On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2023, Section II – European Council and Council
AFCO-PA-766587
Committee on Constitutional Affairs · Rapporteur: Sven Simon
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This draft opinion calls on the Council to respect Parliament's budgetary prerogatives and cooperate in the discharge procedure, which it has refused for over a decade.¶¶ It urges the Council to implement Parliament's recommendations, resume negotiations on a memorandum of understanding, split its budget into two separate budgets, and support Treaty changes to clarify the discharge procedure.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Constitutional Affairs proposes that the Committee on Budgetary Control incorporate these calls into its motion for a resolution.¶
Key points
- Calls for full respect of Parliament's prerogatives in the annual budgetary procedure and insists on full application of Article 14(1) TEU.¶
- Regrets the Council's continuing refusal to cooperate sincerely in the discharge procedure for over a decade, preventing informed decisions.¶
- Considers the lack of cooperation sends a negative signal to citizens.¶
- Calls on the Council to implement Parliament's recommendations on the discharge procedure and resume negotiations on the memorandum of understanding.¶
- Reiterates that the budgets of the European Council and Council should be divided into two separate budgets for transparency and accountability.¶
- Stresses that the next Treaty revision should make the discharge procedure clearer, explicitly empowering Parliament in Article 319 TFEU to grant discharge to all institutions individually.¶