Activities of Petri SARVAMAA related to 2020/2141(DEC)
Plenary speeches (1)
2019 Discharge (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019, Section I – European Parliament
Amendments (14)
Amendment 1 #
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants its President discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Parliament for the financial year 2019/Postpones its decision on granting its President discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Parliament for the financial year 2019;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls that Rule 11 of the Rules of Procedure has introduced an obligation for rapporteurs, shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs to publish information on meetings held with interest representatives in the context of their reports; notes with satisfaction that, since the start of the new legislature, the necessary infrastructure has been available on Parliament’s website to allow Members to publish scheduled meetings with interested representatives in order to improve transparencymake Parliament more open, transparent, and accountable to citizens; encourages efforts that would improve easy access and usability of this tool;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Recalls Article 4 of the Code of Conduct with respect to financial interests and conflicts of interest, that the Members' declarations of financial interests shall be provided in a precise manner; notes that in cases where there is reason to believe that the information provided is out of date, the President may, where appropriate, request the Member to correct the declaration within 10 days;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28 a. Notes the severely limited possibility for Members to take parental leave; calls for the introduction of measures to facilitate the possibility for substitutes to replace Members - women and men alike - while on parental leave;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Notes that, at its meeting of 11 February 2019, the Bureau confirmed the continuation of Parliament’s office in London; notes that on 5 October 2020, the Bureau acknowledged the closure of the Edinburgh antenna office at the end of 2020; acknowledges that the liaison office in the United Kingdom will continue to play a crucial role for Parliament in providing services to Members on delegations to the United Kingdom and in order to further engage with citizens, civil society, government, the parliamentary environment and media in that country; calls in this regard to coordinate the work of the liaison office in the United Kingdom with the European Union External Action Service to avoid duplication of work;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Notes the Bureau's decision of 25 November 2019 to set up a Europa Experience visitors’ facilities in all Member States by the end of the current legislature (2024) and the current implementation of this decision; calls on the Secretary General to regularly inform the Parliament’s Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Budgetary Control on the state of implementation;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
79. Draws attention to the 6% staff reduction target, that in 2019 required Parliament to eliminate 59 posts from its administration establishment plan; acknowledges the simultaneous increase in the number of contractual agents; is concerned by the negative effects of this significant reduction on Parliament’s performance, both in the short and long term; notes that the work and responsibility of certain Parliament's Committees have increased due to the EU Recovery Plan Next Generation EU of EUR 750 billion, which amounts together with the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 (MFF) to EUR 1.8 trillion; is concerned of the missing administrative staff capacities in the relevant secretariats; calls for the reassessment of the staffing situation;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83
Paragraph 83
83. Supports the launch of an awareness raising campaign in 2019 to promote a zero-tolerance policy on harassment in the workplace; recognises Parliament’s zero tolerance policy towards harassment at any and all levels including Members, staff and APAs; notes that following the 2019 elections, all Members were required to sign a declaration confirming their commitment to complying with the code of appropriate behaviour incorporated in Parliament's Rules of Procedure in January 2019; however, regrets that 10 new harassment cases were opened in 2019 out of which 4 cases concerned sexual harassment; welcomes that the parliament provides voluntary trainings on dignity and respect at work for Members in order to lead by example
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 85 a (new)
Paragraph 85 a (new)
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86 a (new)
Paragraph 86 a (new)
86 a. Recalls that according to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), particularly the Protocol (No 6) on the location of the seats of the Institutions of the European Union, the European Parliament shall have its seat in Strasbourg, where the 12 periods of monthly plenary sessions, including the budget session, shall be held; highlights that exceptional circumstances, which affect the functioning of Parliament, are temporary in nature; underlines the will of Parliament to resume back to the normal functioning based on the Treaties as soon as the situation allows; notes that permanent changes would require a Treaty change for which unanimity is needed;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87 a (new)
Paragraph 87 a (new)
87 a. Recalls paragraph 118 of the 2017 Parliament discharge Resolution which called to investigate the legal foundations of the Voluntary Pension Fund and in particular, whether Parliament as has a legal obligation to guarantee that future entitlements shall be maintained in full and to fill the potential deficits of the fund or put fresh money in to the fund, given that the Voluntary Pension Fund is a SICAV investment fund under Luxembourg law rather than a regular pension fund, which would imply that there is in principle no such obligation; regrets that the Secretary-General has not yet come forward with any findings in response to the investigation called for;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 88
Paragraph 88
88. Further notes that at the end of 2019, the amount of net assets to be taken into account and the actuarial commitment amount to EUR 111 million and EUR 439,6 million, respectively, leading to an estimated actuarial deficit of EUR 328,6 million; is extremely concerned about the possible exhaustion of the voluntary pension fund; recalls that there is no explicit provision on what would happen if the funds were not sufficient; stresses the current situation of the fund which is such that it cannot meet its future commitments;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111
Paragraph 111
111. Highlights thatExpresses satisfaction with the 2018 Bureau decision on the general expenditure allowance which stipulates that the Bureau will maintain this decision until the end of 2022 and will evaluate it on the basis of the experience gained during the 9th parliamentary term; stresses that any new voluntary and/or optional measures for greater transparency and financial accountability should not create unnecessary bureaucracy for Members and their offices; , their offices or Parliament's administration and no higher need of staff resources in Parliament's administration; recalls the principle of the independence of the mandate; recalls that the general expenditure allowance is intended to cover costs incurred which are directly related to the exercise of the Member’s parliamentary mandate; underlines that it is the responsibility of elected Members to use the expenditure for parliamentary activities;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111 a (new)
Paragraph 111 a (new)
111 a. Underlines that good governance is based on sound financial management and proportionality; invites the Bureau to take into account the cost-effectiveness and proportionality of any further investments and the benefits achieved through further expenditure of tax payers money and increased bureaucracy; notes that a comprehensive system of control of the Members’ parliamentary mandate allowance would necessitate 40 to 75 new administrative posts going against sound financial management and proportionality;