eligibility requirements, in particular with regard to agri-environment commitments; notices that there are different views between the Court of Auditors and the Commission with regard to the way in which errors should be calculated; notes that the Commission considers that the Court of Auditors' annual representative error rate should be seen in the context of the multiannual character of net financial corrections and recoveries;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Acknowledges that the Court of Auditors carries out random checks in the Member States very systematically and establishes the error rate on the basis thereof; notes that the Court of Auditors does not indicate in which Member States or in which areas the greatest problems are arising; stresses therefore the need for a clear chain of accountability and, in this connection, attaches great importance to the quality of control systems in the Member States;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. EmphasiseRegrets that in some Member States, there is no legislation concerning conflict of interests ofor members of government owing companies or shares of companies even if those companies receive national or Union funds; insists that under no condition can a former or current beneficiary of Union funds can be in a political and/or managemthe parliament, members of government, and members of local councils is vague and not sufficient; calls on the Commission to carefully examine current posituation in which he or she holds a leading role in a national management and control system; urges the Commission to look for aand if needed present recommendations or even legally binding solution to this problems if necessary;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 a (new)
Paragraph 41 a (new)
41a. Demands the Commission to ensure that Eurostat's and Member States data are in the perfect accord as the indicator of GNI represents the key benchmark not only for EU's revenue but also expenditure;
Amendment 356 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 149
Paragraph 149
149. Deplores the fact that for nine transactions relating to the national programme for pre-accession, the Commission at its own initiative and in violation of Article 88 of the Financial Regulation and 100 of its Rules of Application validated expenditure of EUR 150 million in the absence of supporting documentation which would have enabled it to confirm that the expenses had actually been incurred, that they were accurately reflected in the amounts accepted and that they were eligible120 ; Acknowledges that the EC has consistently pointed out that no expenditure has officially been validated and excepted by former DG Enlargement under the clearance of accounts procedure, and therefore no communication to the beneficiary indicating acceptance could be assumed; __________________ 120 See Court of Auditors' Annual Report for 2013, point 7.16.
Amendment 359 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 150
Paragraph 150
150. Deplores the fact that the Declaration of assurance of Directorate-General for Enlargement is irregular as it stated on 31 March 2014 that all procedures were in place to ensure the legality and regularity of transactions even though, at that time, 20 % of all expenditure booked by that DG was based on estimates; Notes that the legality and regularity of costs accepted as eligible is ensured through DG Enlargement through a formal clearance of accounts procedure at the end of the life of each programme;.
Amendment 390 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 166
Paragraph 166
166. Is surprised by the fact that OLAF has not recommended that the Commission establish a recovery order on the basis of the financial damage caused to the Union budget with regard the humanitarian support granted to the refugee camp of Tindouf whilst it has estimated in its report (OF 2003/0526) that the number of refugees was considerably lower than indicated by the Sahrawi or Algerian authorities; Notes that, according to a UNHRC inquiry report, the non-registration of a refugee population for such a prolonged period (i.e. almost 30 years after their arrival) constitutes "an abnormal and unique situation in the UNHRC's history"; Asks the Commission whether all other recommendations of the report, including the reduction of aid levels, have been implemented.
Amendment 400 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 167
Paragraph 167
167. Urges the Commission to adapt Union aid to the actual needs of the population concerned in order to put an end to all kinds of trafficking and to the embezzlement of humanitarian assistance; urges the Commission to ensure that the Algerian or Sahrawi individuals incriminated by the OLAF report (OF 2003/0526) no longer have access to aid funded by European taxpayers;
Amendment 450 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 200 a (new)
Paragraph 200 a (new)
200a. In its 2013 report, the Court of Auditors concludes that Member States, when selecting projects under shared management, have focused first on the need to spend available EU money, rather than on their expected performance. In order to reverse this incentive and to change towards a culture of good performance, the European Parliament requests that an independent high-level working group (including academics) on performance of the EU budget will be convened in order to make recommendations to structurally shift the incentive from spending to good performance, based on an assessment of European added value, while respecting compliance with the rules. The findings of this high-level working group should be available in due time before the mid-term review of the current MFF, and form the basis for the new MFF programming period;
Amendment 453 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 204 a (new)
Paragraph 204 a (new)
204a. Calls on the European Commission to manage its budget in such a way that there are no thematic policy overlaps and duplications amongst its various DGs with similar or nearly identical competences;
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 204 b (new)
Paragraph 204 b (new)
204b. The concept/ idea of Sustainability Impact Assessment Studies is to be applied for all types of financial support, not only in the Commission expenditure, but those of all EU institutions and organizations. No expenditure that does comply with an impact assessment study/ analysis is to be permitted and allowed;