Sittings · Document
2023 discharge: General budget of the EU - Joint Undertakings
Committee on Budgetary Control
AM_Com_NonLegReport
Amendment 1
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
1. Welcomes the role of the joint undertakings in supporting research and innovation activities in the areas of transport, energy, health, circular bio-based industries, key electronic components, supercomputing, and network systems;
1. Notes that the role of the joint undertakings should be to support research and innovation activities in the areas of transport, energy, health, circular bio-based industries, key electronic components, supercomputing, and network systems;
Or. en
Amendment 2
Tamás Deutsch, Ondřej Knotek
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
1 a. Recalls the Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness Deal, points out the importance of strengthening the EU’s technological capabilities, accelerating the digital transformation across industries, seizing the opportunities of the data economy while ensuring privacy and security, as well as fostering the development of innovative technologies.
Or. en
Amendment 3
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
3. Welcomes the mutually beneficial nature of joint undertakings as public-private partnerships that steer investment and leverage public and private funds to fund common goals; reminds, in that regard, that the contributions of private members must meet established targets in order for such partnerships to remain mutually beneficial; calls on joint undertakings which allow in-kind contributions to additional activities (IKAA) to avoid, where possible, an excessive reliance on such contributions in order to meet established targets;
3. Notes that the nature of joint undertakings is based on public-private partnerships that steer investment and leverage public and private funds to fund common goals; reminds, in that regard, that the contributions of private members must meet established targets in order for such partnerships to remain mutually beneficial; calls on joint undertakings which allow in-kind contributions to additional activities (IKAA) to avoid, where possible, an excessive reliance on such contributions in order to meet established targets;
Or. en
Amendment 4
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
6. Welcomes the fact that two joint undertakings attained financial autonomy during the financial year 2023, namely the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking on 24 October 2023 and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on 23 November 2023; notes furthermore that as a result, the Court of Auditors audited these two joint undertakings for the first time, in addition to the nine joint undertakings the Court of Auditors had already audited for the financial year 2022;
6. Welcomes the fact that two joint undertakings attained financial autonomy during the financial year 2023, namely the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking on 24 October 2023 and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on 23 November 2023; notes furthermore that as a result, the Court of Auditors audited these two joint undertakings for the first time, in addition to the nine joint undertakings the Court of Auditors had already audited for the financial year 2022; encourages other Joint Undertakings to also work towards their self-sufficiency;
Or. en
Amendment 5
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 – point c
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(c) the high levels of inflation caused by the two aforementioned events had an impact on the joint undertakings;
(c) the high levels of inflation caused by the two aforementioned events had an impact on the supplies and delivery time for the joint undertakings;
Or. en
Amendment 6
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
8. Welcomes the many achievements of the joint undertakings in their respective areas of activity during the financial year 2023 and the resilience that these bodies have demonstrated, despite difficulties and constraints both within the Union and outside the Union;
deleted
Or. en
Amendment 7
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
8 a. Acknowledges the benefits of Joint Undertakings, the importance of public-private cooperation in fostering innovation, promoting research and developpment and the economic benefits of the partnerships; notes that by pooling resources and expertise from both sectors, public and private, Joint Undertakings can face the challenges more effectively; underlines the importance of transparency, accountability and efficient use of public funds by Joint Undertakings;
Or. en
Amendment 8
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
9. Welcomes the fact that joint undertakings are overall well-managed entities which can claim to conduct their operations according to sound financial management, thereby contributing effectively to Union policy objectives as well as to the sound implementation of the Union budget; nevertheless is concerned with a series of elements, in light of the findings of the Court of Auditors, as presented in this resolution;
9. Recalls that joint undertakings must conduct their operations according to sound financial management, thereby contributing effectively to Union policy objectives as well as to the sound implementation of the Union budget; nevertheless is concerned with a series of elements, in light of the findings of the Court of Auditors, as presented in this resolution;
Or. en
Amendment 9
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
12. Takes note of the fact that, in the view of the Court of Auditors, insufficient guidance was provided to the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on their first-time annual accounts, especially as regards the need for clarity in distinguishing the financial resources managed by the Commission before they attained their financial autonomy and by the joint undertakings after they attained it; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that accounting guidelines should be developed which should specify the rules for the presentation of the first annual accounts of new joint undertakings and that these guidelines should include instructions on how to separate the financial resources implemented by the Commission from those implemented by a joint undertaking after it attained its financial autonomy; underlines that the risk to the reliability of annual accounts was deemed to be low for all joint undertakings except for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, for which the risk to reliability was deemed to be medium, due to the complexities brought about by the transfer of budget appropriations and assets from the responsibility of the Commission to the responsibility of the joint undertaking;
12. Takes note of the fact that, in the view of the Court of Auditors, insufficient guidance was provided to the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on their first-time annual accounts, especially as regards the need for clarity in distinguishing the financial resources managed by the Commission before they attained their financial autonomy and by the joint undertakings after they attained it; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that accounting guidelines should be developed in a clear and comprehensible way which should specify the rules for the presentation of the first annual accounts of new joint undertakings and that these guidelines should include instructions on how to separate the financial resources implemented by the Commission from those implemented by a joint undertaking after it attained its financial autonomy; underlines that the risk to the reliability of annual accounts was deemed to be low for all joint undertakings except for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, for which the risk to reliability was deemed to be medium, due to the complexities brought about by the transfer of budget appropriations and assets from the responsibility of the Commission to the responsibility of the joint undertaking;
Or. en
Amendment 10
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
12. Takes note of the fact that, in the view of the Court of Auditors, insufficient guidance was provided to the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on their first-time annual accounts, especially as regards the need for clarity in distinguishing the financial resources managed by the Commission before they attained their financial autonomy and by the joint undertakings after they attained it; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that accounting guidelines should be developed which should specify the rules for the presentation of the first annual accounts of new joint undertakings and that these guidelines should include instructions on how to separate the financial resources implemented by the Commission from those implemented by a joint undertaking after it attained its financial autonomy; underlines that the risk to the reliability of annual accounts was deemed to be low for all joint undertakings except for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, for which the risk to reliability was deemed to be medium, due to the complexities brought about by the transfer of budget appropriations and assets from the responsibility of the Commission to the responsibility of the joint undertaking;
12. Takes note of the fact that, in the view of the Court of Auditors, insufficient guidance was provided to the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on their first-time annual accounts, especially as regards the need for clarity in distinguishing the financial resources managed by the Commission before they attained their financial autonomy and by the joint undertakings after they attained it; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that accounting guidelines should be developed which should specify the rules for the presentation of the first annual accounts of new joint undertakings and that these guidelines should include instructions on how to separate the financial resources implemented by the Commission from those implemented by a joint undertaking after it attained its financial autonomy; notes that the risk to the reliability of annual accounts was deemed to be low for all joint undertakings except for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, for which the risk to reliability was deemed to be medium, due to the complexities brought about by the transfer of budget appropriations and assets from the responsibility of the Commission to the responsibility of the joint undertaking;
Or. en
Amendment 11
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Ondřej Knotek, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point b
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(b) The total available budget in 2023 for the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 269 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 411,2 million in 2022) and EUR 486,4 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 415,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 98,58 % for commitment appropriations and 51,18 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; notes in particular that the execution rates of its two operational expenditure titles stand at 80,50 % and 81,11 % respectively for payment appropriations; furthermore stresses the low execution rate of its payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 60,52 %; deeply regrets the important amount allocated to title 5 of its budget for unused payment appropriations of EUR 177 million, which has a technical execution rate of 0 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;
(b) The total available budget in 2023 for the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 269 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 411,2 million in 2022) and EUR 486,4 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 415,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 98,58 % for commitment appropriations and 51,18 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; notes in particular that the execution rates of its two operational expenditure titles stand at 80,50 % and 81,11 % respectively for payment appropriations; furthermore stresses the low execution rate of its payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 60,52 %; deeply regrets the important amount allocated to title 5 of its budget for unused payment appropriations of EUR 177 million, which has a technical execution rate of 0 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; deplores the low budget execution rate in 2023 and calls for better budget management to improve the joint undertaking’s performance; notes that the European Court of Auditors' annual report on EU joint undertakings for the financial year 2023 states that the low rate stems from a slow start of Horizon Europe activities for Clean Aviation; criticises the European Commission's systematic bureaucratic interference, which slows down the growth of Europe's economic activity and its competitiveness;
Or. fr
Amendment 12
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point c
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(c) The total available budget in 2023 for the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 223,2 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 272,4 million in 2022) and EUR 225,9 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 174,8 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 92,65 % for commitment appropriations and 90,29 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rates of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 68,67 % and 67,30 % respectively; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;
(c) The total available budget in 2023 for the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 223,2 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 272,4 million in 2022) and EUR 225,9 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 174,8 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 92,65 % for commitment appropriations and 90,29 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rates of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 68,67 % and 67,30 % respectively; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; deplores the fact that the joint undertaking has not yet implemented the Seventh Framework Programme, 11 years after the programme officially came to an end; criticises the shortcomings identified by the European Court of Auditors regarding the management of personnel costs, including serious errors resulting from incorrect calculation methods and improper statements; criticises the fact that internal controls did not detect weaknesses that could have distorted competition in a 2023 procurement procedure;
Or. fr
Amendment 13
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point d
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(d) The total available budget in 2023 for the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 268,9 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 314,3 million in 2022) and EUR 327,8 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 118,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 96,62 % for commitment appropriations and 85,43 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rate of payment appropriations dedicated to its operational expenditure financed under Horizon 2020 which reached 69,41 %; moreover stresses the low execution rate of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 71,21 % and 60,60 % respectively; notes the explanations of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;
(d) The total available budget in 2023 for the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 268,9 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 314,3 million in 2022) and EUR 327,8 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 118,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 96,62 % for commitment appropriations and 85,43 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rate of payment appropriations dedicated to its operational expenditure financed under Horizon 2020 which reached 69,41 %; moreover stresses the low execution rate of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 71,21 % and 60,60 % respectively; notes the explanations of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; deplores the low budget execution rate in 2023 and calls for better budget management to improve the joint undertaking’s performance;
Or. fr
Amendment 14
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point d a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(da) Notes the European Court of Auditors' concerns regarding internal control weaknesses, which could cause cybersecurity vulnerabilities for this strategic body, disruptions to business continuity and internal control and leave its 'sensitive' personnel and ultimately the joint undertaking vulnerable to fraud, disclosure of information and corruption; calls on the joint undertaking to urgently rectify those issues and regularly revisit the matter, which should studied seriously and in a manner adapted to changing threats;
Or. fr
Amendment 15
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point f
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(f) The total available budget in 2023 for the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 227,4 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 264,2 million in 2022) and EUR 137,4 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 80,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 97,6 % for commitment appropriations and 90,3 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rates of commitment and payment appropriations for the part of its administrative expenditure dedicated to salaries, which reached 64 % and 57 % respectively, as well as the low execution rate of payment appropriations for the part of its administrative expenditure dedicated to other administrative expenditure, which reached 54 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;
(f) The total available budget in 2023 for the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 227,4 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 264,2 million in 2022) and EUR 137,4 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 80,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 97,6 % for commitment appropriations and 90,3 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rates of commitment and payment appropriations for the part of its administrative expenditure dedicated to salaries, which reached 64 % and 57 % respectively, as well as the low execution rate of payment appropriations for the part of its administrative expenditure dedicated to other administrative expenditure, which reached 54 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; deplores the low budget execution rate in 2023 and calls for better budget management to improve the joint undertaking’s performance;
Or. fr
Amendment 16
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point h
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(h) The total available budget in 2023 for the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 1136 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 1374,5 million in 2022) and EUR 1058 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 629,9 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 83% for commitment appropriations and 19 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; in particular, stresses the extremely low execution rate of payment appropriations dedicated to operational expenditure, which reached 19 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking but deeply regrets such a low execution rate; moreover stresses the low execution rate of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to administrative expenditure, which reached 45 % and 42 % respectively; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; takes note of the fact that these elements, in relation to the increased funding that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking benefited from in 2023 and which the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking had to implement, led the Court to consider the risk to budget management to be medium for this joint undertaking; welcomes the additional information provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control on the reasons behind this slow execution rate;
(h) The total available budget in 2023 for the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 1136 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 1374,5 million in 2022) and EUR 1058 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 629,9 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 83% for commitment appropriations and 19 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; in particular, stresses the extremely low execution rate of payment appropriations dedicated to operational expenditure, which reached 19 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking but deeply regrets such a low execution rate; moreover stresses the low execution rate of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to administrative expenditure, which reached 45 % and 42 % respectively; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; takes note of the fact that these elements, in relation to the increased funding that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking benefited from in 2023 and which the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking had to implement, led the Court to consider the risk to budget management to be medium for this joint undertaking; welcomes the additional information provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control on the reasons behind this slow execution rate; notes that the execution rate for operational payment appropriations for 2023 fell to 19 %, reflecting delays in the acquisition of supercomputers and the start of complex activities; calls for better planning and implementation of projects to maximise the use of available resources; criticises the absence of a formal internal control policy on managing sensitive functions, which is essential to prevent the risk of fraud and protect the joint undertaking's assets;
Or. fr
Amendment 17
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point i
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(i) The total available budget in 2023 for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 134,7 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 122,9 million in payment appropriations; understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 99 % for commitment appropriations and 89 % for payment appropriations; deems that given the short period of time during which the joint undertaking had attained financial autonomy in the financial year 2023, there are no sufficient grounds on which the European Parliament could express its view on the quality of the financial management of the joint undertaking while doing so in good faith; nevertheless notes that due to this situation, the risk to the legality and regularity of administrative expenditure was deemed as medium for the joint undertaking;
(i) The total available budget in 2023 for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 134,7 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 122,9 million in payment appropriations; understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 99 % for commitment appropriations and 89 % for payment appropriations; deems that given the short period of time during which the joint undertaking had attained financial autonomy in the financial year 2023, there are no sufficient grounds on which the European Parliament could express its view on the quality of the financial management of the joint undertaking while doing so in good faith; nevertheless notes that due to this situation, the risk to the legality and regularity of administrative expenditure was deemed as medium for the joint undertaking; criticises the absence of a formal internal control policy on managing sensitive functions, which is essential to prevent the risk of fraud, loss of assets or disclosure of sensitive information; notes with concern that risk assessment and monitoring activities have not yet been fully implemented in the internal control framework;
Or. fr
Amendment 18
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point j
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(j) The total available budget in 2023 for the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 136,4 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 2,2 million in payment appropriations; understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 100 % for commitment appropriations and 47 % for payment appropriations; deems that given the short period of time during which the joint undertaking had attained financial autonomy in the financial year 2023, there are no sufficient grounds on which the European Parliament could express its view on the quality of the financial management of the joint undertaking while doing so in good faith; nevertheless notes that due to this situation, the risk to the legality and regularity of administrative expenditure was deemed as medium for the joint undertaking;
(j) The total available budget in 2023 for the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 136,4 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 2,2 million in payment appropriations; understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 100 % for commitment appropriations and 47 % for payment appropriations; deems that given the short period of time during which the joint undertaking had attained financial autonomy in the financial year 2023, there are no sufficient grounds on which the European Parliament could express its view on the quality of the financial management of the joint undertaking while doing so in good faith; nevertheless notes that due to this situation, the risk to the legality and regularity of administrative expenditure was deemed as medium for the joint undertaking; criticises the fact that the joint undertaking has not yet finalised its business continuity and disaster recovery plans, which are essential to ensure organisational resilience; criticises the absence of a management policy for sensitive functions, which is essential to prevent the risk of fraud, disclosure of sensitive information or other improper actions;
Or. fr
Amendment 19
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point k
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(k) The total available budget in 2023 for the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy amounted to EUR 807 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 981,2 million in 2022) and EUR 631,5 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 844 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 73 % for commitment appropriations and 95 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; in particular, stresses the low execution rate of commitment appropriations dedicated to operational expenditure, which reached 70 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and takes note of the resulting transfers made back to the initially planned Euratom and ITER Host State contributions and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; takes note of the fact that these elements, which are related to delays and implementation difficulties, led the Court to consider the risk to budget management to be medium for this joint undertaking;
(k) The total available budget in 2023 for the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy amounted to EUR 807 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 981,2 million in 2022) and EUR 631,5 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 844 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 73 % for commitment appropriations and 95 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; in particular, stresses the low execution rate of commitment appropriations dedicated to operational expenditure, which reached 70 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and takes note of the resulting transfers made back to the initially planned Euratom and ITER Host State contributions and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; takes note of the fact that these elements, which are related to delays and implementation difficulties, led the Court to consider the risk to budget management to be medium for this joint undertaking; deplores the fact that the estimated cost at completion of the ITER project (EUR 21.2 billion) is still based on 2016 assumptions and does not take account of significant technical changes or the protracted inflationary impact; criticises the fact that only 70 % of operational commitments were used in 2023, entailing a significant increase in unused appropriations to be reallocated; calls for better budget planning to optimise the use of available resources and speed up operational activities; criticises the absence of an internal control policy on sensitive functions, which is essential to prevent the risk of fraud and to ensure assets are safe; notes with concern the poor cooperation between risk management and internal audit, which undermines the joint undertaking's ability to effectively manage its risks; calls for a risk management procedure to be included in the internal control framework and for better coordination between those two key functions;
Or. fr
Amendment 20
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 – introductory part
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
17. Echoes the Court’s concerns as regards unused appropriations in the implementation of programmes of certain joint undertakings and calls on the joint undertakings concerned to avoid the reoccurrence of similar situations, as the accumulation of unused appropriations leads to cash surpluses, which are therefore not available to the Union for the financing of other activities and programmes; underlines that this is not in line with the principle of sound financial management and has resulted in a total of EUR 1,5 billion of cash surplus for the financial year 2023; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that thejoint undertakings concerned should develop corrective mechanisms to reduce their cash surpluses to a reasonable level and subsequently align their cash requests for each financial year with their estimated spending needs, in coordination with the Commission; is aware of possibilities under the financial rules of the joint undertakings concerned for unused appropriations to be entered in the estimate of revenue and expenditure of up to the three financial years following their reception; is nevertheless concerned more precisely with:
17. Echoes the Court’s concerns as regards unused appropriations in the implementation of programmes of certain joint undertakings and calls on the joint undertakings concerned to avoid the reoccurrence of similar situations, as the accumulation of unused appropriations leads to cash surpluses, which are therefore not available to the Union for the financing of other activities and programmes; underlines that this is not in line with the principle of sound financial management and has resulted in a total of EUR 1,5 billion of cash surplus for the financial year 2023; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the joint undertakings concerned should develop adequate corrective mechanisms to reduce their cash surpluses to a reasonable level and subsequently align their cash requests for each financial year with their estimated spending needs, in coordination with the Commission; underlines that this surplus can hinder and limit the EU's ability to pursue other strategic interests and policy priorities, as it may not be available for financing other activities and programmes; is aware of possibilities under the financial rules of the joint undertakings concerned for unused appropriations to be entered in the estimate of revenue and expenditure of up to the three financial years following their reception; is nevertheless concerned more precisely with:
Or. en
Amendment 21
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
17 a. Expresses concern regarding the accumulation of excessive financial surpluses in certain JUs, notably Clean Aviation, Chips JU, and EuroHPC, totaling approximately €1.5 billion; calls on the Commission to ensure that all JUs develop corrective financial planning mechanisms to align annual budgetary requests with actual spending needs; stresses that all JUs shall strengthen internal financial controls and public transparency mechanisms, ensuring that funds are distributed efficiently and in a manner consistent with EU strategic objectives;
Or. en
Amendment 22
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 – introductory part
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
18. Echoes the Court’s concerns as regards the contribution of members to certain joint undertakings, in particular as regards the possibility that some joint undertakings could not meet their contribution targets or only do so through high reliance on in-kind contributions to additional activities and calls on the joint undertakings concerned to take all actions necessary to ensure that these situations are avoided; underlines that a failure to meet contribution targets goes against the founding idea of joint undertakings; is concerned, more precisely, with:
18. Echoes the Court’s concerns as regards the contribution of members to certain joint undertakings, in particular as regards the possibility that some joint undertakings could not meet their contribution targets or only do so through high reliance on in-kind contributions to additional activities and calls on the joint undertakings concerned to take all actions necessary to prevent these situations from arising in the future; underlines that meeting contribution targets is the responsability and obligation of the concerned joint undertakings and that failing to meet contribution targets goes against the founding idea of joint undertakings; is concerned, more precisely, with:
Or. en
Amendment 23
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 – point a
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(a) the situation of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, whose operational contribution target of its member Eurocontrol only reached a level of 70 %, which resulted in the joint undertaking not having the planned contributions at its disposal to fully implement its part of Horizon 2020; takes notes of the fact that this element did not however lead the Court to consider the risk to programme implementation to be medium or high for this joint undertaking, as it was deemed to be low;
(a) the situation of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, whose operational contribution target of its member Eurocontrol only reached a level of 70 %, which resulted in the joint undertaking not having the planned contributions at its disposal to fully implement its part of Horizon 2020; takes notes of the fact that this element did not however lead the Court to consider the risk to programme implementation to be medium or high for this joint undertaking, as it was deemed to be low; criticises the absence of a formal internal control policy on managing sensitive functions, which is vital to prevent the risk of fraud, loss of assets or disclosure of sensitive information; notes with concern that the execution rate for administrative payment appropriations fell to 55 % in 2023, compared to 81 % in 2022; calls for better budget planning to avoid such delays, including with regard to invoicing essential services;
Or. fr
Amendment 24
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 – point b
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(b) the situation of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, which performed well in reaching its contribution target under Horizon 2020, however notably did so through a revision of the balance between the targets for in-kind contributions to operational activities and for in-kind contributions to additional activities, the latter being raised to EUR 2 444,5 million, which corresponds to 90 % of the overall target; underlines that such a reliance on in-kind contributions to additional activities presents a risk to the implementation of the Horizon 2020 programme; underlines the substantial impact of the revision performed by the joint undertaking; takes notes of the explanation of the joint undertaking and of the fact that additional activities contribute to the overall objectives of the joint undertaking; nevertheless stresses that this constitutes an excessive reliance on in-kind contribution to additional activities to meet established targets and calls on the joint undertaking to avoid the reoccurrence of such a situation; takes note of the fact that these elements led the Court to consider the risk to programme implementation to be high for this joint undertaking;
(b) the situation of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, which performed well in reaching its contribution target under Horizon 2020, however notably did so through a revision of the balance between the targets for in-kind contributions to operational activities and for in-kind contributions to additional activities, the latter being raised to EUR 2 444,5 million, which corresponds to 90 % of the overall target; underlines that such a reliance on in-kind contributions to additional activities presents a risk to the implementation of the Horizon 2020 programme; underlines the substantial impact of the revision performed by the joint undertaking; takes notes of the explanation of the joint undertaking and of the fact that additional activities contribute to the overall objectives of the joint undertaking; nevertheless stresses that this constitutes an excessive reliance on in-kind contribution to additional activities to meet established targets and calls on the joint undertaking to avoid the reoccurrence of such a situation; takes note of the fact that these elements led the Court to consider the risk to programme implementation to be high for this joint undertaking; notes the European Court of Auditors' concerns regarding shortcomings in the business continuity plan and disaster recovery plan; calls on the joint undertaking to urgently rectify those issues and regularly revisit the matter, which should studied seriously and in a manner adapted to changing threats;
Or. fr
Amendment 25
Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 – point a
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
(a) the fact that the back-office arrangements dedicated to accounting activities have been operational since December 2022 and were therefore in operation for the entirety of financial year 2023, which could be observed in the production of the annual accounts as well as the fact that the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking took the lead in operating these back-office arrangements;
(a) the fact that the back-office arrangements dedicated to accounting activities have been operational since December 2022 and were therefore in operation for the entirety of financial year 2023, which could be observed in the production of the annual accounts as well as the fact that the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking took the lead in operating these back-office arrangements; notes the European Court of Auditors' concern regarding the out-of-date business continuity and disaster recovery plans, which are key tools to ensure organisational resilience and swift recovery in the event of a major incident; criticises the fact that those plans, adopted in 2018, have not been updated since 2020 or tested since 2019, despite significant changes to the operating environment; calls for the plans to updated promptly and for regular testing to ensure they are effective against new risks;
Or. fr
Amendment 26
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
23. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the gender balance of experts selected to work with the joint undertakings; calls on all joint undertakings to include clear quantitative data on gender balance among the experts selected in their future Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that gender balance remains a horizontal priority in all activities related to procurement, grants and tenders and to provide explanations when gender balance cannot be achieved;
23. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the gender balance of experts selected to work with the joint undertakings; calls on all joint undertakings to increase transparency and to include clear quantitative data on gender balance among the experts selected in their future Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to intensify their efforts to promote gender equality at all levels and to ensure that gender balance remains a horizontal priority in all activities related to procurement, grants and tenders and to provide explanations when gender balance cannot be achieved;
Or. en
Amendment 27
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
24 a. Calls for a fair and equitable geographical distribution of JU funding, ensuring that regions with lower innovation capacity and SMEs receive adequate support; asks the Commission to consider introducing a mandatory regional balance criterion in JU funding allocations and report annually on the geographical distribution of awarded funds and where disparities are identified, corrective action shall be proposed to ensure inclusive and fair access to research funding across all EU Member States;
Or. en
Amendment 28
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
25. Is concerned with the state of play of recruitment within the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, which received 39 additional posts to be recruited by the end of the financial year 2023 in order to implement the significant funds received under the current multiannual financial framework but which only managed to recruit 21 additional staff; is furthermore concerned with the assessment of the Court of Auditors which determined that the recruitment procedures of the joint undertakings were not sufficiently transparent due to a lack of clear and previously agreed upon scoring-grids to assess candidates and their qualifications as well as due to a lack of sufficient documentation on the underlying decision-making process; regrets that in the view of the Court of Auditors, this situation may have resulted in a lack of equal treatment of candidates; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use its increased staff to achieve its recruitment target by the end of 2024 and that, in order to increase the transparency of its recruitment procedures and to substantiate the decision-making processes of the selection committee, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use a pre-agreed scoring grid during the pre-selection phase, in line with the practice of other joint undertakings and Union bodies; welcomes the readiness of the joint undertaking to integrate recommendations for improvements;
25. Is concerned with the state of play of recruitment within the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, which received 39 additional posts to be recruited by the end of the financial year 2023 in order to implement the significant funds received under the current multiannual financial framework but which only managed to recruit 21 additional staff; is furthermore concerned with the assessment of the Court of Auditors which determined that the recruitment procedures of the joint undertakings were not sufficiently transparent due to a lack of clear and previously agreed upon scoring-grids to assess candidates and their qualifications as well as due to a lack of sufficient documentation on the underlying decision-making process; regrets that in the view of the Court of Auditors, this situation may have resulted in a lack of equal treatment of candidates; reminds that it is paramount to avoid the application of double standards during the recruitment process and requests for all necessary actions to be taken in this regard; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use its increased staff to achieve its recruitment target by the end of 2024 and that, in order to increase the transparency of its recruitment procedures and to substantiate the decision-making processes of the selection committee, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use a pre-agreed scoring grid during the pre-selection phase, in line with the practice of other joint undertakings and Union bodies; welcomes the readiness of the joint undertaking to integrate recommendations for improvements;
Or. en
Amendment 29
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
25. Is concerned with the state of play of recruitment within the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, which received 39 additional posts to be recruited by the end of the financial year 2023 in order to implement the significant funds received under the current multiannual financial framework but which only managed to recruit 21 additional staff; is furthermore concerned with the assessment of the Court of Auditors which determined that the recruitment procedures of the joint undertakings were not sufficiently transparent due to a lack of clear and previously agreed upon scoring-grids to assess candidates and their qualifications as well as due to a lack of sufficient documentation on the underlying decision-making process; regrets that in the view of the Court of Auditors, this situation may have resulted in a lack of equal treatment of candidates; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use its increased staff to achieve its recruitment target by the end of 2024 and that, in order to increase the transparency of its recruitment procedures and to substantiate the decision-making processes of the selection committee, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use a pre-agreed scoring grid during the pre-selection phase, in line with the practice of other joint undertakings and Union bodies; welcomes the readiness of the joint undertaking to integrate recommendations for improvements;
25. Is concerned with the state of play of recruitment within the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, which received 39 additional posts to be recruited by the end of the financial year 2023 in order to implement the significant funds received under the current multiannual financial framework but which only managed to recruit 21 additional staff; is furthermore concerned with the assessment of the Court of Auditors which determined that the recruitment procedures of the joint undertakings were not sufficiently transparent due to a lack of clear and previously agreed upon scoring-grids to assess candidates and their qualifications as well as due to a lack of sufficient documentation on the underlying decision-making process; regrets that in the view of the Court of Auditors, this situation may have resulted in a lack of equal treatment of candidates; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use its increased staff effectively to achieve its recruitment target by the end of 2024 and that, in order to increase the transparency of its recruitment procedures and to substantiate the decision-making processes of the selection committee, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use a pre-agreed scoring grid during the pre-selection phase, in line with the practice of other joint undertakings and Union bodies; welcomes the readiness of the joint undertaking to integrate recommendations for improvements;
Or. en
Amendment 30
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
25 a. Calls for mandatory gender balance policies in JUs governance; reiterates that by 2025, all JUs must ensure that at least 40% of board members and leadership positions are held by women; asks that all JUs shall establish gender-sensitive funding mechanisms to ensure equitable research participation; asks the Commission to report annually on gender representation within JUs and to propose corrective actions where necessary;
Or. en
Amendment 31
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
25 c. Calls on all JUs to implement concrete measures to improve gender balance in leadership positions and decision-making bodies, including setting gender balance targets and regularly monitoring progress; stresses the need to address gender pay gaps and ensure equal opportunities for career advancement; further calls for enhanced geographical balance by increasing recruitment efforts from underrepresented Member States and ensuring that JU governance structures reflect the diversity of the EU;
Or. en
Amendment 32
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
25 b. Emphasizes the need for a coherent and fair staffing policy across all Joint Undertakings to ensure adequate and inclusive working conditions, career development opportunities, and work-life balance for staff; calls for the implementation of measures to prevent excessive reliance on temporary contracts and precarious employment; underlines the importance of mental health support structures, flexible working arrangements, and fair internal promotion opportunities to improve staff well-being;
Or. en
Amendment 33
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
28. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the gender balance among their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to include a clear section dedicated to quantitative data on gender balance among their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their future Annual Activity Reports, including the disaggregation of data between different levels of responsibility and different types of contract; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that gender balance remains an objective at all levels of responsibility, in order to ensure a fair representation of society within their staff and to promote a healthy and productive working environment and to provide explanations when gender balance cannot be achieved;
28. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the gender balance among their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to include a clear section dedicated to quantitative data on gender balance among their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their future Annual Activity Reports, including the disaggregation of data between different levels of responsibility and different types of contract; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that gender balance remains an objective at all levels of responsibility and to persist in their efforts to enhance it, in order to ensure a fair representation of society within their staff and to promote a healthy and productive working environment and to provide explanations when gender balance cannot be achieved;
Or. en
Amendment 34
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
30 a. Calls for the systemic integration of social impact assessments (SIAs) in the evaluation process of all JU projects; underlines that JUs shall ensure that funded projects contribute to social well-being and inclusivity, respect workers’ rights and labour conditions and align with the principles of a just transition to sustainable technologies; stresses the importance of stakeholder consultations in assessing the social implications of JU funding; calls on the Commission to establish binding social impact indicators to measure these criteria and ensure that JUs prioritize projects with clear societal benefits;
Or. en
Amendment 35
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
31. Welcomes the work of the Court of Auditors on the examination of grant payments made by the ten joint undertakings implementing research and innovation projects, especially as regards its complementary audit of a sample of grant payments at beneficiary level under Horizon 2020; is concerned with the results of this examination which showed that there were persistent systemic errors, especially as regards declared personnel and equipment costs;
31. Welcomes the work of the Court of Auditors on the examination of grant payments made by the ten joint undertakings implementing research and innovation projects, especially as regards its complementary audit of a sample of grant payments at beneficiary level under Horizon 2020; is concerned with the results of this examination which showed that there were persistent systemic errors, especially as regards declared personnel and equipment costs; calls for correction of the systemic errors;
Or. en
Amendment 36
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
32 a. Is concerned by persistent systemic errors in grant payments, particularly relating to incorrect personnel cost calculations, ineligible bonuses, and non-compliance with financial rules, as highlighted by ECA; calls on the Commission to implement: i) Mandatory financial training for JU beneficiaries to prevent recurrent accounting errors; ii) Automated verification tools to enhance accuracy in personnel cost calculations; iii) Stronger ex-ante audit procedures to ensure proper use of EU funds;
Or. en
Amendment 37
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
40. Underlines the importance of implementing an internal control policy on sensitive functions for the joint undertakings; regrets that at the end of the financial year 2023, the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the Chips Joint Undertaking, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking as well as the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy did not yet have a policy in that regard; stresses the critical nature of this situation and urges the joint undertakings to take action without unnecessary delays;
40. Underlines the importance of implementing an internal control policy on sensitive functions for the joint undertakings; stresses that such a policy can prevent and mitigate the risk of inappropriate or fraudulent action; regrets that at the end of the financial year 2023, the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the Chips Joint Undertaking, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking as well as the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy did not yet have a policy in that regard; stresses the critical nature of this situation and urges the joint undertakings to take action without unnecessary delays;
Or. en
Amendment 38
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
41 a. Calls on all Joint Undertakings to enhance their transparency policies, particularly regarding potential conflicts of interest; urges JUs to publish declarations of interest for their management board members, scientific committees, and external experts, ensuring that any financial, professional, or personal ties to entities benefiting from JU funding are disclosed; insists on the introduction of a mandatory ‘cooling-off’ period for JU senior staff before they can take up employment in organizations that receive JU funding;
Or. en
Amendment 39
Claudiu Manda
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
42. Takes note of the information reported by the joint undertakings on their activities related to prevention, detection, and correction of fraud; calls on all joint undertakings to continue to report on such elements and to include in their future reports a clear presentation of the legal framework and policies put in place in this regard;
42. Takes note of the information reported by the joint undertakings on their activities related to prevention, detection, and correction of fraud; calls on all joint undertakings to strengthen their role and identify their weaknesses by engaging further in anti-fraud discussions and to report on such elements and to include in their future reports a clear presentation of the legal framework and policies put in place in this regard;
Or. en
Amendment 40
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
45 a. Notes with concern the persistent challenges related to cost overruns, delays, and governance issues in the implementation of the ITER project; calls for improved financial oversight and enhanced budgetary transparency, including more detailed public reporting on cost developments, spending efficiency, and progress toward key project milestones; stresses the need for stricter auditing mechanisms to ensure that EU contributions to the project are effectively utilized; urges the Joint Undertaking to strengthen internal governance by ensuring regular and independent evaluations of project risks and by increasing accountability mechanisms for senior management;
Or. en
Amendment 41
Tamás Deutsch, Ondřej Knotek
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
45 a. Recalls the Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness Deal, putting Europe at the forefront of research and innovation globally, especially in disruptive technologies, and delivering on the objective of meeting the 3 % GDP expenditure target on R&D by 2030.
Or. en
Amendment 42
Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
47 a. Calls on the Joint Undertakings to establish the cooperation with Universities in order to reach out to young european graduates to strenghten their future recruitment processes;
Or. en
Amendment 43
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 b (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
47 b. Calls for enhanced transparency in the governance structures of all JUs, including the publication of detailed minutes from governing board meetings, clearer reporting on conflicts of interest, and the implementation of stricter lobbying transparency rules; urges the Commission to establish binding transparency criteria for private sector involvement in JU decision-making processes to ensure balanced stakeholder representation;
Or. en
Amendment 44
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 c (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
47 c. Calls on all JUs to establish formal mechanisms for public consultation and stakeholder engagement, including structured dialogues with civil society organizations, independent researchers, and SMEs; proposes the creation of advisory panels consisting of non-industry stakeholders to evaluate the societal impact of JU-funded projects;
Or. en
Amendment 45
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
47 a. calls for increased transparency and broader stakeholder engagement in JUs’ governance; invites the Commission to require all JUs to: i) Establish public consultation mechanisms involving SMEs, civil society, and independent researchers; ii) Create citizens' panels or advisory committees to assess the public interest dimension of major JU projects before funding decisions; iii) Ensure greater transparency in JU governance structures, reducing corporate dominance in decision-making;
Or. en
Amendment 46
Tomáš Zdechovský
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
50. Calls on joint undertakings to report effectively on their contribution to horizontal priorities of the budget of the European Union, including as regards climate mainstreaming and to provide explanations where relevant on how their activities can contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal;
50. Calls on joint undertakings to report effectively on their contribution to horizontal priorities of the budget of the European Union; encourages the Joint Undertakings to act in the interests of transparency and accountability concerning the management of public funds;
Or. en
Amendment 47
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
50 a. reiterates that all Joint Undertakings must align their activities with the European Green Deal, the Fit for 55 targets, and the EU Climate Law in order to ensure consistency with EU climate commitments; calls on the Commission to establish a mandatory ex-ante climate impact assessment mechanism for all JUs-funded projects, particularly in the domains of aviation, hydrogen, rail, and bioeconomy sectors; emphasizes that all JUs shall implement annual carbon footprint reporting and disclose their contribution to the EU’s decarbonization objectives.
Or. en
Amendment 48
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 b (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
50 b. Reiterates the need for all Joint Undertakings to prioritize environmental sustainability in their projects; calls on the Commission to ensure that all JUs implement a clear methodology for assessing the environmental impact of their funded projects, including mandatory climate and biodiversity risk assessments; calls for the establishment of sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) in the annual reporting of all JUs to track their contributions to the EU’s environmental and climate goals;
Or. en
Amendment 49
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 c (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
50 c. Urges all JUs to align their investment strategies with the European Green Deal and the EU’s climate neutrality targets; stresses that JU-funded projects should prioritize energy efficiency, circular economy principles, and emissions reduction in line with the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ (DNSH) principle; calls for the introduction of a climate impact scoring system to evaluate the sustainability of JU-funded initiatives;
Or. en
Amendment 50
Tamás Deutsch
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
51. Calls on all joint undertakings to continue to act with diligence in the conduct of their activities when dealing with international stakeholders, especially in light of the regime of restrictive measures put in place by the European Union; underlines the particular situation of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy in this regard and welcomes the explanations provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control on measures put in place to prevent any issues in the framework of the ITER project;
51. Calls on all joint undertakings to continue to act with diligence in the conduct of their activities when dealing with international stakeholders, especially in light of the regime of restrictive measures put in place by the European Union; underlines the particular situation of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy in this regard and welcomes the explanations provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control on measures put in place to prevent any issues in the framework of the ITER project; recognises the strategic importance of the ITER project for Europe’s future energy independence, while also stressing that the project is facing significant delays and cost overruns, which require effective budgetary oversight. According to the latest schedule confirmed by the project management, the start of initial research operations has been pushed back to 2034, while the full implementation of the programme entails an additional cost of €5 billion. In light of this, it is necessary to step up measures to improve cost efficiency and project management;
Or. en
Amendment 51
Tamás Deutsch, Ondřej Knotek
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
51 a. Calls on the governing board and the Commission to provide more detailed information in future discharge procedures on the reasons for cost overruns, risk management strategies, and the sustainability of the project timeline;
Or. en
Amendment 52
Terry Reintke
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52 a (new)
Motion for a resolution
Amendment
52 a. emphasizes the need for digital sovereignty in EU-funded research; in that matter puts special emphasis on The Chips JU, EuroHPC, and SNS JU who shall prioritize projects that enhance EU autonomy in semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity; asks The Commission to ensure that JU-funded projects: i) Are not excessively reliant on third-country suppliers for critical technologies; ii) Contribute to EU industrial resilience and strategic independence; iii) Foster domestic R&D in key digital sectors;
Or. en