Activities of Ingeborg GRÄSSLE related to 2013/2196(DEC)
Plenary speeches (1)
2012 discharge: European Parliament (A7-0246/2014 - Cătălin Sorin Ivan) (vote)
Amendments (14)
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Subtitle and paragraph 40 d (new)
Subtitle and paragraph 40 d (new)
– The President's political activities 40d. Calls for detailed information on how the President, as a party politically neutral figure, has kept his duties in office separate from his preparations to head the social democrats' list in the European elections, in particular with regard to the staff in his cabinet and in Parliament's information offices and to travel expenses; considers that, in connection with many activities, no distinction has been made between the two roles; calls for clear segregation of office holders' functions, following the Commission's approach, so that European taxpayers do not have to pay for European list leaders' election campaigns;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Welcomes DG PRES reorganization that leads toNotes that DG PRES has been reorganised, resulting in the creation of a new DG EPRS (Parliamentary Research Services), and the internalisation ofat Parliament's security services leadhave been internalised, resulting toin the creation of DG Security; is satisfied that the reorganisation was budget neutral and that the internalisation of the security is foreseen to produce savinternalisation of security is projected to produce savings of more than EUR 11 million over the period 2013- 2016; notes, however, that five members of the President's Cabinet are earmarked for posts as directors-general or directors in Parliament's Administration; criticises this political hijackings of more than EUR 11 million oveanagement positions and the undermining of the Staff Regulations; points out that the EU criticises political patronage around the world, and calls for theat period 2013- 2016; nciple to be observed with regard to Parliament's Administration, too;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49a. Notes that a director-general's post has been filled, but that, six months after the appointment, the staff member selected has still not taken up the post; calls for that director-general's post to be abolished;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 f (new)
Paragraph 49 f (new)
49f. Criticises the fact that an OLAF Supervisory Committee report to Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control was not forwarded to it by the President, but, rather, was held back for more than two months; criticises the fact that there was a three-month delay before Parliament's Administration forwarded witness summonses from a Belgian court to the three Members concerned; criticises the fact that the Committee on Budgetary Control was hampered in its work because a hearing on the work of the Task Force for Greece was cancelled and a hearing on 'Governance – the European Commission as administrative authority' was held up for more than a year;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 g (new)
Paragraph 49 g (new)
49g. Calls for all annexes to written parliamentary questions (Rule 117 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure) to be posted, together with the questions concerned, on Parliament's website;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 a (new)
Paragraph 54 a (new)
54a. Calls for information on the employment arrangements for local ushers in Strasbourg and the employment arrangements for ushers in Brussels during Strasbourg weeks; calls for a report by Parliament's Administration on whether, in the case of local ushers in Strasbourg, EU labour and social security law is complied with and on the precautions taken against bogus self- employment; calls for a cost comparison, with a view to establishing the best option for the taxpayer;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 d (new)
Paragraph 54 d (new)
54d. Asks for a report on the increase in AD and AST posts in Parliament's Administration between 2005 and the current financial year; asks for a breakdown by grade and nationality;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 e (new)
Paragraph 54 e (new)
54e. Asks for a report on the increase in posts for directors and directors-general in Parliament's Administration since 2005; asks for a breakdown by nationality;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 f (new)
Paragraph 54 f (new)
54f. Regards the post, attached to the Secretary-General, of Director for Relations with the Political Groups as superfluous and calls for it to be abolished;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 g (new)
Paragraph 54 g (new)
54g. Asks for a report on how many political group staff have become officials since 2009 (a) under a conventional selection procedure and (b) on the basis of the 'passarelle' clause;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56 a (new)
Paragraph 56 a (new)
56a. Is concerned at undetected conflicts of interest in connection with the award of grants from Parliament's budget; points to Article 58 of the Financial Regulation and to the Administration's obligation to verify declarations issued by grantees and contractors; calls for information as to what risk analyses are carried out by Parliament's Administration in respect of those declarations in order to verify the veracity thereof;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56 b (new)
Paragraph 56 b (new)
56b. Notes that DG COMM has a large budget under line 3242, "Publication, information and participation in public meetings"; sees more and more outsourcing with additional costs for the taxpayer; asks for a detailed list on outsourcing measures and cost thereof in DG COMM;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 57
Paragraph 57
57. Notes that since January 2012, a new set of rules came into force governing the reception of visitors' groups, including the method of paying subsidies; notes that the Bureau decided to maintain the option to make cash payments to visitor groups; is concerned about the significant reputational and security risk entailed in making cash payments to visitor groups; asks for a new decision of the bureau to abolish cash payments which constitutes a violation of Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council1; takes note that out of approximately 2 000 visitor groups annually, only 365 in 2012 received more than EUR 15 000 but that the majority of these visitors' groups opt for cash payment method, although Parliament’s administration encourages payment by bank transfer or a mix of both methods instead; ______________ 1 Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2005 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering and terrorist financing (OJ L 309, 25.11.2005, p. 15).
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
66. WelcomesTakes note of the process of internalisation of staff in the Directorate- General for Innovation and Technological Support with a view to reducingand the promised reduction of costs and the increasing thed level of expertise and corporate identity among the staff in the IT area; recalls that the increased level of expertise concerning permanent innovations was also the reason given to externalise this sector several years ago; questions the argument of reduced costs; is aware of the constraints and challenges with regard to the recruitment of the best professionals available on the market; calls on the Secretary-General to cooperate with the European Personnel Selection Office to find ways how to accelerate the recruitment procedure and to attract the best experts in the area of IT technologies and security;