Activities of Bart STAES related to 2009/2069(DEC)
Reports (1)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2008, Section I - European Parliament PDF (323 KB) DOC (372 KB)
Amendments (15)
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Fully understands that objective, professional and comprehensive analysis of complex decision-making and management structures and procedures is more challenging and time-consuming than purely rhetorical statements and recommends that the Committee on Budgetary Control be better equipped to accomplish its increasingly demanding tasks by reinforcing substantially the establishment plan for that committee's secretariat;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 – introductory part
Paragraph 27 – introductory part
27. Draws attention to the fact that as interface between the public and the private sector, public procurement is, in general, a high-risk area and that Parliament must devote even more; would welcome a strengthening of Parliament's efforts to ensure:
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Recalls that at each stage of the procurement process - initial assessment of needs, preparing the call for tender, drawing up the calls for tender and the specifications, contacts with tenderers, opening of tenders, evaluation of tenders, award decision, conclusion of contracts - there are significant risks to the achievement of the abovementioned objectives and that further action needs to be taken by the authorising officers by delegation, with the assistance of Parliament's central services, to reduce exposure to risk;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Takes the view that the increase registered between 2007 and 2008 clearly obliges the authorising officers to take measures to 'reverse the trend'; is unhappy with the administration's remark that "itnvites the Secretary-General to report to its difficult to reduce further the use of negotiated procedures" (Annual report on the contracts awarded by the European Parliament, 2008, paragraph 39)Committee on Budgetary Control on measures taken before 1 September 2010;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Notes that Article 60(4) of the Financial Regulation requires each Authorising Officer by Delegation to "put in place (...) the internal management and control procedures suited to the performance of his/her duties (...)" and that the second paragraph of Article 60(7) of the Financial Regulation requires the same actor in the financial management to report on "the efficiency and effectiveness" of the systems he/she has put in place; takes the view that the two functions are incompatible and that they should be carried out by different actors;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Expects initiatives aiming at givingby the Secretary- General the possibility to demonstrate - on the basis of further analysis - that the management representations contained in the annual activity reports and the declarations of the Directors-General present a complete and reliable picture and that any problems have been brought to his attention;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Further notes - and strongly regrets - that only some Directors- General "indicated the risks associated with their operations or reported on the working of their internal control systems" (reply to Question 4.2.1) while the Financial Regulation in the second paragraph of Article 60(7) clearly states that Authorising Officers shall indicate in the annual activity report "the efficiency and effectiveness of the internal control system";
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Notes with surprise that that failure was "no doubt due to the fact that the instructions for the drafting of the 2008 annual activity reports left the Authorising Officers by delegation greater latitude in the manner in which they reported, notably on their internal control systems" (reply to Question No 4.2.); is pleased however to note that the instructions in this regard for the 2009 reports were stricter and expects that all Director-Generals act accordingly;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
53. Stresses that in any system of financial management there must be a counterweight to those who authorise expenditure and is of the opinion that the present counterweight function onlyshould be improved in order to offers Parliament's political and administrative leadership a minimum degree ofthe best possible protection;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Invites the Secretary-General, therefore, to inform the discharge authority as soon as possible and no later than 1 JulySeptember 2010 about the precise measures - and deadline for implementation - he has taken or will take in view of reinforcing the internal control system and in particular as regards: - obtaining a second opinion at random on management representations, - reinforcing the Central Financial Unit allowing it fully to shoulder its centralservices with responsibility for the systemic adequacy of the internal control system on behalf of the Principal Authorising Officer by Delegation, - ensuring full compliance with Article 60(7) of the Financial Regulation by all Authorising Officers, - strengthening the counterweight function, - achieving clearer, shorter, more precise, more relevant, more professional annual activity reports aiming at providing the discharge authority with relevant information on the institution's use of public money, - adopting any other measure necessary for the Secretary-General to issue a meaningful declaration of assurance;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Notes that the identification and achievement ofCalls on the Secretary-General to ensure that world-class, risk-based, sound financial management in Parliament and full transparency towards European citizens on how Parliament uses public funds were not among the objectives for 2008 -is an objective to be reached in 20109;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Notes that the creation of the post of risk manager is in the administrative work programme 2009 - 2011 and stresses that the post should be created as soon as possible and no later than 1 May 2010 due to the size of Parliament's budget and the well-known, high reputational risk involved in the activities of Parliament;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 77
Paragraph 77
77. Is shocked that on 31 December 2008, the Fund incurred an actuarial deficit of EUR 121 844 000 and that, on the same date, the fund evaluated the remaining benefits to be paid to the members of the fund as EUR 276 984 000 (ECA Annual Report Annex 11.2) while having assets in the form of investments in the amount of EUR 155 140 000;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 88
Paragraph 88
88. Draws attention to the fact that matters concerning accountability in public politics and management of public institution's reputational risks are issues which cannot and should not be reduced to legal considerations and that its Legal Service should not, therefore, be dealing with such questions;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 143 a (new)
Paragraph 143 a (new)
143a. Notes that in 2008 approximately 500 temporary agents worked in Parliament's administration; is concerned that those temporary agents are not offered any career perspective although they may stay in the institution for up to six years or even indefinitely; insists that temporary staff be offered a career development based on merit; calls on the Secretary-General to put the appropriate measures in place in 2010 and report to the Committee on Budgetary Control during the 2009 discharge on the progress made;