BETA


2020/2145(DEC) 2019 discharge: General budget of the EU - European Economic and Social Committee

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead CONT CHASTEL Olivier (icon: Renew Renew) LENAERS Jeroen (icon: EPP EPP), GARCÍA MUÑOZ Isabel (icon: S&D S&D), PEKSA Mikuláš (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), CZARNECKI Ryszard (icon: ECR ECR), FLANAGAN Luke Ming (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Committee Opinion PETI
Committee Opinion REGI
Committee Opinion AFCO
Committee Opinion DEVE
Committee Opinion CULT
Committee Opinion AFET
Committee Opinion PECH
Committee Opinion AGRI
Committee Opinion ENVI
Committee Opinion EMPL
Committee Opinion BUDG
Committee Opinion ITRE
Committee Opinion JURI
Committee Opinion ECON
Committee Opinion LIBE
Committee Opinion INTA
Committee Opinion IMCO
Committee Opinion TRAN
Committee Opinion FEMM
Lead committee dossier:

Events

2021/09/24
   Final act published in Official Journal
2021/04/28
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament by 484 votes to 209, with 5 abstentions, to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Economic and Social Committee for the financial year 2019.

Members welcomed the conclusion of the Court of Auditors, according to which the payments as a whole for the year ended on 31 December 2019 for administrative and other expenditure of the European Economic and Social Committee were free from material error. No significant weaknesses were identified in respect of the audited topics relating to human resources and procurement.

Budgetary and financial management

In 2019, the Committee’s budget amounted to EUR 138 502 768 (compared to EUR 135 630 905 in 2018) with an implementation rate of 98.1 % (compared to 98,7 % in 2018). Members welcomed the fact that the implementation rate of appropriations carried forward from 2018 to 2019 was 82.1 % as compared to 77.5 % for appropriations carried forward from 2017 to 2018.

Regarding travel expenses, Members regretted that the Committee’s bureau in 2020 adopted a decision allowing for the reimbursement of expenses for remote participation in cases where a member was prevented from travelling to Brussels as a result of COVID-19 related issues. They called on the Committee to withdraw this decision, which is not proportionate to the real cost of participation, represents a considerable loss for the Union budget and damages the reputation of the Committee.

While stressing the importance of the Committee's role, Members expressed concern about the impact of its work.

Human resources

Members noted that the establishment plan indicates 668 posts in 2019, the same as in 2018. The total number of staff employed was 702 on 31 December 2019 (compared to 705 in 2018). Gender balance among the Committee's managerial staff reached parity in 2018 and remains relatively stable even though the new political leadership of the Committee does not reflect this trend with only one out of seven section presidents and none of the three group presidents being women.

The Committee is asked to report to the discharge authority on the concrete achievements of the action plan for equal opportunities and diversity, in particular on the results of the measures taken as regards strengthening diversity and making the Committee a more inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities.

Members encouraged the Committee to complement the introduction of flexible working arrangements with a protection of the staff members’ right to disconnect.

Serious concern was expressed about the public disquiet caused by certain recruitment procedures used by the Committee.

Internal management

Members noted with concern that the Committee’s total annual budget has increased from EUR 108 000 000 in 2006 to more than EUR 138 000 000 in 2019 while the overall number of opinions and reports produced by the Committee has decreased significantly (from 215 in 2018 to 127 in 2019). They understand that the reduction in opinions delivered may be connected to the electoral cycle but is concerned about the raise of the cost per opinion (EUR 1.1 million in 2019 compared to EUR 630 000 in 2018), and express concerns about the outsourcing to external companies of reporting work.

Out of the 127 opinions and reports, only 55 were own-initiative opinions. The Committee is encouraged to increase its efforts to achieve a higher profile for its opinions.

Parliament welcomed the fact that the Committee followed Parliament’s recommendation made in recent resolutions to ask for an increased budget share for IT costs (up to 4.5 % of the total budget compared to 3 % in 2018). In the long run, the figure of 4.5 % should ideally increase to 6 %.

On the other hand, the Committee is congratulated on the fact that in 2019 it had the highest take-up of e-invoices, in both absolute and relative terms, of all Union bodies.

The Committee was asked to develop a comprehensive plan for sustainable development.

Institutional cooperation

Members called for continued efforts to strengthen political cooperation between the Committee and the Parliament. They also noted that the new service level agreement launched in 2019 between the Parliament and the Committee allows the Committee to benefit from the Parliament's interpretation services (for which payment will be made) when using the Parliament's premises for its meetings.

Noting the current cooperation arrangements between the Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the Committee, Members called on the Committee to identify further potential synergies and savings and other areas in which back-office functions could be shared.

Refusal of discharge in 2018, harassment and whistle blowing

Members recalled that several members of staff suffered acts of psychological harassment by the then president of Group I over a long period of time. They regretted that the anti-harassment measures in place in the Committee failed to tackle and remedy this case sooner because of the senior position of the member concerned. They also recalled that Parliament refused to grant the Committee's secretary-general discharge in respect of the financial year 2018, among other reasons on the ground of a flagrant breach of the duty of care and the lack of action by the administration, along with the financial consequences.

During the 2018 and part of the 2019 discharge procedures, the secretary-general was unable to provide sufficient, transparent and reliable information to Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control.

Parliament expressed its deep concern that in April 2021 the EESC is still failing in its duty of care towards the victims of harassment and grave misconduct given the fact it only concluded settlement agreements with two out of the four victims and has not yet published the public apology it promised.

Documents
2021/04/27
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2021/03/25
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Olivier CHASTEL (Renew Europe, BE) calling on the European Parliament to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Economic and Social Committee for the financial year 2019.

Members welcomed the conclusion of the Court of Auditors, according to which the payments as a whole for the year ended on 31 December 2019 for administrative and other expenditure of the European Economic and Social Committee were free from material error. No significant weaknesses were identified in respect of the audited topics relating to human resources and procurement.

Budgetary and financial management

In 2019, the Committee’s budget amounted to EUR 138 502 768 (compared to EUR 135 630 905 in 2018) with an implementation rate of 98.1 % (compared to 98,7 % in 2018). Members welcomed the fact that the implementation rate of appropriations carried forward from 2018 to 2019 was 82.1 % as compared to 77.5 % for appropriations carried forward from 2017 to 2018.

Regarding travel expenses, Members regretted that the Committee’s bureau in 2020 adopted a decision allowing for the reimbursement of expenses for remote participation in cases where a member was prevented from travelling to Brussels as a result of COVID-19 related issues. They called on the Committee to withdraw this decision, which is not proportionate to the real cost of participation, represents a considerable loss for the Union budget and damages the reputation of the Committee.

Human resources

Members noted that the establishment plan indicates 668 posts in 2019, the same as in 2018. The total number of staff employed was 702 on 31 December 2019 (compared to 705 in 2018). Gender balance among the Committee's managerial staff reached parity in 2018 and remains relatively stable. The Committee is asked to report to the discharge authority on the concrete achievements of the action plan for equal opportunities and diversity, in particular on the results of the measures taken as regards strengthening diversity and making the Committee a more inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities.

Serious concern was expressed about the public disquiet caused by certain recruitment procedures used by the Committee.

Internal management

Members noted with concern that the Committee’s total annual budget has increased from EUR 108 000 000 in 2006 to more than EUR 138 000 000 in 2019 while the overall number of opinions and reports produced by the Committee has decreased significantly (from 215 in 2018 to 127 in 2019). They understand that the reduction in opinions delivered may be connected to the electoral cycle but is concerned about the raise of the cost per opinion (EUR 1.1 million in 2019 compared to EUR 630 000 in 2018), and express concerns about the outsourcing to external companies of reporting work.

The report noted with concern that out of the 127 opinions and reports, only 55 were own-initiative opinions. The Committee is encouraged to increase its efforts to achieve a higher profile for its opinions.

On the other hand, the Committee is congratulated on the fact that in 2019 it had the highest take-up of e-invoices, in both absolute and relative terms, of all Union bodies.

Refusal of discharge in 2018, harassment and whistle blowing

Members recalled that several members of staff suffered acts of psychological harassment by the then president of Group I over a long period of time. They regretted that the anti-harassment measures in place in the Committee failed to tackle and remedy this case sooner because of the senior position of the member concerned. They also recalled that Parliament refused to grant the Committee's secretary-general discharge in respect of the financial year 2018, among other reasons on the ground of a flagrant breach of the duty of care and the lack of action by the administration, along with the financial consequences.

Even during the 2018 and part of the 2019 discharge procedures, the secretary-general was unable to provide sufficient, transparent and reliable information to Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control.

Documents
2021/03/01
   EP - Vote in committee
2021/02/08
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2021/02/05
   CSL - Supplementary non-legislative basic document
Documents
2021/01/20
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2020/09/15
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2020/07/29
   EC - Non-legislative basic document
2020/07/28
   EC - Non-legislative basic document published
2020/07/10
   EP - CHASTEL Olivier (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in CONT

Documents

Votes

Décharge 2019 : Budget général de l'UE - Comité économique et social européen - 2019 discharge: EU general budget - European Economic and Social Committee - Entlastung 2019: Gesamthaushaltsplan der EU – Europäischer Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschuss - A9-0057/2021 - Olivier Chastel - Proposition de décision #

2021/04/27 Outcome: +: 484, -: 209, 0: 5
PL ES RO HU BG DE NL SK PT HR CZ SI BE LT AT SE LV MT DK EE LU EL FI CY IE IT FR
Total
51
59
33
21
17
95
29
14
21
12
21
8
21
11
19
21
8
6
14
7
6
20
13
6
13
74
78
icon: PPE PPE
172

Hungary PPE

1

Latvia PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2
2
icon: S&D S&D
145

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Greece S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Hungary Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1
3

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Ireland Renew

2

Italy Renew

2
icon: ECR ECR
63

Romania ECR

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

4

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1
3

Latvia ECR

2

Greece ECR

Abstain (1)

1
icon: NI NI
37

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

1

Slovakia NI

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Abstain (1)

2

Croatia NI

2

Lithuania NI

1
icon: The Left The Left
39

Netherlands The Left

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Portugal The Left

4

Czechia The Left

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1

Belgium The Left

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Sweden The Left

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1

Cyprus The Left

2

Ireland The Left

4
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
72

Poland Verts/ALE

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1

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

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1

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2

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1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

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2
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73

Netherlands ID

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1

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2

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Décharge 2019 : Budget général de l'UE - Comité économique et social européen - 2019 discharge: EU general budget - European Economic and Social Committee - Entlastung 2019: Gesamthaushaltsplan der EU – Europäischer Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschuss - A9-0057/2021 - Olivier Chastel - Am 2 #

2021/04/28 Outcome: +: 322, -: 316, 0: 56
ES DK FR NL SE EE RO CZ DE LU LV FI MT SK BG BE HR LT SI AT PT ?? CY HU IE PL EL IT
Total
59
13
79
29
21
7
32
20
93
6
8
14
6
14
17
20
12
11
8
19
21
1
6
21
13
52
19
73
icon: S&D S&D
142

Estonia S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Greece S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97
3

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Slovakia Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Lithuania Renew

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Italy Renew

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Netherlands ECR

Abstain (1)

4
3

Romania ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Germany ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Croatia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Greece ECR

Abstain (1)

1
icon: NI NI
36

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Germany NI

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2

Slovakia NI

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2

Croatia NI

2

Lithuania NI

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1

NI

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1
icon: The Left The Left
39

Denmark The Left

1

Netherlands The Left

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1

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1

Czechia The Left

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1

Finland The Left

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1

Belgium The Left

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1

Portugal The Left

4

Cyprus The Left

2

Ireland The Left

4
icon: ID ID
74

Denmark ID

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1

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1

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1

Czechia ID

2

Finland ID

2

Austria ID

3
icon: PPE PPE
173

Denmark PPE

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1

Estonia PPE

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1

Luxembourg PPE

2

Latvia PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

4

Cyprus PPE

2

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1

A9-0057/2021 - Olivier Chastel - Am 3 #

2021/04/28 Outcome: -: 448, +: 243, 0: 3
DK EE RO MT ES HR LU SI BG ?? LV CY NL PT BE FI HU SE LT SK CZ AT IE EL FR IT PL DE
Total
13
7
32
6
59
12
6
8
17
1
8
6
29
21
20
14
21
21
11
14
20
19
13
19
79
73
52
93
icon: S&D S&D
142

Estonia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

Against (1)

3

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Greece S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Estonia Renew

3

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Slovenia Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Hungary Renew

2
3

Lithuania Renew

1

Slovakia Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Ireland Renew

2

Italy Renew

2
icon: NI NI
36

Croatia NI

2

NI

Against (1)

1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Lithuania NI

Against (1)

1

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Germany NI

2
icon: The Left The Left
39

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Portugal The Left

4

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4
icon: ECR ECR
62

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Latvia ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

4
3

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

2

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Germany ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Denmark Verts/ALE

1

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
74

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Belgium ID

For (1)

3

Finland ID

2

Czechia ID

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Austria ID

3
icon: PPE PPE
173

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

4

Latvia PPE

2

Cyprus PPE

2

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1

A9-0057/2021 - Olivier Chastel - Am 4 #

2021/04/28 Outcome: +: 358, -: 332, 0: 4
ES FR DE DK PT CZ FI SE IE EE BE RO LU MT CY NL SK HR SI LV BG LT AT EL ?? HU IT PL
Total
59
79
93
13
21
20
14
21
13
7
20
32
6
6
6
29
14
12
8
8
17
11
19
19
1
21
73
52
icon: S&D S&D
142

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Greece S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Finland Renew

3
3

Ireland Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Lithuania Renew

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Italy Renew

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

1

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
39

Denmark The Left

1

Czechia The Left

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1
icon: NI NI
36

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

2

Croatia NI

2

Lithuania NI

Against (1)

1

NI

Against (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Germany ECR

Against (1)

1
3

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

4

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

2

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
74

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

2

Finland ID

2

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Belgium ID

For (1)

3

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Austria ID

3
icon: PPE PPE
173

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Cyprus PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

4

Latvia PPE

2

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1

A9-0057/2021 - Olivier Chastel - Am 1 #

2021/04/28 Outcome: +: 454, -: 232, 0: 8
PL IT FR DE EL IE AT BE HU SK NL SE LT FI LV ES CZ PT SI CY LU BG ?? RO HR MT EE DK
Total
52
73
79
93
19
13
19
20
21
14
29
21
11
14
8
59
20
21
8
6
6
17
1
32
12
6
7
13
icon: PPE PPE
173

Hungary PPE

1

Latvia PPE

2
2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Croatia PPE

Against (1)

4

Malta PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Greece ECR

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Latvia ECR

2

Czechia ECR

Against (1)

3

Bulgaria ECR

2

Romania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1
icon: ID ID
74
3

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Czechia ID

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Estonia ID

For (1)

1

Denmark ID

For (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
39

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Netherlands The Left

For (1)

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Czechia The Left

1

Cyprus The Left

2

Denmark The Left

1
icon: NI NI
36

Germany NI

2

Slovakia NI

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Netherlands NI

1

Lithuania NI

1

NI

1

Croatia NI

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

Against (2)

2

Ireland Renew

2

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Sweden Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

Against (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Luxembourg Renew

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Bulgaria Renew

3

Croatia Renew

Against (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3
icon: S&D S&D
142

Greece S&D

2

Belgium S&D

3

Slovakia S&D

3
6

Lithuania S&D

2

Finland S&D

Against (1)

2

Latvia S&D

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Czechia S&D

Against (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

Against (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Décharge 2019 : Budget général de l'UE - Comité économique et social européen - 2019 discharge: EU general budget - European Economic and Social Committee - Entlastung 2019: Gesamthaushaltsplan der EU – Europäischer Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschuss - A9-0057/2021 - Olivier Chastel - Proposition de résolution #

2021/04/29 Outcome: +: 600, -: 82, 0: 9
DE ES PL FR RO HU IT PT NL CZ BG BE AT SE EL IE DK SK LT HR FI LV SI MT CY LU EE
Total
93
59
50
79
32
21
74
21
28
21
17
20
19
21
19
13
14
14
11
11
13
8
8
6
6
6
7
icon: PPE PPE
175

Hungary PPE

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Malta PPE

2
2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
142

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Greece S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Finland S&D

1

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Hungary Renew

2

Italy Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1
3

Ireland Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
72

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
60

Netherlands ECR

4

Bulgaria ECR

2
3

Greece ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2
icon: The Left The Left
38

Portugal The Left

4

Netherlands The Left

For (1)

1

Czechia The Left

1

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Denmark The Left

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2
icon: NI NI
34

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

1

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

2

Lithuania NI

1

Croatia NI

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
73

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Belgium ID

2

Austria ID

3

Denmark ID

Abstain (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
88 2020/2145(DEC)
2021/02/15 CONT 88 amendments...
source: 680.757

History

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

events/0/date
Old
2020-07-29T00:00:00
New
2020-07-28T00:00:00
events/6
date
2021-09-24T00:00:00
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Final act published in Official Journal
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OJ L 340 24.09.2021, p. 0140
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  • url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-9-2021-04-27-TOC_EN.html title: Debate in Parliament
docs/4
date
2021-04-28T00:00:00
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url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0169_EN.html title: T9-0169/2021
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EP
events/5/summary
  • The European Parliament by 484 votes to 209, with 5 abstentions, to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Economic and Social Committee for the financial year 2019.
  • Members welcomed the conclusion of the Court of Auditors, according to which the payments as a whole for the year ended on 31 December 2019 for administrative and other expenditure of the European Economic and Social Committee were free from material error. No significant weaknesses were identified in respect of the audited topics relating to human resources and procurement.
  • Budgetary and financial management
  • In 2019, the Committee’s budget amounted to EUR 138 502 768 (compared to EUR 135 630 905 in 2018) with an implementation rate of 98.1 % (compared to 98,7 % in 2018). Members welcomed the fact that the implementation rate of appropriations carried forward from 2018 to 2019 was 82.1 % as compared to 77.5 % for appropriations carried forward from 2017 to 2018.
  • Regarding travel expenses, Members regretted that the Committee’s bureau in 2020 adopted a decision allowing for the reimbursement of expenses for remote participation in cases where a member was prevented from travelling to Brussels as a result of COVID-19 related issues. They called on the Committee to withdraw this decision, which is not proportionate to the real cost of participation, represents a considerable loss for the Union budget and damages the reputation of the Committee.
  • While stressing the importance of the Committee's role, Members expressed concern about the impact of its work.
  • Human resources
  • Members noted that the establishment plan indicates 668 posts in 2019, the same as in 2018. The total number of staff employed was 702 on 31 December 2019 (compared to 705 in 2018). Gender balance among the Committee's managerial staff reached parity in 2018 and remains relatively stable even though the new political leadership of the Committee does not reflect this trend with only one out of seven section presidents and none of the three group presidents being women.
  • The Committee is asked to report to the discharge authority on the concrete achievements of the action plan for equal opportunities and diversity, in particular on the results of the measures taken as regards strengthening diversity and making the Committee a more inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities.
  • Members encouraged the Committee to complement the introduction of flexible working arrangements with a protection of the staff members’ right to disconnect.
  • Serious concern was expressed about the public disquiet caused by certain recruitment procedures used by the Committee.
  • Internal management
  • Members noted with concern that the Committee’s total annual budget has increased from EUR 108 000 000 in 2006 to more than EUR 138 000 000 in 2019 while the overall number of opinions and reports produced by the Committee has decreased significantly (from 215 in 2018 to 127 in 2019). They understand that the reduction in opinions delivered may be connected to the electoral cycle but is concerned about the raise of the cost per opinion (EUR 1.1 million in 2019 compared to EUR 630 000 in 2018), and express concerns about the outsourcing to external companies of reporting work.
  • Out of the 127 opinions and reports, only 55 were own-initiative opinions. The Committee is encouraged to increase its efforts to achieve a higher profile for its opinions.
  • Parliament welcomed the fact that the Committee followed Parliament’s recommendation made in recent resolutions to ask for an increased budget share for IT costs (up to 4.5 % of the total budget compared to 3 % in 2018). In the long run, the figure of 4.5 % should ideally increase to 6 %.
  • On the other hand, the Committee is congratulated on the fact that in 2019 it had the highest take-up of e-invoices, in both absolute and relative terms, of all Union bodies.
  • The Committee was asked to develop a comprehensive plan for sustainable development.
  • Institutional cooperation
  • Members called for continued efforts to strengthen political cooperation between the Committee and the Parliament. They also noted that the new service level agreement launched in 2019 between the Parliament and the Committee allows the Committee to benefit from the Parliament's interpretation services (for which payment will be made) when using the Parliament's premises for its meetings.
  • Noting the current cooperation arrangements between the Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the Committee, Members called on the Committee to identify further potential synergies and savings and other areas in which back-office functions could be shared.
  • Refusal of discharge in 2018, harassment and whistle blowing
  • Members recalled that several members of staff suffered acts of psychological harassment by the then president of Group I over a long period of time. They regretted that the anti-harassment measures in place in the Committee failed to tackle and remedy this case sooner because of the senior position of the member concerned. They also recalled that Parliament refused to grant the Committee's secretary-general discharge in respect of the financial year 2018, among other reasons on the ground of a flagrant breach of the duty of care and the lack of action by the administration, along with the financial consequences.
  • During the 2018 and part of the 2019 discharge procedures, the secretary-general was unable to provide sufficient, transparent and reliable information to Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control.
  • Parliament expressed its deep concern that in April 2021 the EESC is still failing in its duty of care towards the victims of harassment and grave misconduct given the fact it only concluded settlement agreements with two out of the four victims and has not yet published the public apology it promised.
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  • The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Olivier CHASTEL (Renew Europe, BE) calling on the European Parliament to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Economic and Social Committee for the financial year 2019.
  • Members welcomed the conclusion of the Court of Auditors, according to which the payments as a whole for the year ended on 31 December 2019 for administrative and other expenditure of the European Economic and Social Committee were free from material error. No significant weaknesses were identified in respect of the audited topics relating to human resources and procurement.
  • Budgetary and financial management
  • In 2019, the Committee’s budget amounted to EUR 138 502 768 (compared to EUR 135 630 905 in 2018) with an implementation rate of 98.1 % (compared to 98,7 % in 2018). Members welcomed the fact that the implementation rate of appropriations carried forward from 2018 to 2019 was 82.1 % as compared to 77.5 % for appropriations carried forward from 2017 to 2018.
  • Regarding travel expenses, Members regretted that the Committee’s bureau in 2020 adopted a decision allowing for the reimbursement of expenses for remote participation in cases where a member was prevented from travelling to Brussels as a result of COVID-19 related issues. They called on the Committee to withdraw this decision, which is not proportionate to the real cost of participation, represents a considerable loss for the Union budget and damages the reputation of the Committee.
  • Human resources
  • Members noted that the establishment plan indicates 668 posts in 2019, the same as in 2018. The total number of staff employed was 702 on 31 December 2019 (compared to 705 in 2018). Gender balance among the Committee's managerial staff reached parity in 2018 and remains relatively stable. The Committee is asked to report to the discharge authority on the concrete achievements of the action plan for equal opportunities and diversity, in particular on the results of the measures taken as regards strengthening diversity and making the Committee a more inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities.
  • Serious concern was expressed about the public disquiet caused by certain recruitment procedures used by the Committee.
  • Internal management
  • Members noted with concern that the Committee’s total annual budget has increased from EUR 108 000 000 in 2006 to more than EUR 138 000 000 in 2019 while the overall number of opinions and reports produced by the Committee has decreased significantly (from 215 in 2018 to 127 in 2019). They understand that the reduction in opinions delivered may be connected to the electoral cycle but is concerned about the raise of the cost per opinion (EUR 1.1 million in 2019 compared to EUR 630 000 in 2018), and express concerns about the outsourcing to external companies of reporting work.
  • The report noted with concern that out of the 127 opinions and reports, only 55 were own-initiative opinions. The Committee is encouraged to increase its efforts to achieve a higher profile for its opinions.
  • On the other hand, the Committee is congratulated on the fact that in 2019 it had the highest take-up of e-invoices, in both absolute and relative terms, of all Union bodies.
  • Refusal of discharge in 2018, harassment and whistle blowing
  • Members recalled that several members of staff suffered acts of psychological harassment by the then president of Group I over a long period of time. They regretted that the anti-harassment measures in place in the Committee failed to tackle and remedy this case sooner because of the senior position of the member concerned. They also recalled that Parliament refused to grant the Committee's secretary-general discharge in respect of the financial year 2018, among other reasons on the ground of a flagrant breach of the duty of care and the lack of action by the administration, along with the financial consequences.
  • Even during the 2018 and part of the 2019 discharge procedures, the secretary-general was unable to provide sufficient, transparent and reliable information to Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control.
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