Activities of Peter POLLÁK related to 2021/2106(DEC)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2020 (Section III) – European Commission
Amendments (7)
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Acknowledges that high-risk expenditures are subject to complex rules and eligibility conditions; notes that the estimated level of error decreased from 4,9% in 2019 to 4,0% in 2020 and that six possible fraud cases were reported to OLAF in comparison to 2019’s nine; recalls that the way funds are disbursed has an impact on the risk of errors and welcomes efforts to simplify requirements for project managers and management authorities under the 2021-2027 programming period as further simplification of rules and procedures can contribute to a more efficient use of funds and a reduced error rate; ponts out in particular that, in most cases, a financial error does not constitute fraud; urges wider use of simplified cost options which ECA also considers to be a great relief for applicants and they facilitate control; shares the ECA's conclusions stating that the change in the rules for the implementation of European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds should further accelerate the implementation process;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Regrets that data on costs that were complete, consistent and coherent enough were not collected by the Commission to allow this data to be used for assessing the impact of simplifying EU rules on how to implement the Cohesion policy funds, even though the Commission has for the programming period from 2007-2027 commissioned five studies on the level of administrative costs and the impact of simplification measures;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Deplores, that complete, coherent and consistent information on costs were also not made publicly available to demonstrate to European citizens that policies are being implemented efficiently; points out that if costs are not kept low whenever possible, it results with less money being available for actually implementing the policy;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note that the EU will be able to spend significantly more than in the previous programming period, with an overall allocation of EUR 1 824 billion from NextGenerationEU and the MFF; urges the Commission to limit the risk of delayed start to the implementation of shared managed funds and ensure the sound financial management in the use of funds, including the respect for the rule of law and the fundamental rights.; underlines further, that the influence of COVID-19 pandemic, both in terms of limitations it exerts on relevant activities, as well as in reference to changes in law and the policy implementation process allowing for quicker reactions to its circumstances, continues to create challenges to sound financial management;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note that the EU will be able to spend significantly more than in the previous programming period, with an overall allocation of EUR 1 824 billion from Next Generation EU and the MFF; urges the Commission to limit the risk of delayed start to the implementation of shared managed funds and ensure the sound financial management in the use of funds, including the respect for the rule of law and the fundamental rights; calls on the Commission to focus special attention on working with those countries which are experiencing difficulties in managing multiannual financial framework programmes owing to a lack of funds, particularly when it comes to negotiating operational plans and the resulting programmes.
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Points out, that although there is a trend to place an emphasis of the cohesion programmes on results rather than outputs, the set of measurable indicators and robust monitoring to this end were not yet put in place and properly implemented.
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Points out that the overlap between the funds from the last tranche in the implementation of the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework, the 2021-2027 MFF and the Next Generation programmes may lead to an overburdening of the managing administrations and cause implementation problems; calls on the Commission to focus special attention on issues of complementarity between the funds, since in many cases their priorities coincide, and less on forms of reporting to the Community institutions; calls for clear implementation rules to be set out for management entities, and in particular for technical assistance to be provided on this point.