BETA


2012/2091(DEC) Special report 5/2012 (2011 Discharge): The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)

Progress: Procedure lapsed or withdrawn

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
AFET PETERLE Alojz (icon: )
BUDG
CONT AUDY Jean-Pierre (icon: ) STAES Bart (icon: ), CZARNECKI Ryszard (icon: ), SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo (icon: )
DEVE
INTA
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 99

Events

2012/11/23
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Jean-Pierre AUDY (EPP, FR) on Special Report No 5/2012 (Discharge 2011) – “The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)”.

The CRIS: Members recall that the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) has become a key component of the Commission’s internal control system for the management of external actions. At its inception in 2000, CRIS was expected to provide instant financial information about projects and programmes in the external actions field and, in particular, give an accurate overview of the breakdown of commitments and payments between countries and sectors in various geographical regions. The CRIS also supplies the accrual-based accounting system of the Commission (ABAC) with financial data.

However, with the passage of time, CRIS has become inefficient and costly since the total budget requested for its development, maintenance and support had reached EUR 13 million by 2011.

The Court’s recommendations : noting the CRIS’s weaknesses, as described in the Court’s Special Report ( please refer to the summary of the Court’s Report dated 04/05/2012 ), Members support the Court’s recommendations and call on the Commission to implement them as soon as possible. They consider that any change in the role and modification of CRIS should reflect the new challenges of the Union's external policy introduced by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and emphasise the need to adapt the reporting functions of CRIS to the competences of Parliament in the fields of external policy and budgetary control.

In terms of the recommendations to be implemented, Members call for the intended role of CRIS as an information system to be set out, notably with regard to ABAC . They consider that an improvement in data integrity between CRIS and ABAC is imperative in order to report on the Union's external activities in a coherent, transparent, updated and reliable manner.

Efficiency and effectiveness of CRIS: Members are concerned in regard to the Court’s observations in respect of data transfer and the system’s poor user-friendliness. Because of the weaknesses, the information provided to Parliament as discharge authority may be unreliable . They note furthermore, that the functionality of CRIS should be updated in order to provide aggregated information on beneficiary countries, policy areas and financial instruments.

Other observations: overall, Members regret the lack of information on the cost-effectiveness of CRIS and the long-term strategy establishing CRIS’s objectives and functioning. They call for the CRIS to have a standard mechanism for layering the confidentiality of data and users' access rights . Lastly, they highlight the system’s lack of security and call for a mechanism to be established in order to ensure adequate confidentiality and data integrity.

Documents
2012/11/15
   EP - Vote in committee
2012/11/07
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2012/09/19
   EP -
2012/09/18
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2012/06/06
   EP -
2012/05/22
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2012/05/04
   CofA - Non-legislative basic document
Details

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission’s information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission’s accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission’s needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission’s documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors : the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system, weaknesses in data coding, insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally, insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court’s recommendations : in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs, the following is recommended:

the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission’s ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS; CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system’s userfriendliness in future CRIS developments; responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.

Documents
2012/05/03
   EC - Non-legislative basic document published
Details

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission’s information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission’s accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission’s needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission’s documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors : the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system, weaknesses in data coding, insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally, insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court’s recommendations : in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs, the following is recommended:

the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission’s ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS; CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system’s userfriendliness in future CRIS developments; responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.

Documents

Documents

  • Committee report tabled for plenary: A7-0384/2012
  • Committee opinion: PE496.533
  • Committee draft report: PE494.634
  • Non-legislative basic document: N7-0064/2012
  • Non-legislative basic document published: N7-0064/2012
  • Non-legislative basic document: N7-0064/2012
  • Committee draft report: PE494.634
  • Committee opinion: PE496.533
AmendmentsDossier
5 2012/2091(DEC)
2012/10/02 CONT 1 amendments...
source: PE-496.657
2012/10/17 AFET 4 amendments...
source: PE-497.980

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

docs/0
date
2012-05-04T00:00:00
docs
title: N7-0064/2012
summary
type
Non-legislative basic document
body
CofA
events/0/date
Old
2012-05-04T00:00:00
New
2012-05-03T00:00:00
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE494.634
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CONT-PR-494634_EN.html
docs/1/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/AFET-AD-496533_EN.html
events/1/type
Old
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
New
Committee referral announced in Parliament
events/2/type
Old
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee
events/3
date
2012-11-23T00:00:00
type
Committee report tabled for plenary
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-7-2012-0384_EN.html title: A7-0384/2012
summary
events/3
date
2012-11-23T00:00:00
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-7-2012-0384_EN.html title: A7-0384/2012
summary
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
procedure/Other legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
events/3/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2012-384&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-7-2012-0384_EN.html
procedure/Modified legal basis
Old
Rules of Procedure EP 150
New
Rules of Procedure EP 159
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 99
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 93
activities
  • date: 2012-05-04T00:00:00 docs: type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012 body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas type: Non-legislative basic document published
  • date: 2012-05-22T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: AFET date: 2012-09-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Foreign Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE name: PETERLE Alojz body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Budgets committee: BUDG body: EP shadows: group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2012-06-06T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: PPE name: AUDY Jean-Pierre body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Development committee: DEVE body: EP responsible: False committee_full: International Trade committee: INTA
  • date: 2012-11-15T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: AFET date: 2012-09-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Foreign Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE name: PETERLE Alojz body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Budgets committee: BUDG body: EP shadows: group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2012-06-06T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: PPE name: AUDY Jean-Pierre body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Development committee: DEVE body: EP responsible: False committee_full: International Trade committee: INTA
  • date: 2012-11-23T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2012-384&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A7-0384/2012 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
commission
  • body: EC dg: Budget commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
docs
  • date: 2012-09-18T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE494.634 title: PE494.634 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2012-11-07T00:00:00 docs: title: PE496.533 committee: AFET type: Committee opinion body: EP
events
  • date: 2012-05-04T00:00:00 type: Non-legislative basic document published body: EC docs: title: N7-0064/2012 summary: PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS). CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs. To recall, CRIS is the Commission’s information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF. CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission’s accounting system ABAC. In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission’s needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission’s documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data. Conclusions of the Court of Auditors : the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings. These concern in particular: the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system, weaknesses in data coding, insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally, insufficient security of the system and its data. Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports. Court’s recommendations : in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs, the following is recommended: the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission’s ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS; CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system’s userfriendliness in future CRIS developments; responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
  • date: 2012-05-22T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2012-11-15T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2012-11-23T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2012-384&language=EN title: A7-0384/2012 summary: The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Jean-Pierre AUDY (EPP, FR) on Special Report No 5/2012 (Discharge 2011) – “The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)”. The CRIS: Members recall that the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) has become a key component of the Commission’s internal control system for the management of external actions. At its inception in 2000, CRIS was expected to provide instant financial information about projects and programmes in the external actions field and, in particular, give an accurate overview of the breakdown of commitments and payments between countries and sectors in various geographical regions. The CRIS also supplies the accrual-based accounting system of the Commission (ABAC) with financial data. However, with the passage of time, CRIS has become inefficient and costly since the total budget requested for its development, maintenance and support had reached EUR 13 million by 2011. The Court’s recommendations : noting the CRIS’s weaknesses, as described in the Court’s Special Report ( please refer to the summary of the Court’s Report dated 04/05/2012 ), Members support the Court’s recommendations and call on the Commission to implement them as soon as possible. They consider that any change in the role and modification of CRIS should reflect the new challenges of the Union's external policy introduced by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and emphasise the need to adapt the reporting functions of CRIS to the competences of Parliament in the fields of external policy and budgetary control. In terms of the recommendations to be implemented, Members call for the intended role of CRIS as an information system to be set out, notably with regard to ABAC . They consider that an improvement in data integrity between CRIS and ABAC is imperative in order to report on the Union's external activities in a coherent, transparent, updated and reliable manner. Efficiency and effectiveness of CRIS: Members are concerned in regard to the Court’s observations in respect of data transfer and the system’s poor user-friendliness. Because of the weaknesses, the information provided to Parliament as discharge authority may be unreliable . They note furthermore, that the functionality of CRIS should be updated in order to provide aggregated information on beneficiary countries, policy areas and financial instruments. Other observations: overall, Members regret the lack of information on the cost-effectiveness of CRIS and the long-term strategy establishing CRIS’s objectives and functioning. They call for the CRIS to have a standard mechanism for layering the confidentiality of data and users' access rights . Lastly, they highlight the system’s lack of security and call for a mechanism to be established in order to ensure adequate confidentiality and data integrity.
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
procedure/Modified legal basis
Old
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
New
Rules of Procedure EP 150
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
Old
CONT/7/09543
New
  • CONT/7/09543
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 93
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 093
procedure/subject
Old
  • 3.30.06 Information and communication technologies
  • 6 External relations of the Union
  • 8.70.03.06 2011 discharge
New
3.30.06
Information and communication technologies, digital technologies
6
External relations of the Union
8.70.03.07
Previous discharges
procedure/title
Old
Special report 5/2012 (2011 Discharge): The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)
New
Special report 5/2012 (2011 Discharge): The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)
activities/1/committees/0/rapporteur/0/group
Old
EPP
New
PPE
activities/1/committees/0/rapporteur/0/mepref
Old
4de1877e0fb8127435bdc1e0
New
4f1ada67b819f207b300006b
activities/1/committees/2/rapporteur/0/group
Old
EPP
New
PPE
activities/1/committees/2/rapporteur/0/mepref
Old
4de182d90fb8127435bdbb3e
New
4f1ac60fb819f25efd000019
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/0/mepref
Old
4de188650fb8127435bdc331
New
4f1adb8fb819f207b30000cf
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/1/mepref
Old
4de183f10fb8127435bdbcdc
New
4f1ac75eb819f25efd000082
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/2/mepref
Old
4de1888a0fb8127435bdc36a
New
4f1adb84b819f207b30000cb
activities/2/committees/0/rapporteur/0/group
Old
EPP
New
PPE
activities/2/committees/0/rapporteur/0/mepref
Old
4de1877e0fb8127435bdc1e0
New
4f1ada67b819f207b300006b
activities/2/committees/2/rapporteur/0/group
Old
EPP
New
PPE
activities/2/committees/2/rapporteur/0/mepref
Old
4de182d90fb8127435bdbb3e
New
4f1ac60fb819f25efd000019
activities/2/committees/2/shadows/0/mepref
Old
4de188650fb8127435bdc331
New
4f1adb8fb819f207b30000cf
activities/2/committees/2/shadows/1/mepref
Old
4de183f10fb8127435bdbcdc
New
4f1ac75eb819f25efd000082
activities/2/committees/2/shadows/2/mepref
Old
4de1888a0fb8127435bdc36a
New
4f1adb84b819f207b30000cb
committees/0/rapporteur/0/group
Old
EPP
New
PPE
committees/0/rapporteur/0/mepref
Old
4de1877e0fb8127435bdc1e0
New
4f1ada67b819f207b300006b
committees/2/rapporteur/0/group
Old
EPP
New
PPE
committees/2/rapporteur/0/mepref
Old
4de182d90fb8127435bdbb3e
New
4f1ac60fb819f25efd000019
committees/2/shadows/0/mepref
Old
4de188650fb8127435bdc331
New
4f1adb8fb819f207b30000cf
committees/2/shadows/1/mepref
Old
4de183f10fb8127435bdbcdc
New
4f1ac75eb819f25efd000082
committees/2/shadows/2/mepref
Old
4de1888a0fb8127435bdc36a
New
4f1adb84b819f207b30000cb
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
procedure/legal_basis/0
Old
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 076
New
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 093
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
New
Procedure lapsed or withdrawn
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 138
activities/0
date
2012-05-04T00:00:00
docs
type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
body
EC
type
Non-legislative basic document
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/0/body
Old
EP
New
EC
activities/0/commission
  • DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/0/date
Old
2012-09-18T00:00:00
New
2012-05-04T00:00:00
activities/0/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

    CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs.

    To recall, CRIS is the Commission’s information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

    CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission’s accounting system ABAC.

    In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission’s needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission’s documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

    Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

    These concern in particular:

    • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
    • weaknesses in data coding,
    • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
    • insufficient security of the system and its data.

    Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

    Court’s recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs, the following is recommended:

    • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission’s ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
    • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system’s userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
    • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
activities/0/docs/0/title
Old
PE494.634
New
N7-0064/2012
activities/0/docs/0/type
Old
Committee draft report
New
Non-legislative basic document published
activities/0/docs/0/url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE494.634
activities/0/type
Old
Committee draft report
New
Non-legislative basic document published
activities/3
date
2012-10-02T00:00:00
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE496.657 type: Amendments tabled in committee title: PE496.657
body
EP
type
Amendments tabled in committee
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 138
procedure/legal_basis
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 076
procedure/legal_basis
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 076
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 138
procedure/legal_basis
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 076
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 138
procedure/legal_basis
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 076
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 138
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/3
group
EFD
name
ANDREASEN Marta
activities/4/committees/2/shadows/3
group
EFD
name
ANDREASEN Marta
committees/2/shadows/3
group
EFD
name
ANDREASEN Marta
procedure/legal_basis/1
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 138
activities/0/docs/0/text/0
Old

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission's information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission's information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission's accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission's needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission's documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

  • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
  • weaknesses in data coding,
  • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
  • insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court's recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission's information needs, the following is recommended:

  • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission's ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
  • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system's userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
  • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
New

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission’s information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission’s accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission’s needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission’s documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

  • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
  • weaknesses in data coding,
  • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
  • insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court’s recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs, the following is recommended:

  • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission’s ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
  • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system’s userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
  • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
activities/5/docs/0/text
  • The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Jean-Pierre AUDY (EPP, FR) on Special Report No 5/2012 (Discharge 2011) – “The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)”.

    The CRIS: Members recall that the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) has become a key component of the Commission’s internal control system for the management of external actions. At its inception in 2000, CRIS was expected to provide instant financial information about projects and programmes in the external actions field and, in particular, give an accurate overview of the breakdown of commitments and payments between countries and sectors in various geographical regions. The CRIS also supplies the accrual-based accounting system of the Commission (ABAC) with financial data.

    However, with the passage of time, CRIS has become inefficient and costly since the total budget requested for its development, maintenance and support had reached EUR 13 million by 2011.

    The Court’s recommendations: noting the CRIS’s weaknesses, as described in the Court’s Special Report (please refer to the summary of the Court’s Report dated 04/05/2012), Members support the Court’s recommendations and call on the Commission to implement them as soon as possible. They consider that any change in the role and modification of CRIS should reflect the new challenges of the Union's external policy introduced by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and emphasise the need to adapt the reporting functions of CRIS to the competences of Parliament in the fields of external policy and budgetary control.

    In terms of the recommendations to be implemented, Members call for the intended role of CRIS as an information system to be set out, notably with regard to ABAC. They consider that an improvement in data integrity between CRIS and ABAC is imperative in order to report on the Union's external activities in a coherent, transparent, updated and reliable manner.

    Efficiency and effectiveness of CRIS: Members are concerned in regard to the Court’s observations in respect of data transfer and the system’s poor user-friendliness. Because of the weaknesses, the information provided to Parliament as discharge authority may be unreliable. They note furthermore, that the functionality of CRIS should be updated in order to provide aggregated information on beneficiary countries, policy areas and financial instruments.

    Other observations: overall, Members regret the lack of information on the cost-effectiveness of CRIS and the long-term strategy establishing CRIS’s objectives and functioning. They call for the CRIS to have a standard mechanism for layering the confidentiality of data and users' access rights. Lastly, they highlight the system’s lack of security and call for a mechanism to be established in order to ensure adequate confidentiality and data integrity.

activities/1/committees/2/shadows/1/group
Old
NI
New
ECR
activities/4/committees/2/shadows/1/group
Old
NI
New
ECR
committees/2/shadows/1/group
Old
NI
New
ECR
activities/0/docs/0/text/0
Old

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission's information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission's information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission's accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission's needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission's documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

  • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
  • weaknesses in data coding,
  • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
  • insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court's recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission's information needs, the following is recommended:

  • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission's ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
  • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system's userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
  • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
New

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission's information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission's information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission's accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission's needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission's documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

  • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
  • weaknesses in data coding,
  • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
  • insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court's recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission's information needs, the following is recommended:

  • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission's ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
  • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system's userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
  • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
activities/5/docs/0/url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2012-384&language=EN
procedure/title
Old
Special Report No 5/2012 (2011 Discharge): The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)
New
Special report 5/2012 (2011 Discharge): The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)
activities/0
body
EP
date
2012-05-04T00:00:00
type
Date
activities/6
date
2012-11-23T00:00:00
docs
type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A7-0384/2012
body
EP
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
activities/5/committees
  • body: EP responsible: False committee: AFET date: 2012-09-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Foreign Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: PETERLE Alojz
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Budgets committee: BUDG
  • body: EP shadows: group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta group: NI name: CZARNECKI Ryszard responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2012-06-06T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: EPP name: AUDY Jean-Pierre
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Development committee: DEVE
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: International Trade committee: INTA
activities/5/type
Old
Vote scheduled in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
activities/4/docs/0/url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE496.657
activities/4/docs
  • type: Amendments tabled in committee title: PE496.657
activities/4/type
Old
Deadline Amendments
New
Amendments tabled in committee
activities/2/committees/0/date
2012-09-19T00:00:00
activities/2/committees/0/rapporteur
  • group: EPP name: PETERLE Alojz
committees/0/date
2012-09-19T00:00:00
committees/0/rapporteur
  • group: EPP name: PETERLE Alojz
activities/1
date
2012-05-04T00:00:00
docs
type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
body
EC
type
Non-legislative basic document
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1/body
Old
EP
New
EC
activities/1/commission
  • DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1/date
Old
2012-12-11T00:00:00
New
2012-05-04T00:00:00
activities/1/docs
  • type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
activities/1/type
Old
EP 1R Plenary
New
Non-legislative basic document
activities/7
body
EC
date
2012-12-11T00:00:00
type
Prev DG PRES
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/3/docs/0/url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE494.634
activities/6/type
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
EP 1R Plenary
activities/7
body
EC
date
2012-12-11T00:00:00
type
Prev DG PRES
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1
date
2012-05-04T00:00:00
docs
type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
type
Non-legislative basic document
body
EC
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1/body
Old
EP
New
EC
activities/1/commission
  • DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1/date
Old
2012-09-06T00:00:00
New
2012-05-04T00:00:00
activities/1/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

    CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission's information needs.

    To recall, CRIS is the Commission's information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

    CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission's accounting system ABAC.

    In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission's needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission's documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

    Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

    These concern in particular:

    • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
    • weaknesses in data coding,
    • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
    • insufficient security of the system and its data.

    Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

    Court's recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission's information needs, the following is recommended:

    • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission's ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
    • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system's userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
    • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
activities/1/docs/0/title
Old
PE494.634
New
N7-0064/2012
activities/1/docs/0/type
Old
Committee draft report
New
Non-legislative basic document published
activities/1/type
Old
Committee draft report
New
Non-legislative basic document
activities/2/committees/2/shadows/3/group
Old
ECR
New
NI
activities/3/date
Old
2012-11-06T00:00:00
New
2012-09-18T00:00:00
activities/3/docs
  • type: Committee draft report title: PE494.634
activities/3/type
Old
EP 1R Committee
New
Committee draft report
committees/2/shadows/3/group
Old
ECR
New
NI
activities/5
body
EP
date
2012-11-06T00:00:00
type
EP 1R Committee
activities/6/date
Old
2012-11-06T00:00:00
New
2012-11-15T00:00:00
activities/3
date
2012-09-06T00:00:00
docs
type: Committee draft report title: PE494.634
body
EP
type
Committee draft report
activities/2/committees/2/shadows
  • group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart
  • group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard
  • group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo
  • group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta
committees/2/shadows
  • group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart
  • group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard
  • group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo
  • group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta
activities/1
date
2012-05-04T00:00:00
docs
type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
body
EC
type
Non-legislative basic document
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1/date
Old
2012-12-10T00:00:00
New
2012-05-04T00:00:00
activities/1/docs
  • type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
activities/1/type
Old
Prev DG PRES
New
Non-legislative basic document
activities/5
body
EP
date
2012-12-10T00:00:00
type
EP 1R Plenary
activities/5/type
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
EP 1R Plenary
activities/6
body
EC
date
2012-12-10T00:00:00
type
Prev DG PRES
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/7
date
2012-12-11T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
activities/1
date
2012-05-04T00:00:00
docs
type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
type
Non-legislative basic document
body
EC
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1/body
Old
EP
New
EC
activities/1/commission
  • DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
activities/1/date
Old
2012-11-15T00:00:00
New
2012-05-04T00:00:00
activities/1/docs
  • type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012
activities/1/type
Old
EP 1R Committee
New
Non-legislative basic document
activities/4/date
Old
2012-11-15T00:00:00
New
2012-11-06T00:00:00
activities/5
body
EP
date
2012-11-15T00:00:00
type
EP 1R Committee
activities/1/docs/0/text/0
Old

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission’s information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission’s accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission’s needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission’s documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

  • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
  • weaknesses in data coding,
  • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
  • insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court’s recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs, the following is recommended:

  • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission’s ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
  • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system’s userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
  • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
New

PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission's information needs.

To recall, CRIS is the Commission's information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission's accounting system ABAC.

In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission's needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission's documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

These concern in particular:

  • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
  • weaknesses in data coding,
  • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
  • insufficient security of the system and its data.

Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

Court's recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission's information needs, the following is recommended:

  • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission's ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
  • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system's userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
  • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
procedure/legal_basis
  • Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 076
activities/1/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to present Special Report No 5/2012 from the Court of Auditors on the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS).

    CONTENT: the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessed whether the Common External Relations Information System (CRIS) was effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs.

    To recall, CRIS is the Commission’s information system to support the management of external action. Since this system became operational in 2002, its functions were continually extended. It has now become the main reference information system for management, reporting and documentation of external action, financed both by the general budget and the EDF.

    CRIS allows all Commission staff involved in external action management, both at headquarters and in EU delegations, to work on a common database. It provides data concerning the different phases of management, from programming to preparation and monitoring, covering both operational and financial aspects of the actions concerned. It also feeds financial data into the Commission’s accounting system ABAC.

    In particular, the Court assessed whether CRIS had been designed to respond effectively to the Commission’s needs and whether the information that it provided was reliable. The audit involved a review of the Commission’s documentation for the system as well as the performance of substantive tests on CRIS data.

    Conclusions of the Court of Auditors: the ECA concludes that CRIS is mostly effective in responding to the Commission's information needs in the field of external actions. However, after ten years of development, it is still subject to persistent shortcomings.

    These concern in particular:

    • the definition of CRIS's role with regard to the Commission's accounting system,
    • weaknesses in data coding,
    • insufficient effectiveness in ensuring data integrity and, more generally,
    • insufficient security of the system and its data.

    Some of the observations raised corroborate other observations made in previous Court reports.

    Court’s recommendations: in order to make CRIS more effective in responding to the Commission’s information needs, the following is recommended:

    • the intended role of CRIS as an information system should be set out, notably with regard to the Commission’s ABAC accounting system. In particular, the Commission should aim to  reduce the duplication of ABAC functions in CRIS;
    • CRIS data code lists should be rationalised so that they are unique and their data values are mutually exclusive. Moreover, present data quality controls (checks, processes) should be revised and reinforced for effective safeguards ensuring reliable data. Taking into account the large and diverse population of CRIS users, proper attention should be paid to improving the system’s userfriendliness in future CRIS developments;
    • responsibilities for the management of CRIS data security should be established. An overall IT risk assessment should be carried out. Due care should be given, particularly to the protection of personal and financial data.
activities/5
date
2012-12-10T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
activities/3
body
EP
date
2012-10-02T00:00:00
type
Deadline Amendments
activities/2/committees/2/date
2012-06-06T00:00:00
activities/2/committees/2/rapporteur
  • group: EPP name: AUDY Jean-Pierre
activities/3
date
2012-11-15T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Vote scheduled in committee, 1st reading/single reading
committees/2/date
2012-06-06T00:00:00
committees/2/rapporteur
  • group: EPP name: AUDY Jean-Pierre
activities
  • body: EP date: 2012-05-04T00:00:00 type: Date
  • date: 2012-05-04T00:00:00 docs: type: Non-legislative basic document published title: N7-0064/2012 body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas type: Non-legislative basic document
  • date: 2012-05-22T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Budgets committee: BUDG body: EP responsible: True committee_full: Budgetary Control committee: CONT body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Development committee: DEVE body: EP responsible: False committee_full: International Trade committee: INTA
committees
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Budgets committee: BUDG
  • body: EP responsible: True committee_full: Budgetary Control committee: CONT
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Development committee: DEVE
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: International Trade committee: INTA
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
CONT/7/09543
reference
2012/2091(DEC)
title
Special Report No 5/2012 (2011 Discharge): The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)
stage_reached
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
type
DEC - Discharge procedure
subject