Sittings · Document

Draft report (2025/2146(DEC)) 2026-01-27

Discharge 2024: General budget of the EU - European Parliament

Committee on Budgetary Control

Amendment 1

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
B. whereas, in accordance with the usual procedure, 55 questions were sent to Parliament’s administration and written replies were received and discussed publicly by Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control on 8 December 2025, in the presence of the Secretary-General, the Parliament’s Vice-Presidents responsible for the Budget, the Internal Auditor, and the director of the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations;	B. whereas, in accordance with the usual procedure, 55 questions were sent to Parliament’s administration and written replies were received and discussed publicly by Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control on 8 December 2025, in the presence of the Secretary-General, the Parliament’s Vice-Presidents responsible for the Budget, the Internal Auditor, and the director of the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations; regrets that none of the questions proposed by the shadow rapporteurs on the use of EU funds was selected to be sent to Parliament's administration, thereby distorting the control mechanism;

Or. fr

Amendment 2

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C a. whereas the need for improvements requires the Members and the administration to exercise heightened vigilance and maintain exemplary standards of fiscal discipline, transparency and integrity in order to preserve public trust and demonstrate responsible stewardship of Union taxpayers' money;

Or. en

Amendment 3

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C b. whereas any failure to meet these standards undermines Parliament's credibility in exercising its discharge function over other institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 4

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
D. whereas legal certainty is the guiding principle for implementing administrative decisions; whereas an ever-increasing number of rules and obligations leads to confusion and ambiguity where legal certainty is necessary for members and their offices, obliging the administration to engage in clear, comprehensive and legally sound communication;	D. whereas legal certainty is one of the guiding principle for implementing administrative decisions; whereas an ever-increasing number of rules and obligations may lead to confusion and ambiguity where legal certainty is necessary for members and their offices, obliging the administration to engage in clear, comprehensive and legally sound communication;

Or. en

Amendment 5

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
E. whereas members shall receive financial and logistical support from the administration to fully carry out their mandate; whereas the relations between members, their offices, and the administration are built on mutual trust, which should be a guiding principle when equipping members with financial support; whereas this should be reflected in the level of checks and reviews ex ante and ex post applied by the administration; whereas it is evident that clear, proportionate, targeted, standardised, and simplified procedures are the best and most effective way to conduct reviews and controls of financial entitlements;	E. whereas members shall receive financial and logistical support from the administration to fully carry out their mandate; whereas the relations between members, their offices, and the administration are built on mutual trust, which should be a guiding principle when equipping members with financial support; whereas this should be reflected in the level of checks and reviews ex ante and ex post applied by the administration; whereas it is evident that clear, proportionate, targeted, standardised, and simplified procedures are the best and most effective way to conduct reviews and controls of financial entitlements, with the ultimate goal of providing the highest level of transparency and accountability in order to increase EU citizens trust;

Or. en

Amendment 6

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	E a. whereas further strengthening the democratic legitimacy of Union Institutions by improving transparency, accountability and integrity is of paramount importance;

Or. en

Amendment 7

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Recital E b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	E b. whereas trust in Parliament’s integrity and the rule of law is paramount for the functioning of European democracy; whereas citizens’ rights should be fully respected;

Or. en

Amendment 8

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 a. Calls on the Parliament to review its current budgetary procedures and consider adopting innovative budgeting tools, including performance-informed and zero-based budgeting; notes that these tools are commonly used by public sector institutions to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency of the budgeting process, ensuring public resources are spent where they are most needed and have the greatest impact; highlights that most OECD countries apply performance-informed budgeting in their public sector, as well as elements of zero-based principle, to align resource allocation with strategic goals and performance outcomes, cut costs, simplify procedures, and ensure that spending is justified on the basis of existing needs, rather than historical expenditures;

Or. en

Amendment 9

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 a. Expresses deep concern regarding the EU's growing debt burden and borrowing costs; notes that, according to the Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors, outstanding loans borrowed by the EU could exceed EUR 900 billion by 2027, which is almost ten times the level from 2020 before the introduction of the NGEU recovery package; warns that rising borrowing costs pose a risk to future budgets and reduce the fiscal space for new priorities; insists, therefore, that this unprecedented fiscal pressure mandates a strict search for savings within the European Parliament’s own administrative budget; calls on the Secretary-General to present a plan for structural cost reductions to demonstrate institutional responsibility in times of high public debt;

Or. en

Amendment 10

Tamás Deutsch, Ondřej Knotek, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 a. Reminds that the purpose of the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament is to ensure the protection of the EU's financial interests through transparency, accountability and efficient management of EU funds, maintaining high standards of ethics and accountability in EU administration, striving towards a transparent and accountable EU financial system, committed to enhancing public trust;

Or. en

Amendment 11

Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 b. Calls attention to the criminal case and the investigations which started at the end of 2022 and are still ongoing, where several Members were involved in an organised crime-like network operating inside the Parliament for years; believes that both the European Parliament and its Budgetary Control Committee have seriously failed in their duties, as apart from the revision of the Parliament’s Rules of procedure and Code of conduct, there has been no real consequence of these cases and the investigations, as well as there has not been an in depth institutional self-reflection and reconsideration of the working methods;

Or. en

Amendment 12

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 b. Notes that the Strasbourg plenary seat incurs significant travel costs, estimated at €114 million annually, and a carbon footprint with approximately 19,000 tons of CO2 emitted annually; highlights the energy waste resulting from the use of heating, cooling, and lighting infrastructures to support and maintain buildings in Strasbourg year-round, as well as operational duplication with high logistical and maintenance costs; in light of these concerns, calls for the Parliament to reconsider the necessity of holding regular plenary sessions in Strasbourg;

Or. en

Amendment 13

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Takes note of the observations of the Court with regard to Parliament’s internal rules; notes that Parliament’s administration is subject to the Financial Regulation and its procurement rules; however, notes that for political groups the Bureau has adopted the Rules on the use of appropriations from budget item 400, which contain a number of specific provisions for certain procurement procedures; recalls that political groups manage the funds allocated to them according to the principles of indirect management of funds in analogical application of Article 62(1), point (c), of the Financial Regulation; considers that these rules themselves replace the ‘contribution agreements’ referred to in Article 158(7) of the Financial Regulation; stresses that an external auditor for each group, selected from a list of audit companies established by Parliament’s administration, certifies their respective annual accounts to ensure compliance which guarantees a neutral level of control; highlights that the Court also scrutinises the activities of the political groups in its annual report;	10. Takes note of the observations of the Court with regard to Parliament’s internal rules; notes that Parliament’s administration is subject to the Financial Regulation and its procurement rules; however, notes that for political groups the Bureau has adopted the Rules on the use of appropriations from budget item 400, which contain a number of specific provisions for certain procurement procedures that are not fully aligned with the Financial Regulation, as noted by the ECA1; recalls that political groups manage the funds allocated to them according to the principles of indirect management of funds in analogical application of Article 62(1), point (c), of the Financial Regulation; considers that these rules themselves replace the ‘contribution agreements’ referred to in Article 158(7) of the Financial Regulation; stresses that an external auditor for each group, selected from a list of audit companies established by Parliament’s administration, certifies their respective annual accounts to ensure compliance which guarantees a neutral level of control; highlights that the Court also scrutinises the activities of the political groups in its annual report;
	[1] Point 60, https://www.eca.europa.eu/ECAPublications/AR-2024-AIB/AR-2024-AIB_en.pdf.

Or. fr

Amendment 14

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Notes that only three auditors were included in the list of audit firms selected to audit the political groups’ accounts, regretting the limited choice available; calls on Directorate-General for Finance (DG FINS) to open future selection procedures to all qualified European auditors, including those based outside Belgium; further notes that the budgets allocated to political groups for the audits should be increased to ensure a more thorough audit on sound financial management and attract a broader range of auditing expertise;	11. Notes that only three auditors were included in the list of audit firms selected to audit the political groups’ accounts, regretting the limited choice available; calls on Directorate-General for Finance (DG FINS) to strive to include more external audit firms in the list by actively inviting all qualified European auditors, including those based outside Belgium; considers further that the budgets allocated by political groups for the audits should be increased to ensure a more thorough audit on sound financial management and attract a broader range of auditing expertise; notes the direction and guidance already provided to external auditors and encourages DG FINS to look into ways to increase the quality of the external audits that certify the accounts of the political groups;

Or. en

Amendment 15

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Notes that only three auditors were included in the list of audit firms selected to audit the political groups’ accounts, regretting the limited choice available; calls on Directorate-General for Finance (DG FINS) to open future selection procedures to all qualified European auditors, including those based outside Belgium; further notes that the budgets allocated to political groups for the audits should be increased to ensure a more thorough audit on sound financial management and attract a broader range of auditing expertise;	11. Notes that only three auditors were included in the list of audit firms selected to audit the political groups’ accounts, regretting the limited choice available; calls to ensure that the list of external auditors auditing political groups provides sufficient number of options and the political groups have more choices to select the auditor which comply with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB);; further notes that the budgets allocated to political groups for the audits should be increased to ensure a more thorough audit on sound financial management and attract a broader range of auditing expertise;

Or. en

Amendment 16

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12a. Points out that the ECA's 2024 annual report highlighted a number of issues in its control sample: weaknesses in public procurement procedures led by Parliament (including an IT contract whose duration was not sufficiently justified), with one political group having awarded three high-value contracts that did not fully follow Parliament's rules as it failed to seek sufficient tenders, in addition to errors in the VAT it declared and the use of a flat-rate reimbursement for staff travel that overestimated actual costs; stresses that the ECA regularly reports such issues in relation to the political groups (in particular since its 2022 annual report), and is astonished that, in spite of this, all political groups received unqualified opinions of their accounts by the external auditors chosen by Parliament, calling into question the selection and control criteria used by Parliament for such auditors; calls on Parliament to fully respect the financial rules that apply to it; is surprised that this information has not resulted in any action by Parliament and questions whether Parliament is treating all political groups equally;

Or. fr

Amendment 17

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
13. Recalls that the Union budget may be awarded to European political parties in view of their contribution to forming European political awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union; notes that the Court audited one transaction, where it considered the expenditure ineligible, and found that Parliament’s administration was of the same opinion and had taken steps to recover the related expenditure; welcomes the conduct of Parliament’s administration in that regard, and in particular its commitment to applying a horizontal approach, guaranteeing equal treatment of all political parties;	13. Recalls that the Union budget may be awarded to European political parties in view of their contribution to forming European political awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union; notes that the Court audited one transaction, where it considered the expenditure ineligible, and found that Parliament’s administration was of the same opinion and had taken steps to recover the related expenditure; welcomes the conduct of Parliament’s administration in that regard, and strongly urges it to broaden its commitment to applying a horizontal approach, guaranteeing genuine equal treatment of all political parties;

Or. fr

Amendment 18

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Acknowledges that, in accordance with Article 118(9) of the Financial Regulation, the reports and findings of the internal auditor, as well as the report of the Union institution concerned, shall be accessible to the public, while ensuring adherence to data protection and confidentiality rules, as soon as the internal auditor has validated the action; notes that, in practice, the reports are published once all recommendations have been implemented; welcomes the fact that the internal auditor reports to the Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control on the annual audit activities carried out;	17. Acknowledges that, in accordance with Article 118(9) of the Financial Regulation, the reports and findings of the internal auditor, as well as the report of the Union institution concerned, shall be accessible to the public, while ensuring adherence to data protection and confidentiality rules, as soon as the internal auditor has validated the action; notes that, in practice, the reports are published once all recommendations have been implemented resulting in a de facto delay of publication for years; calls on the Bureau to make each internal audit report available to the public one year after its finalisation, once the internal auditor has validated the actions taken to implement the previous year's recommendation; takes note that of the Budgetary Control Committee have the right to request confidential access to the internal audit report in view of the discharge procedure; and welcomes the fact that the internal auditor reports to the Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control on the annual audit activities carried out;

Or. en

Amendment 19

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17 a. Notes with concern that in 2024 the Commission replied within the deadlines set in Parliament’s Rules of Procedure to only a limited proportion of written questions, including a particularly low rate for priority questions, and in many cases after the deadline; recalls that timely replies are an essential element of parliamentary scrutiny and democratic accountability; calls on Parliament to pursue, including at political level, more binding arrangements with the Commission on replying to written questions within the deadlines and to report to the discharge authority on progress made;

Or. en

Amendment 20

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 a. 18a. Highlights that Members are protected by non-liability for votes cast and opinions expressed in the performance of their duties and are protected from prosecution and restrictions on their personal freedom while carrying out their duties in Parliament;

Or. en

Amendment 21

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Recalls that, in accordance with Articles 1.3.2, 2.7.1 and 2.7.2 of the Rules on the use of appropriations from budget item 400, the former political group Identity & Democracy (ID Group) submitted its final financial report on 8 October 2024 covering the period 1 January to 15 July 2024; recalls that the Parliament’s administration received the ID Group’s full financial archive in both electronic and paper format and conducted a risk-based ex post verification of the 2024 accounts, focusing on consistency checks and sample testing of high-risk contracts and donations; recalls the findings of Parliament’s administration that at least EUR 4 333 635,78 of budget item 400 appropriations were unduly spent by the group over the 2019-2024 term, exposing Parliament to a significant financial risk; shortcomings in the public procurement procedures were identified, and represent significant reputational risks for Parliament and for all political groups and Members;	19. Recalls that, in accordance with Articles 1.3.2, 2.7.1 and 2.7.2 of the Rules on the use of appropriations from budget item 400, the former political group Identity & Democracy (ID Group) submitted its final financial report on 8 October 2024 covering the period 1 January to 15 July 2024; recalls that the Parliament’s administration received the ID Group’s full financial archive in both electronic and paper format and conducted a risk-based ex post verification of the 2024 accounts, focusing on consistency checks and sample testing of high-risk contracts and donations; recalls the findings of Parliament’s administration that at least EUR 4 333 635,78 of budget item 400 appropriations were unduly spent by the group over the 2019-2024 term, exposing Parliament to a significant financial and reputational risk; shortcomings in the public procurement procedures were identified, and represent significant reputational risks for Parliament and for all political groups and Members;

Or. en

Amendment 22

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Recalls that, in accordance with Articles 1.3.2, 2.7.1 and 2.7.2 of the Rules on the use of appropriations from budget item 400, the former political group Identity & Democracy (ID Group) submitted its final financial report on 8 October 2024 covering the period 1 January to 15 July 2024; recalls that the Parliament’s administration received the ID Group’s full financial archive in both electronic and paper format and conducted a risk-based ex post verification of the 2024 accounts, focusing on consistency checks and sample testing of high-risk contracts and donations; recalls the findings of Parliament’s administration that at least EUR 4 333 635,78 of budget item 400 appropriations were unduly spent by the group over the 2019-2024 term, exposing Parliament to a significant financial risk; shortcomings in the public procurement procedures were identified, and represent significant reputational risks for Parliament and for all political groups and Members;	19. Recalls that, in accordance with Articles 1.3.2, 2.7.1 and 2.7.2 of the Rules on the use of appropriations from budget item 400, the former political group Identity & Democracy (ID Group) submitted its final financial report on 8 October 2024 covering the period 1 January to 15 July 2024; recalls that the Parliament’s administration received the ID Group’s full financial archive in both electronic and paper format and conducted a risk-based ex post verification of the 2024 accounts, focusing on consistency checks and sample testing of high-risk contracts and donations; recalls the findings of Parliament’s administration that at least EUR 4 333 635,78 of budget item 400 appropriations were unduly spent by the group over the 2019-2024 term, exposing Parliament to a significant financial risk; shortcomings in the public procurement procedures were identified, and represent significant reputational risks for Parliament;

Or. en

Amendment 23

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
20. Notes that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced that it opened an investigation into the alleged misuse of Union funds by the ID Group between 2019 and 2024;	20. Notes that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced in July 2025 that it had opened an investigation into the alleged misuse of Union funds by the ID Group between 2019 and 2024;

Or. en

Amendment 24

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Stresses that Parliament’s administration has transmitted the case file and cooperates fully with the EPPO’s investigation; notes that the Bureau wishes to know the outcome of the EPPO’s investigation before taking any recovery action; considers that Parliament’s administration may take, parallel to the EPPO’s criminal investigation, administrative measures to protect the Union’s financial interests and Parliament’s reputation; considers it of utmost importance that recovery actions are started as soon as possible, in full compliance with Article 3(3) of the Working Arrangement between the European Parliament and the European Public Prosecutor's Office;	21. Stresses that Parliament’s administration has transmitted the case file and cooperates fully with the EPPO’s investigation; notes that the Bureau wishes to know the outcome of the EPPO’s investigation before taking any recovery action; recommends that the Chief Prosecutor be invited to an in camera hearing with the EP Bureau to provide concrete elements on timeline, by next summer; considers that Parliament’s administration should take, parallel to the EPPO’s criminal investigation, administrative measures to protect the Union’s financial interests and Parliament’s reputation; considers it of utmost importance that recovery actions are started as soon as possible to recover the full amount of ineligible expenditure, in light of the substantial amount of evidence collected by DG FINS, in full compliance with Article 3(3) of the Working Arrangement between the European Parliament and the European Public Prosecutor's Office;

Or. en

Amendment 25

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Stresses that Parliament’s administration has transmitted the case file and cooperates fully with the EPPO’s investigation; notes that the Bureau wishes to know the outcome of the EPPO’s investigation before taking any recovery action; considers that Parliament’s administration may take, parallel to the EPPO’s criminal investigation, administrative measures to protect the Union’s financial interests and Parliament’s reputation; considers it of utmost importance that recovery actions are started as soon as possible, in full compliance with Article 3(3) of the Working Arrangement between the European Parliament and the European Public Prosecutor's Office;	21. Stresses that Parliament’s administration has transmitted the case file and cooperates fully with the EPPO’s investigation; notes that the Bureau wishes to know the outcome of the EPPO’s investigation before taking any recovery action; considers that Parliament’s administration may take, parallel to the EPPO’s criminal investigation, administrative measures to protect the Union’s financial interests and Parliament’s reputation; considers it of utmost importance that recovery actions and interim protective measures (including precautionary set-offs and/or reserves, where legally feasible) are initiated without undue delay and in any event within a clear timeframe, while fully respecting the EPPO investigation; stresses that criminal proceedings cannot serve as a blanket justification for inaction in administrative recovery and risk-mitigation;

Or. en

Amendment 26

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Stresses that Parliament’s administration has transmitted the case file and cooperates fully with the EPPO’s investigation; notes that the Bureau wishes to know the outcome of the EPPO’s investigation before taking any recovery action; considers that Parliament’s administration may take, parallel to the EPPO’s criminal investigation, administrative measures to protect the Union’s financial interests and Parliament’s reputation; considers it of utmost importance that recovery actions are started as soon as possible, in full compliance with Article 3(3) of the Working Arrangement between the European Parliament and the European Public Prosecutor's Office;	21. Stresses that Parliament’s administration has transmitted the case file and cooperates fully with the EPPO’s investigation; notes that the Bureau awaits to know the outcome of the EPPO’s investigation before taking any recovery action; further notes that according to Article 3(3) of the Working Arrangement between the European Parliament and the European Public Prosecutor's Office, the EPPO will inform the EP about ongoing or closed investigations in which the EP appears to be in the position to take precautionary measures to protect the financial interests of the Union or to open disciplinary or recovery procedures within the applicable time limits;

Or. en

Amendment 27

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21 a. Calls on Parliament to ensure that any staff involved in the financial management of EU funds should be suspended from those financial duties for the duration of any ongoing administrative, civil, or criminal proceedings or investigations concerning misuse of EU funds;

Or. en

Amendment 28

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Calls on the Bureau to reinforce the oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role, to provide clearer guidance from DG FINS on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and DG FINS, in particular as regards procurement, and for DG FINS to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;	22. Calls on the Bureau to reinforce the oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role, and to significantly reinforce the staff within DG FINS responsible for budget item 400 for them to be able to provide clearer guidance on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and DG FINS, in particular as regards procurement, and for DG FINS to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;

Or. en

Amendment 29

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Calls on the Bureau to reinforce the oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role, to provide clearer guidance from DG FINS on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and DG FINS, in particular as regards procurement, and for DG FINS to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;	22. Calls on the Bureau to ensure that the external auditors fully comply with the letter of engagement, to reinforce the oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role and to provide clearer guidance from DG FINS on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and DG FINS, in particular as regards procurement, and for DG FINS to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;

Or. en

Amendment 30

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Calls on the Bureau to reinforce the oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role, to provide clearer guidance from DG FINS on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and DG FINS, in particular as regards procurement, and for DG FINS to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;	22. Calls on the Bureau to ensure for future audits adequate oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role; calls on DG FINS to provide clearer guidance on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and DG FINS, while fully respecting the independence of auditors, in particular as regards procurement, and to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;

Or. en

Amendment 31

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Calls on the Bureau to reinforce the oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role, to provide clearer guidance from DG FINS on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and DG FINS, in particular as regards procurement, and for DG FINS to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;	22. Calls on the Bureau to reinforce the oversight by external auditors for groups by making more hours available for external auditors to perform their oversight role; calls on DG FINS to provide clearer guidance on the correct interpretation of rules for budget item 400 to avoid discrepancy between considerations of external auditors and its own considerations, in particular as regards procurement, and for DG FINS to provide more training and support on procurement to groups;

Or. fr

Amendment 32

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 a. Calls on the Secretary-General to launch a reflection on reforming the external audit system in place to control political groups’ use of budget item 400 and to present proposals before the end of the 2026 financial year;

Or. en

Amendment 33

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 b. Repeats its request to the Bureau, as stipulated in the CONT opinion in the form of a letter from 15 September 2025, to examine the feasibility of bringing a civil action for professional negligence against the external auditors who certified the ID Group's accounts without detecting material breaches of the Item 400 Rules; recalls its demand to the Bureau to suspend temporarily the external auditors who certified the ID Group's accounts from the list of approved external auditing companies made available to political Groups for the time of the inquiry and replace them without delay to ensure a sufficient number of options are available to the political groups;

Or. en

Amendment 34

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 a. Reminds that in its opinion to the Bureau, CONT committees noted that, unless evidence to the contrary is presented, several elements may collectively satisfy the logical basis of the economic-continuity doctrine and therefore justify treating Patriots for Europe as a successor group for the purpose of recovery; invites the EP administration to carefully analyse the 2024 accounts of the PfE group to make sure that the irregularities identified by DG FIN for ID are not reproduced by the new political group;

Or. en

Amendment 35

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 a. Recalls the Opinion of the Committee on Budgetary Control for the Bureau on the Political group Identity and Democracy - Dissolution and final financial report 2024, as approved on 4 September 2025, calling for the required procedures with a view to recover the full amount of ineligible expenditure without delay, to assess the potential liabilities of the responsible Members and hierarchy for intentional or gross-negligent authorisation of irregular expenditure, and to suspend temporarily the external auditors who certified the ID Group’s accounts from the list of approved external auditing companies made available to political Groups;

Or. en

Amendment 36

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Notes that political groups have substantial autonomy over their IT services, which are used to store politically sensitive information; notes that, in a geopolitically turbulent world, such data should be stored on European servers by European providers to avoid external dependencies and risks; welcomes therefore the recent announcement to deliver a secure, sovereign cloud infrastructure to eliminate this dependency;	23. Notes that political groups have substantial autonomy over their IT services, which are used to store information related to their activities; notes that, in a geopolitically turbulent world, such data should be stored on European servers by European providers to avoid external dependencies and risks; welcomes therefore the recent announcement to deliver a secure, sovereign cloud infrastructure to eliminate this dependency;

Or. en

Amendment 37

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Emphasises the importance of maintaining institutional integrity and preventing undue interference; condemns any improper attempt to influence the legislative activities of Parliament;	24. Emphasises the importance of maintaining institutional integrity and preventing undue interference; condemns any improper attempt to influence the legislative activities of Parliament; in this regards calls for the extension of the mandatory cooling-off period for outgoing Members of the European Parliament and senior officials in EU institutions to two years, during which they are prohibited from engaging in lobbying or advocacy activities directly related to the EU's legislative or regulatory processes. Underlines that this would include representing private interests or acting on behalf of organizations seeking to influence EU policies, budgetary decisions, or procurement, to reduce the risk of undue influence and revolving-door practices;

Or. en

Amendment 38

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Emphasises the importance of maintaining institutional integrity and preventing undue interference; condemns any improper attempt to influence the legislative activities of Parliament;	24. Emphasises the importance of maintaining institutional integrity and preventing undue external interference; condemns any improper attempt to influence the legislative activities of Parliament;

Or. en

Amendment 39

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 a. Deplores attempts to unduly influence the legislative processes within the Parliament by certain entities, particularly NGOs, through the use of Union funds; notes that the Commission has acknowledged the use of Union funds for such advocacy activities targeting Parliament by several NGOs and requested the amendments of the respective grant agreements, thus confirming their inadequacy and the reputational risk they pose; recalls that NGOs were allegedly used as vectors of foreign interference as a consequence of the events of alleged corruption in the House;

Or. en

Amendment 40

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 b. Welcomes the increased use of the transparency register as an information and reference tool for interest representation activities at Union level; welcomes the development of IT solutions to improve the transparency register, but notes that its Secretariat is still underfunded and understaffed; notes that the quality of entries in the transparency register has improved and recalls the necessity to keep strengthening data quality checks of new applicants; welcomes the establishment of robust standards at Parliament with regard to transparency and access to institutions for entities listed in the transparency register; calls for inter-linking the transparency register and the Financial Transparency System in order to allow cross-checks of entities listed in the transparency register and verify the adequacy of the data submitted; reiterates, in this context, the need for comprehensive financial pre-screening of entities before they are listed in the transparency register and calls in this respect for the register to be provided with adequate resources for its functioning and that the internal rules related to the transparency register are effectively enforced;

Or. en

Amendment 41

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Recalls that allegations of Russian influence in Parliament posed serious risks to democratic integrity, noting that some Members openly supported Russia while engaging in potentially linked side activities, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards;	25. Recalls that allegations of Russian influence in Parliament posed serious risks to democratic integrity, noting that some Members recruited Russian nationals who are supportive of the Kremlin regime as trainees, accredited parliamentary assistants, and group advisers and openly supported Russia while engaging in potentially linked side activities, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards; notes that the European Parliament’s response to foreign interference has become more vigilant, however, more robust measures have yet to be taken and internal reforms must be adopted to ensure effective protection against undue external influence;

Or. en

Amendment 42

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Ondřej Knotek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Recalls that allegations of Russian influence in Parliament posed serious risks to democratic integrity, noting that some Members openly supported Russia while engaging in potentially linked side activities, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards;	25. Recalls that allegations of influence in Parliament from outside Europe, and from Russia and China in particular, posed serious risks to democratic integrity once again in 2024, with the Huaweigate case[2], following on the heels of a number of scandals that have tarnished the European Parliament's reputation in recent years, such as Qatargate; recalls and deplores the fact that the request for a committee of inquiry was unsuccessful;
	[2] https://www.touteleurope.eu/institutions/soupcons-de-corruption-l-entreprise-chinoise-huawei-au-coeur-d-un-nouveau-scandale-au-parlement-europeen/.

Or. fr

Amendment 43

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Recalls that allegations of Russian influence in Parliament posed serious risks to democratic integrity, noting that some Members openly supported Russia while engaging in potentially linked side activities, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards;	25. Recalls that allegations of Russian influence in Parliament posed serious risks to democratic integrity, noting that some Members openly supported Russia including in their side activities, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards;

Or. en

Amendment 44

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 a. Notes that the year 2024, including the run-up to the European elections, was marked by heightened risks of foreign interference and influence operations targeting democratic institutions and elected representatives; recalls that public allegations and investigations concerning attempts to influence political positions and voting behaviour underline the need for robust preventive and detection mechanisms within Parliament; calls, therefore, for continued strengthening of internal safeguards, transparency requirements and cooperation with relevant Union bodies, in order to protect the integrity of Parliament and the Union budget;

Or. en

Amendment 45

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 b. Expresses serious concern regarding reports and allegations of Member States’ surveillance activities, including spyware-enabled targeting of politicians, journalists and civil society, which may affect Members and Parliament’s work; urges Parliament to strengthen protective measures, including secure device management, rapid incident reporting channels for Members and staff, and regular threat-briefings in cooperation with CERT-EU and relevant Union bodies, while ensuring full respect for fundamental rights and data protection;

Or. en

Amendment 46

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
26. Recalls that Article 4 of the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament Regarding Integrity and Transparency requires precise declarations of financial interests by Members; regrets cases with insufficient detail in declarations on paid or unpaid outside activities, raising concerns about the quality of checks on conflicts of interests;	26. Recalls that Article 4 of the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament Regarding Integrity and Transparency requires precise declarations of financial interests by Members; regrets cases with insufficient detail in declarations on paid or unpaid outside activities, raising concerns about the quality of checks on conflicts of interests; which are essential to ensure the effective prevention, identification and management of conflicts of interest;

Or. en

Amendment 47

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
26. Recalls that Article 4 of the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament Regarding Integrity and Transparency requires precise declarations of financial interests by Members; regrets cases with insufficient detail in declarations on paid or unpaid outside activities, raising concerns about the quality of checks on conflicts of interests;	26. Recalls that Article 4 of the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament Regarding Integrity and Transparency requires precise declarations of financial interests by Members; calls for sufficient details to be provided in declarations on paid or unpaid outside activities, in order to avoid any concerns about the quality of checks on conflicts of interests;

Or. en

Amendment 48

Michal Wiezik, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Gilles Boyer

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26 a. Welcomes, in the interest of transparency, the obligatory publication of meetings and declarations of private interests, in particular declarations of material and financial support; notes, however, that the current framework remains largely formal, with limited controls and verifications framework, which may reduce its overall effectiveness; considers that effective enforcement framework deserves careful attention, particularly in light of concerns related to foreign interference;

Or. en

Amendment 49

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26 a. Points out that declarations of financial interests are a key tool for transparency and conflict-of-interest prevention; notes, however, that recurring issues relating to completeness and clarity have been identified; calls, therefore, for continued efforts to improve guidance to Members, as well as proportionate and consistent follow-up by the administration where declarations raise questions, with a view to ensuring legal certainty, transparency and public trust;

Or. en

Amendment 50

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Expresses serious concern regarding allegations that Member States have engaged in spying and targeted Parliament; notes that the Commission has established an internal group to investigate these claims; urges Parliament to cooperate closely with the Commission and to share the working group’s findings with Parliament, provided that such sharing does not compromise any ongoing or potential legal proceedings;	27. Expresses serious concern regarding allegations that Member States have engaged in spying and targeted Parliament; notes that the Commission has established an internal group to investigate these claims; urges Parliament to cooperate closely with the Commission and to share the working group’s findings with Parliament, provided that such sharing does not compromise any ongoing or potential legal proceedings; calls to set up a committee of inquiry pursuant to Article 226 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Rule 215 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament to examine the scope of the alleged spying and any potential breaches of Union law;

Or. en

Amendment 51

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Expresses serious concern regarding allegations that Member States have engaged in spying and targeted Parliament; notes that the Commission has established an internal group to investigate these claims; urges Parliament to cooperate closely with the Commission and to share the working group’s findings with Parliament, provided that such sharing does not compromise any ongoing or potential legal proceedings;	(Does not affect the English version.)

Or. fr

Amendment 52

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Expresses serious concern regarding allegations that Member States have engaged in spying and targeted Parliament; notes that the Commission has established an internal group to investigate these claims; urges Parliament to cooperate closely with the Commission and to share the working group’s findings with Parliament, provided that such sharing does not compromise any ongoing or potential legal proceedings;	27. Expresses serious concern regarding allegations that Member States have engaged in spying and targeted Parliament; notes that the Commission has established an internal group to investigate these claims; urges close cooperation between Parliament and the Commission and to share the working group’s findings with Parliament, provided that such sharing does not compromise any ongoing or potential legal proceedings;

Or. en

Amendment 53

Tamás Deutsch, Ondřej Knotek, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	27 a. Recalls the Treaty on the European Union, that the EU and its institutions, shall respect the equality of Member States before the Treaties as well as their national identities, inherent in their fundamental structures, political and constitutional, inclusive of regional and local self-government;

Or. en

Amendment 54

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Notes the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for ensuring accurate and transparent information within the Union and its institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, while appropriately designed and governed AI systems can help detect and mitigate misinformation and disinformation, promotes accountability and upholds high standards of transparency in order to maintain public trust and strengthen democratic governance; is worried by the dominance of AI tools from companies in third countries and by data protection and confidentiality considerations when making use of third-party AI tools; calls for full transparency regarding the use of AI systems in the Union institutions' decisions and procedures, including the publication of detailed information on algorithms, and impact assessments; calls on Parliament’s administration to make a suite of AI tools available to Members and Parliament staff that answers to business needs of Members and guarantees confidentiality, integrity and availability of data processed by it by using on-premise infrastructure to prevent data leaks, and does not disclose information to third parties, in line with the current policies regarding the use of AI;	28. Notes the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for ensuring accurate and transparent information within the Union and its institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, while appropriately designed and governed AI systems can help detect and mitigate misinformation and disinformation, promotes accountability and upholds high standards of transparency in order to maintain public trust and strengthen democratic governance; is worried by the dominance of AI tools from companies in third countries and by data protection and confidentiality considerations when making use of third-party AI tools; calls for full transparency regarding the use of AI systems in the Parliament decisions and procedures, including the publication of detailed information on algorithms, and impact assessments; calls on Parliament’s administration to make a suite of AI tools available to both Members and Parliament staff, adapted to the needs of each category, that answers to business needs of Members and guarantees confidentiality, integrity and availability of data processed by it by using on-premise infrastructure to prevent data leaks, and does not disclose information to third parties, in line with the current policies regarding the use of AI;

Or. en

Amendment 55

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
29. Considers that roll-call votes constitute a key instrument for ensuring transparency and accountability towards Union citizens; calls on Parliament to restrict the use of secret votes exclusively to elections or votes concerning individual persons;	deleted

Or. en

Amendment 56

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
29. Considers that roll-call votes constitute a key instrument for ensuring transparency and accountability towards Union citizens; calls on Parliament to restrict the use of secret votes exclusively to elections or votes concerning individual persons;	29. Considers that roll-call votes constitute a key instrument for ensuring transparency and accountability towards Union citizens;

Or. fr

Amendment 57

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
29. Considers that roll-call votes constitute a key instrument for ensuring transparency and accountability towards Union citizens; calls on Parliament to restrict the use of secret votes exclusively to elections or votes concerning individual persons;	29. Considers that roll-call votes constitute a key instrument for ensuring transparency and accountability towards Union citizens; notes that according to the Rules of Procedure, secret votes are generally used for elections and for votes concerning individual persons; further notes that voting shall also be taken by secret ballot if this is requested by Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the high threshold; takes note in this context that the AFCO Committee has been tasked to assess the use of the latter option and awaits the conclusions and proposals of the committee;

Or. en

Amendment 58

Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29 a. Recalls the Treaty on the European Union, that the EU’s and its institutions, aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples, to preserve peace, prevent conflicts and strengthen international security and calls on the institution to take full devotion and maximise its efforts with all its available measures and assets to promote peace and to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible, and to preserve peace and strengthen European security;

Or. en

Amendment 59

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Ondřej Knotek, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29a. Calls on the EP to make its administrative services more streamlined in order to eliminate duplication and reduce unnecessary costs; underlines that the savings thereby achieved should be redirected towards the Union’s strategic priorities, in particular border security, support for SMEs, agriculture, and research and innovation;

Or. fr

Amendment 60

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Recalls that the Directorate-General for the Presidency (DG PRES) provides expertise and facilitates the legislative and parliamentary work of the President, the Plenary and Parliament's governing bodies and Members at each stage of the parliamentary and legislative process; recalls that it is also responsible for inter-institutional relations, for protocol support to official visits and events sponsored by the President, for the management of classified Union information, and for the management of official and registered mail; notes that by 31 December 2024, there were 406 members of staff, of which 320 were officials, 29 were temporary agents, 55 were contract agents, 1 seconded national expert and 1 agency member of staff;	30. Recalls that the Directorate-General for the Presidency (DG PRES) provides expertise and facilitates the legislative and parliamentary work of the President, the Plenary and Parliament's governing bodies and Members at each stage of the parliamentary and legislative process; recalls that it is also responsible for inter-institutional relations, for protocol support to official visits and events sponsored by the President, for the management of classified Union information, and for the management of official and registered mail; notes that by 31 December 2024, there were 406 members of staff, of which 320 were officials, 29 were temporary agents, 55 were contract agents, 1 seconded national expert and 1 agency member of staff; regrets that it decides unilaterally, arbitrarily and without any justification whatsoever which amendments to the texts tabled in plenary are to be declared admissible or inadmissible, with no possibility of appeal;

Or. fr

Amendment 61

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. Commends DG PRES for its activities concerning the implementation and follow-up of the new rules on integrity and transparency which included a first overall assessment of the technical implementation of the reform, and awareness-raising activities and provision of technical expertise and services on transparency, integrity and accountability issues;	33. Commends DG PRES for its activities concerning the implementation and follow-up of the new rules on integrity and transparency which included a first overall assessment of the technical implementation of the reform, and awareness-raising activities and provision of technical expertise and services on transparency, integrity and accountability issues; stresses, however, that Parliament remains unable to address effectively the corruption and financial wrongdoings within its own institution, despite the tighter measures in place since the Qatargate scandal, which had revealed the shortcomings in Parliament's internal control mechanisms and the application of a policy of double standards that protected certain political groups; recommends that, in the light of the Huaweigate scandal[1] in 2024 and the subsequent revelation of the LIFE affair relating to the Green Deal, a committee of inquiry be set up to examine the effectiveness of the measures adopted by Parliament with a view to preventing cases of corruption and large-scale misconduct as well as conflicts of interest;
	[1] https://www.touteleurope.eu/institutions/soupcons-de-corruption-l-entreprise-chinoise-huawei-au-coeur-d-un-nouveau-scandale-au-parlement-europeen/.

Or. fr

Amendment 62

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. Commends DG PRES for its activities concerning the implementation and follow-up of the new rules on integrity and transparency which included a first overall assessment of the technical implementation of the reform, and awareness-raising activities and provision of technical expertise and services on transparency, integrity and accountability issues;	33. Commends DG PRES for its activities concerning the implementation and follow-up of the new rules on integrity and transparency which included a first overall assessment of the technical implementation of the reform, and awareness-raising activities and provision of technical expertise and services on transparency, integrity and accountability issues; further welcomes the role of the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members in monitoring compliance by Members with the Code of Conduct and its implementing measures;

Or. en

Amendment 63

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33 a. Requests that the Parliament publishes an annual report on disciplinary measures taken against Members or staff found guilty of ethical breaches, ensuring full accountability and transparency with the names of Members concerned in case this is not added in the annual report by the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members; recommends for its services to provide a search function to easier find mentioning of penalties applied in the minutes of the parliament and the profiles of Members on its website;

Or. en

Amendment 64

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
34. Calls for the continuation and strengthening of interinstitutional cooperation and dialogue on integrity, transparency, and ethical standards within the Union institutions;	34. Calls for the continuation of interinstitutional cooperation and dialogue on integrity and transparency, within the Union institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 65

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34 a. Welcomes that DG PRES continued its effective cooperation with the Council and Commission on all elements concerning the interinstitutional secretariat of the transparency register, with a view to continue to keep enhancing the operation of the Register;

Or. en

Amendment 66

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	35 a. Notes that internal processing, including editing, translation and admissibility checks, contributes to the overall transmission time of written questions; calls on the administration to continue streamlining these procedures, while fully respecting linguistic quality and data-protection requirements, in order to support Members’ scrutiny work more effectively;

Or. en

Amendment 67

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 a. Welcomes that the Parliament recently initiated the legislative procedure to amend the EU electoral law in order to introduce a new temporary proxy voting option for MEPs during late pregnancy and early motherhood; welcomes that with its vote on 13 November 2025 in plenary the EP committed to gender equality, inclusivity and work-life balance even if broader parental leave is not covered by the act; reiterates its request to enable Members to exercise their right to vote remotely also during a long term illness or in cases of force majeure, thus allowing them to carry out their duty and at the same time capitalising on the great administrative effort and financial investment that Parliament had made in technical solutions to allow remote voting during the pandemic;

Or. en

Amendment 68

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 a. Notes that up-to-date attendance data at Committee level is currently unavailable; emphasises that access to such data would enhance the CONT Committee’s ability to monitor the efficient use of financial resources; calls on the Parliament’s services to publish these attendance figures at Committee level annually for the CONT Committee;

Or. en

Amendment 69

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36 b. Recalls that according to the Treaty on European Union, Parliament shall have its seat in Strasbourg, where the 12 periods of monthly plenary sessions shall be held and that any change to the Treaties requires the unanimity of the Member States; recalls the support by the vast majority of Parliament for its own right to establish its seat and for a single seat to ensure efficient spending of Union taxpayers' money and to assume its institutional responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint;

Or. en

Amendment 70

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 37

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
37. Notes that Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM)’s mission is to ensure that citizens understand the importance of Parliament so that they can improve engagement in the European democratic process; highlights that its key tasks are to collaborate with the media, to inform, explain and enhance the visibility of Parliament’s work, to increase awareness of Parliament among citizens in all Member States, stakeholders and opinion leaders through the European Parliament Liaison Offices (EPLOs) located in the Member States, to foster interaction with citizens through enhanced visitor projects, events and information campaigns and its presence on social media, and to provide expertise to Members and political groups on topics such as media intelligence and public opinion monitoring;	37. Notes that Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM)’s mission is to ensure that citizens understand how Parliament works; highlights that its key tasks are to collaborate with the media, to inform, explain and enhance the visibility of Parliament’s work, to increase awareness of Parliament among citizens in all Member States through the European Parliament Liaison Offices (EPLOs) located in the Member States, to foster interaction with citizens through enhanced visitor projects, events and information campaigns and its presence on social media, and to provide expertise to Members and political groups on topics such as media intelligence and public opinion monitoring;

Or. fr

Amendment 71

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 39

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
39. Recognises that communication regarding the European elections was at the forefront of DG COMM’s activities in 2024, most notably with the successful ‘Go-to-vote’ communication campaign, partnerships with over 300 civil society organisations and more than 18 000 journalists briefed; notes that all of DG COMM’s strategic projects in 2024, with a 94 % completion rate, were aimed at the European elections, with the remaining 6 % relating to the implementation of the new website structure;	39. Regrets that communication regarding the European elections was at the forefront of DG COMM’s activities in 2024, with colossal expenditure of EUR 37 million, in addition to EUR 11.7 million in subsidies, most notably for the ‘Go-to-vote’ communication campaign; points out that funding was allocated to entities with highly questionable links to the EU's democratic process, encompassing national media organisations, including public service media, renowned for failing to respect political neutrality in certain cases (France Télévisions in France), partnerships with over 300 civil society organisations, including NGOS (such as Oxfam), 200 multinationals (such as Coca-Cola), and 200 content creators, and briefings for more than 18 000 journalists; notes that all of DG COMM’s strategic projects in 2024, with a 94 % completion rate, were aimed at the European elections, with the remaining 6 % relating to the implementation of the new website structure; strongly regrets that the purpose of this budget item during the election period was politically oriented communication in favour of more European integration, to the detriment of the sovereignty of Member States and democracy;

Or. fr

Amendment 72

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40a. Is concerned that, within the democratic process, certain important parties and candidates were excluded from the Eurovision debate that was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in the European Parliament for the European elections and thus received funding from it; reiterates the concerns highlighted in the OSCE report, especially the questions surrounding the impact 'on the overall integrity of the elections, in particular when combined with limited public engagement in political debate', the fact that 'in some countries, senior government officials used their official positions to promote their parties', as illustrated by the then French Prime Minister, and the fact that 'participation in this debate was limited to Spitzenkandidaten nominated by existing political groups in the current European Parliament. Such an approach prevented four political parties from participating and is not in line with Paragraph 7.8 of the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document'; recalls the ban on financing European political parties from Parliament's budget for promoting the institution, which gives parties a financial advantage that is prohibited under Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 and should be subject to financial penalties by the APPF; deplores the ongoing discrimination in the EU institutions against certain elected representatives because of their political orientation, and the fact that Parliament, by definition a place of democracy, helps to finance that discrimination knowingly and with disregard for the rules;

Or. fr

Amendment 73

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40 a. Calls on the European Parliament to conduct a rigorous ex-post evaluation of the effectiveness of its communication campaigns undertaken in 2024, utilising strictly defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); urges the administration to immediately discontinue communication strategies and social media formats that consistently yield negligible interaction or fail to resonate with citizens, in order to ensure the prudent and effective use of taxpayers' money; demands that future communication budgets be strictly linked to measurable impact assessments;

Or. en

Amendment 74

Dick Erixon, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40 b. Notes that the European Parliament is not required to maintain a presence on every available social media platform;

Or. en

Amendment 75

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 41 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	41 a. Emphasizes the critical role of the European Parliament Liaison Office (EPLO) in Washington for fostering transatlantic relations and enhancing the connection between the US and EU parliaments; highlights that, in light of the new US administration and emerging global challenges, the role of the EPLO in Washington is even more crucial; calls for an increase in both budget and staffing to support the EPLO’s activities in Washington, particularly in strengthening strategic links with various US Congress bodies, identifying key legislative issues of mutual interest, ensuring effective information exchange through new communication channels, reinforcing cooperation with the EU Delegation in Washington, D.C. and improveing mutual understanding and perception between the administrations, as well as facilitating enhanced communication and collaboration between the European Parliament and the US Congress;

Or. en

Amendment 76

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 41 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	41 a. Calls for a performance audit of the European Parliament Liaison Offices (EPLOs) and invites the European Court of Auditors (ECA) to assess their cost-effectiveness; requests that this assessment specifically evaluate the continued necessity of maintaining physical premises in Member States; expects the administration to propose a restructuring plan aimed at rationalising the network of Liaison Offices to identify savings and improve the efficient functioning of the Parliament;

Or. en

Amendment 77

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 42

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
42. Notes 14 Europa Experience centres were open in 2024, attracting a total number of 957 209 visitors, with widely ranging visitor numbers, with Strasbourg (381 687) and Berlin (122 672) attracting the largest numbers of visitors, and Copenhagen (18 182) and Dublin (8 312) the lowest; notes the remark that Europa Experience centres are used as an EU hub for democratic engagement by EPLOs in the respective Member States that offer opportunities to attract a wider audience for Parliament’s messages;	42. Notes 14 Europa Experience centres were open in 2024, attracting a total number of 957 209 visitors, with widely ranging visitor numbers, with Strasbourg (381 687) and Berlin (122 672) attracting the largest numbers of visitors, and Copenhagen (18 182) and Dublin (8 312) the lowest, with the Dublin centre though only opened in October 2024; notes the remark that Europa Experience centres are used as an EU hub for democratic engagement by EPLOs in the respective Member States that offer opportunities to attract a wider audience for Parliament’s messages;

Or. en

Amendment 78

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 42 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	42a. Deplores the exorbitant cost of the Europa Experience centres, which totalled almost EUR 13 million in 2024 and an initial investment of EUR 112 million since being opened;notes the limited interest in these centres, aside from their use as a vehicle for propaganda for more European integration, to the detriment of the sovereignty of Member States;is scandalised by the staggering and absurd average cost per visitor in 2024 – as much as EUR 70 per person for the centre in Paris – which constitutes a clear case of mismanagement;deplores the opening of new centres in countries outside the EU,including Panama, Moldova and Albania[1];
	[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20250310IPR27226/european-parliament-to-establish-western-balkans-office-in-albania.

Or. fr

Amendment 79

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 43

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
43. Underlines the importance of thoroughly evaluating the lessons learned with the Europa Experience centres so far, in particular regarding the search for adequate buildings and how target groups can be reached effectively, identifying best practices, and adapting the future development of the Europa Experience centres to local needs and demonstrated impact; stresses that this reassessment should guide future adjustments or reconsiderations in further expansion, ensuring that all future investments are more efficient in serving their intended purpose of bringing Parliament closer to citizens and improving their understanding of the Union’s democratic process;	43. Underlines the importance of thoroughly evaluating the lessons learned with the Europa Experience centres so far, in particular regarding the search for adequate buildings; stresses that this reassessment should guide future adjustments or reconsiderations with a view to saving money;

Or. fr

Amendment 80

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 43

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
43. Underlines the importance of thoroughly evaluating the lessons learned with the Europa Experience centres so far, in particular regarding the search for adequate buildings and how target groups can be reached effectively, identifying best practices, and adapting the future development of the Europa Experience centres to local needs and demonstrated impact; stresses that this reassessment should guide future adjustments or reconsiderations in further expansion, ensuring that all future investments are more efficient in serving their intended purpose of bringing Parliament closer to citizens and improving their understanding of the Union’s democratic process;	43. Underlines the importance of thoroughly evaluating the lessons learned with the Europa Experience centres so far, in particular regarding the search for adequate buildings and how target groups can be reached effectively, identifying best practices, and adapting the future development of the Europa Experience centres to local needs and demonstrated impact; stresses that this reassessment should guide future adjustments or reconsiderations in further expansion, or even possible closing when necessary if the centres do not prove to be effective, ensuring that all future investments are more efficient in serving their intended purpose of bringing Parliament closer to citizens and improving their understanding of the Union’s democratic process;

Or. en

Amendment 81

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 43 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	43 a. Calls for the clear definition of result indicators for the Europa Experience centres; requests that this programme be subject to an independent assessment to clearly demonstrate what has been delivered to citizens in exchange for public funds; insists that if the programme fails to demonstrate clear value for money, it must be stopped;

Or. en

Amendment 82

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 44

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
44. Recalls that new rules on payment of subsidies for sponsored visitor groups were adopted by the Bureau on 11 September 2023, with an entry into force date of 1 January 2024; notes that in 2024, 300 000 sponsored and non-sponsored visitors were invited by Members in Brussels and Strasbourg; notes that subsidies for such visitors’ groups amounted to 17 % of DG COMM’s expenditure in 2024; considers that additional efforts are implemented by political groups which also support their Members in the activities attracting citizens, and especially young people, to be informed about Members’ work in Strasbourg and Brussels with the financing from funds under budget item 400;	44. Recalls that new rules on payment of subsidies for sponsored visitor groups were adopted by the Bureau on 11 September 2023, with an entry into force date of 1 January 2024; notes that in 2024, 300 000 sponsored and non-sponsored visitors were invited by Members in Brussels and Strasbourg; notes that subsidies for such visitors’ groups amounted to 17 % of DG COMM’s expenditure in 2024; notes the additional efforts implemented by political groups supporting their Members in interacting with citizens, including young people, in order to ensure an adequate information about Members’ work in Strasbourg and Brussels with the financing from funds under budget item 400;

Or. en

Amendment 83

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 a. Notes that the Parliament has a history of funded media organisations and activist organisations1a lobbying for greater centralization of decision-making power within EU institutions;
	_________________
	1a https://www.brusselsreport.eu/2021/07/07/how-the-european-parliament-financially-supports-mass-media/

Or. en

Amendment 84

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 b. Rejects funding of activist organisations and considers such practices damaging to the reputation of the Parliament which as an institution should be politically neutral;

Or. en

Amendment 85

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 c. Welcomes the suspension of certain calls for proposals1a; requests detailed reporting on the rationale for this suspension and the criteria that will govern future calls; calls for enhanced scrutiny mechanisms before resuming such funding programmes;
	_________________
	1a https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/grants/media-and-events

Or. en

Amendment 86

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 d. Highlights that the media ecosystem covering European Parliament affairs is increasingly composed of consortia financially dependent on the European Commission's 'Multimedia Actions' budget line; notes that following an EUR 8 million call for proposals in 2024, three major pan-European projects (European Newsroom1a, EMOVE1b, and Pulse1c) were selected to set up or expand teams of journalists specifically to cover EU affairs1d; warns that this creates a structural dependency where the entities responsible for holding Members of the European Parliament accountable are themselves dependent on EU funding;
	_________________
	1a The consortium is composed of: dpa (Germany, coordinator), AFP (France), AGERPRES (Romania), ANSA (Italy), APA (Austria), ATA (Albania), Belga (Belgium), BTA (Bulgaria), EFE and Europapress (Spain), FENA (Bosnia Herzegovina), HINA (Croatia), MIA (North Macedonia), STA (Slovenia), Tanjug (Serbia), TASR (Slovakia), TT (Sweden), AMNA (Greece), ANP (Netherlands), PAP (Poland), CTK (Czechia), LUSA (Portugal) and Ritzau (Denmark). Ukrinfom (Ukraine) remains a solidarity partner. (EU funding: €2.3 million).
	1b The consortium is composed of: ARTE (France, coordinator), El País (Spain), Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Internazionale (Italy), Kathimerini (Greece), Le Soir (Belgium), Telex.hu (Hungary), ir.lv (Latvia), BIRN hub (Balkans), ORF (Austria), RTBF (Belgium), Arte Deutschland (Germany), RTVE (Spain) and SSR SRG (Switzerland). (EU funding: €3.85 million).
	1c The consortium is composed of: Centro per la Cooperazione Internazionale / OBC Transeuropa (Italy, coordinator), n-ost (Germany), Voxeurop (France), Delfi (Lithuania), Deník Referendum (Czechia), Der Standard (Austria), EFSYN (Greece), El Confidencial (Spain), Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Hotnews (Romania), HVG (Hungary), Il Sole 24 Ore (Italy) and Mediapool (Bulgaria). (EU funding: €1.87 million).
	1d https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/three-media-consortia-selected-report-european-affairs

Or. en

Amendment 87

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 e. Expresses deep concern regarding the expansion of this funding model, noting that the European Commission has adopted a financing decision for 2025 allocating a total of EUR 20.9 million for these actions1a; emphasizes that this represents an increase of more than 160% compared to the reference call for proposals in 2024; warns that such a significant influx of executive funding, absent transparency and independent oversight, risks undermining the objectivity of media coverage concerning the Parliament’s work;
	_________________
	1a https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/2025-financing-decision-multimedia-actions

Or. en

Amendment 88

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 f. Calls on the EU to be upfront and transparent with citizens regarding which media or activist organisations the institutions have funded; urges the Parliament to go further than the minimum requirements set out in the Financial Regulation and disclose all grants and subsidies awarded without delay;

Or. en

Amendment 89

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 g. Recognizes that the independence of journalists supposed to scrutinize the work of EU institutions is undermined by such practices and therefore considers it necessary to cease EU funding of media organisations;

Or. en

Amendment 90

Dick Erixon, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 h. Appreciates the establishment of a dedicated Scrutiny Working Group on NGO financing, which could shed more light on the issue of EU media funding; recalls the findings of the European Court of Auditors (Special Report 11/2025), which warned that EU funding granted to NGOs in internal policies was not sufficiently transparent and that the Commission and other implementing bodies do not proactively check compliance with EU values; calls on the European Court of Auditors to specifically examine media funding;

Or. en

Amendment 91

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	45 i. Calls on the Parliament’s administration to initiate the creation of a unified inter-institutional media transparency portal that discloses all media outlets receiving EU funds, whether from the Commission or Parliament budget; insists that this portal must provide detailed data on sub-grants within consortia to ensure that citizens can identify the ultimate source of funding for news reports covering MEPs’ activities, thereby guaranteeing that the 'watchdogs' of democracy remain transparent about their financial backing;

Or. en

Amendment 92

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 48

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
48. Welcomes that, in 2024, DG PERS continued to organise competitions and selection processes, handling an increasing pool of applicants, and it also organised four nationality-specific competitions; welcomes the efforts made by DG PERS to organise competitions, ensuring their timely completion and maintaining the necessary quality standards; welcomes that over 441 candidates were successfully shortlisted on reserve lists; regrets however that the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) has encountered systematic issues with the organisation of competitions and the lack of an available pool of candidates suited for Parliament’s needs; regrets that the average duration between publication of the notice of competition and the final interview for each competition, is more than a year; acknowledges the general difficulties encountered by DG PERS and other directorates-general in attracting and retaining talent, which has an impact on the performance of Parliament’s workforce; calls for more efficient, better targeted and shorter selection procedures that would result in increasing the attractiveness of Parliament as an employer and allow the directorates-general to speedily recruit the specialist profiles needed to support their work;	48. Welcomes that, in 2024, DG PERS continued to organise competitions and selection processes, handling an increasing pool of applicants, and it also organised four nationality-specific competitions; welcomes the efforts made by DG PERS to organise competitions, ensuring their timely completion and maintaining the necessary quality standards; welcomes that over 441 candidates were successfully shortlisted on reserve lists; regrets however that the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) has encountered systematic issues with the organisation of competitions and the lack of an available pool of candidates suited for Parliament’s needs; regrets that the average duration between publication of the notice of competition and the final interview for each competition, is more than a year; acknowledges the general difficulties encountered by DG PERS and other directorates-general in attracting and retaining talent, which has an impact on the performance of Parliament’s workforce; calls for more efficient, better targeted and shorter selection procedures that would result in increasing the attractiveness of Parliament as an employer and allow the directorates-general to speedily recruit the specialist profiles needed to support their work; stresses that selection procedures must be conducted without double standards or undue preferences and in full respect of the principles of equal treatment and geographical balance, ensuring fair representation of all Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 93

Jacek Protas

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 49

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
49. Welcomes Parliament’s nationality-specific competitions with the aim of improving the geographical balance of Parliament’s staff members by offering a wider pool of candidates from underrepresented Member States; regrets the lack of geographical balance within Parliament’s senior and middle management; insists that improvements are needed and asks the Secretary-General to report back on the progress achieved in correcting the geographical imbalance within Parliament’s staff to the discharge authority;	49. Welcomes Parliament’s nationality-specific competitions with the aim of improving the geographical balance of Parliament’s staff members by offering a wider pool of candidates from underrepresented Member States; notes, however, that an analysis of Parliament staff data broken down by nationality and function group reveals a persistent imbalance in career trajectories, as a result of which staff from certain Member States, although well represented in the administration, remain underrepresented in higher function groups and decision-making positions; regrets the lack of geographical balance within Parliament’s senior and middle management; considers that this situation points to a structural problem related not only to recruitment, but also to career development and promotion pathways; recalls that Article 27 of the Staff Regulations requires recruitment to be conducted on as wide a geographical basis as possible; insists that improvements are needed and calls on the Secretary-General, in cooperation with DG PERS, to present specific, measurable and time-bound measures aimed at addressing these imbalances and to submit regular reports on the progress achieved in correcting the geographical imbalance within Parliament’s staff to the Committee on Budgetary Control and the discharge authority;

Or. pl

Amendment 94

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 49

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
49. Welcomes Parliament’s nationality-specific competitions with the aim of improving the geographical balance of Parliament’s staff members by offering a wider pool of candidates from underrepresented Member States; regrets the lack of geographical balance within Parliament’s senior and middle management; insists that improvements are needed and asks the Secretary-General to report back on the progress achieved in correcting the geographical imbalance within Parliament’s staff to the discharge authority;	49. Notes Parliament’s nationality-specific competitions with the aim of improving the geographical balance of Parliament’s staff members by offering a wider pool of candidates from underrepresented Member States; reminds that article 27 of the Staff regulation states that geographical balance should be achieved only through appropriate and justified measures, that competitions should always be based on merit and should always respect fundamental principles such as equality, non-discrimination and proportionality; regrets the lack of geographical balance within Parliament’s senior and middle management; insists that improvements are needed and asks the Secretary-General to report back on the progress achieved in correcting the geographical imbalance within Parliament’s staff to the discharge authority;

Or. en

Amendment 95

Jacek Protas

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 49 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	49a. Recognises that persistent geographical imbalances at senior and decision-making levels can only be effectively corrected through increased transparency and systematic monitoring; calls, therefore, on the Secretary-General and DG PERS to report regularly and in a structured manner to the Committee on Budgetary Control on the geographical balance of Parliament staff; stresses that the scope of these reports should go beyond the overall number of staff and should include, in particular, data on career progression and promotion by nationality and function group, the filling of management and senior positions, participation in talent management and leadership programmes, and the use of temporary appointments and secondments as part of career development paths; points out that these reports should enable the CONT Committee to assess whether the merit-based promotion rules are being applied effectively and fairly for all Member States;

Or. pl

Amendment 96

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 49 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	49 a. Reminds that the Parliament has internalised some of its services, such as the security and IT services and reiterate its request to conduct a feasibility study on internalisation of other services such as catering and cleaning in order to have a reasonable cost-benefit analysis and to report back to the Committee on Budgetary Control on the outcome; reminds that internalisation would improve work conditions and job safety for workers in the EP premises who should be considered equal regardless their statue;

Or. en

Amendment 97

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 49 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	49 a. Notes the increasing use of artificial intelligence and large-language-model tools in human-resources management, including for recruitment support, document analysis and decision-making assistance; stresses the need for clear governance, human oversight, transparency and robust data-protection safeguards; calls on the administration to inform the discharge authority of the scope, risk assessment and ethical safeguards of such tools, including their alignment with Union values and fundamental rights;

Or. en

Amendment 98

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 51

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
51. Acknowledges that the work of APAs is an integral part of the work of Members and therefore of Parliament; notes that following the adoption of the APA statute in 2009, their status over the years has been protected by the rules; notes the efforts made by Parliament to create a framework for providing support to APAs;	51. Acknowledges that the work of APAs is an integral part of the work of Members and therefore of Parliament; notes that following the adoption of the APA statute in 2009, their status over the years has been protected by the rules; notes the efforts made by Parliament to create a framework for providing support to APAs, but continues to regret that current roles do not take into consideration the fact APAs are in a particularly vulnerable position in whistleblowing cases due to their particular employment situation; therefore calls again on the Secretary-General to provide whistle-blower APAs with a similar protection to that of victims of harassment, in particular with regard to provisional measures during the administrative investigation and protection measures concerning anonymity, pay until the end of the contract, transfer of post and protection from retaliation; calls on the Bureau and the administration of the Parliament to regularly and formally consult the APA Committee on revisions and reforms that directly impact the rights of APAs; calls on Parliament's administration to explore the feasibility of introducing a notice period within APA's contracts in the event of the unexpected departure of an MEP, whether voluntary or involuntary; call on Bureau and the Conference of Presidents to change the current rules to allow APAs, under certain conditions and bearing in mind the logistical limits of missions, to accompany Members on official Parliament delegations and missions, as reiterated by several discharge resolutions; welcomes that the rules concerning the reimbursement of APA's missions between the three place of work have been aligned with those applicable to officials, ensuring equality of treatment for APAs;

Or. en

Amendment 99

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 51

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
51. Acknowledges that the work of APAs is an integral part of the work of Members and therefore of Parliament; notes that following the adoption of the APA statute in 2009, their status over the years has been protected by the rules; notes the efforts made by Parliament to create a framework for providing support to APAs;	51. Acknowledges that the work of APAs is an integral part of the work of Members and therefore of Parliament; notes that following the adoption of the APA statute in 2009, their status over the years has been protected by the rules; notes the efforts made by Parliament to create a framework for providing support to APAs; calls for due adherence to the rules in place; notes, that since then, APAs participate in official missions to Parliament’s three places of work; welcomes that the rules concerning the reimbursement of APA’s missions between the three place of work have been aligned with those applicable to officials, ensuring equality of treatment for APAs;

Or. en

Amendment 100

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 51 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	51 a. Recalls that APAs, regardless of their experience and qualifications, are excluded from participating in the internal competitions of the European Parliament; invites the Bureau to explore the possibility to allow APAs, under yet to be determined conditions, to participate in internal competitions in a similar way as the staff of the European Parliament; stresses that stronger involvement of APAs in the internal structures of the Parliament could lead to more inclusive, diverse and geographically balanced workforce; highlights the importance of knowledge retention and transfer within the European Parliament in relation to the internal working methods;

Or. en

Amendment 101

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 51 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	51 a. Reiterates its call on the Conference of Presidents and the Bureau to revise the implementing provisions governing the work of delegations and missions outside the Union; underlines that such a revision should consider the possibility for APAs, subject to certain conditions, to accompany Members on official Parliament delegations and missions; highlights that this change would not result in any change to the envelope and would be budget neutral;

Or. en

Amendment 102

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 51 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	51 b. Reiterates the need and urgency to implement the provision - reaffirmed in plenary during the discharge reports of previous years - allowing APAs to participate in the official delegations and missions of the European Parliament outside of the three places of work, subject to approval of the work program;

Or. en

Amendment 103

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 52

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; considers that the administration has not provided a clear analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;	52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centred on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; notes the administration's analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, and the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;

Or. en

Amendment 104

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 52

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; considers that the administration has not provided a clear analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;	52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; considers that the administration has not provided a clear analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again; calls on the administration to ensure that support measures are effective and equitable, including clear one-stop guidance, identity-protection support and reimbursement that does not leave affected persons bearing unavoidable administrative costs linked to document replacement procedures;

Or. en

Amendment 105

Michal Wiezik, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Gilles Boyer

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 52

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; considers that the administration has not provided a clear analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;	52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; calls on the administration to provide a clear analysis to the discharge authority and to the staff, including former staff members affected of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;

Or. en

Amendment 106

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 52

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; considers that the administration has not provided a clear analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;	52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; is fully aware that the Parliament will remain a target for cyber-attacks in the future and the utmost vigilance is essential, welcomes the measures taken by the administration to further reinforce the cyber-security maturity and governance of its IT environment;

Or. en

Amendment 107

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 52

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; regrets that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; considers that the administration has not provided a clear analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;	52. Notes with great concern the reports of a data breach centered on Parliament’s recruitment application PEOPLE, affecting mainly non-permanent members of Parliament staff, including APAs, and the long delay between the breach and the information and compensation to the data subjects of the breach; regrets that the data breach involved ID card details, birth certificates, diplomas, employment history, medical records, rights to entitlements, insurance and documents related to proof of work dating back for up to 10 years; welcomes the reimbursement scheme that the Secretary-General introduced, in line with Parliament’s duty of care, to cover the costs of replacing ID cards and/or passports of affected PEOPLE application users, with EUR 51 874 paid to date; notes however that the cost of the travel to the country of origin for these administrative procedures was not covered; calls on the administration to provide a clear analysis to the discharge authority of the reasons for the breach, the measures taken to recover the system concerned, or the measures taken to prevent a similar breach from happening again;

Or. en

Amendment 108

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 52 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	52 a. Calls for an independent, written incident report to be transmitted to the discharge authority, including: (i) a detailed timeline from intrusion to detection to notification; (ii) root-cause analysis; (iii) corrective and preventive measures; (iv) risk assessment for affected persons; and (v) lessons learned for procurement and governance of external/stand-alone HR applications; notes concerns raised publicly about the handling of the breach and stresses the need for demonstrable compliance with the applicable data-protection framework and effective cooperation with the competent supervisory authority;

Or. en

Amendment 109

Dick Erixon, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 54

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
54. Notes that, in 2024, DG PERS supported the implementation of gender and diversity roadmaps and developed training courses on diversity and inclusion for all members of staff; welcomes that the Equality, Inclusion and Diversity Unit (EIDU) of DG PERS streamlined its internal reasonable accommodation procedure in 2024, fostering equality, inclusion and diversity, and also provided advice to the Learning & Development Unit on reasonable accommodation for training courses; welcomes that the unit also organised 20 training courses and awareness events for 2 334 participants, including a new diversity and inclusion course for all members of staff, and hosted events on gender equality, disability and LGBTQI+ inclusion;	deleted

Or. en

Amendment 110

Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 54 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	54a. Regrets that a derogation was granted from Parliament's Rules of Procedure (Rule 219), which provides for respect for gender equality in the composition of committee bureaux; emphasises that discrimination on grounds of political orientation, in particular through cordons sanitaires or exclusion agreements among political groups, cannot justify a refusal to allow elected or appointed women who fulfil the necessary conditions to hold specific roles; regrets that amendments on these matters and on women's security in Europe were rejected before being put to the vote;

Or. fr

Amendment 111

Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 54 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	54 a. Recalls the Treaty on the European Union, that the EU and its institutions, shall promote solidarity and equality between women and men and calls on the institution to refrain from promoting, spreading and supporting gender and woke ideology and respect the Treaty and its provisions as well as to respect the Member States’ national identities, inherent in their fundamental structures, history, religion and traditions;

Or. en

Amendment 112

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 55

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
55. Welcomes the adoption of a common inter-institutional decision regarding a housing allowance for lower-grade staff living in Luxembourg; considers it a necessary instrument to support lower-grade staff to balance the disproportionately high housing costs, as well as a necessary tool to increase the attractiveness of the Luxembourg site of the Parliament;	55. Welcomes the adoption of a common inter-institutional decision regarding a housing allowance for lower-grade staff living in Luxembourg; notes that the solution is temporary and calls on ensuring long-term predictability for the staff concerned; considers it a necessary instrument to support lower-grade staff to balance the disproportionately high housing costs, as well as a necessary tool to increase the attractiveness of the Luxembourg site of the Parliament;

Or. en

Amendment 113

Dick Erixon

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 56

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
56. Recalls the launch of the Parliament wide anti-harassment campaign ‘United against Harassment’ on 22 October 2024, contributing to a safe work environment; welcomes that in addition to the information campaign, the training course ‘Respect and dignity at work - Preventing conflict and harassment in the workplace’ for Members was mandatory and completed by Members in the first year of the legislature;	56. Recalls the launch of the Parliament wide anti-harassment campaign ‘United against Harassment’ on 22 October 2024, contributing to a safe work environment; welcomes that in addition to the information campaign, the training course ‘Respect and dignity at work - Preventing conflict and harassment in the workplace’ for Members was mandatory and completed by Members in the first year of the legislature; stresses, that the effectiveness of these measures should be evaluated to determine whether the issues they were designed to address have been successfully mitigated;

Or. en

Amendment 114

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
57. Welcomes the possibility for members of staff to telework from abroad for five days per year; calls for a proactive monitoring and evaluation of the new ways of working;	57. Welcomes the possibility for members of staff to telework from abroad even if only for five days per year, while in average the other Union Institutions provide for 15 days per year; calls for a proactive monitoring and evaluation of the new ways of working; reminds the importance of a genuine social dialogue with the staff representatives on crucial matters related to the new way of working;

Or. en

Amendment 115

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 a. Recalls Parliament's recommendation to the Commission in its resolution of 18 April 2018 "to review its administrative procedure for the appointment of senior officials with the objective of fully ensuring that the best candidates are selected within a framework of maximum transparency and equal opportunities, thereby also setting an example for the other European institutions"; is of the opinion that Parliament, regarding appointment procedures, should always meet the highest standards in terms of transparency, accountability and good administration;

Or. en

Amendment 116

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 a. Invites the European Parliament to optimize the use of its human resources, including through the implementation of appropriate ongoing training measures, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of internal services, and specifically at reinforcing the support for legislative, budgetary and scrutiny activities, which constitute the core function of the European Parliament’s;

Or. en

Amendment 117

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 a. Welcomes the possibility for staff to remote work from abroad for five days per year; calls for a proactive monitoring and evaluation of the new ways of working; encourages regular reviews of the teleworking policies, with an emphasis on greater flexibility and possibilities for remote work;

Or. en

Amendment 118

Monika Hohlmeier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 a. Urges the administration to arrange for the medical service to provide first aid training courses for staff at both beginner and intermediate levels at least every four months, and encourages the Parliament to make first aid training a voluntary part of the onboarding program for new staff;

Or. en

Amendment 119

Michal Wiezik, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 a. Calls for the rules governing overtime to incorporate compensatory mechanisms, such as the granting of additional leave, with a view to promoting work–life balance for all Parliamentary staff, while acknowledging the specific nature of their workload;

Or. en

Amendment 120

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 b. Calls on Parliament’s administration to explore the feasibility of introducing a notice period within APA's contracts in the event of the unexpected departure of an MEP, whether voluntary or involuntary;

Or. en

Amendment 121

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 b. Call for a complete ban for trips taken by Members that are paid for by foreign countries and entities; believes that similar rules should be drawn up for trips taken by APAs or political group staff;

Or. en

Amendment 122

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 c. Calls on the Bureau and the administration of the Parliament to regularly and formally consult the APA Committee on revisions and reforms that directly impact the rights of APAs; recalls that pursuant to Article 35 of the Implementing Measures for Title VII of the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the European Union, the APA Committee shall act as contact point for the competent authorities of Parliament; calls for due adherence to the rules in place;

Or. en

Amendment 123

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 57 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	57 d. Stresses that quality childcare services provided to the Members and staff are among central measures to ensure effective implementation of the work-life balance policy; draws attention to the fact that quality of the services provided by Brussels Wayenberg childcare facility for pre-school age children has been suffering in quality due to frequent change of service provider since 2020; calls in this respect to consider internalisation of pre-school childcare services and the need to adopt high-quality standards;

Or. en

Amendment 124

Dick Erixon, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 58 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	58 a. Calls on Parliament's administration to provide annual, comprehensive and transparent reporting disaggregated by the three places of work (Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg), including a detailed breakdown of costs for building operations, travel arrangements, equipment, personnel deployment and other associated expenses; calls for this information to be made publicly available in the annual budgetary and financial management report to ensure full accountability to Union taxpayers;

Or. en

Amendment 125

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 58 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	58a. Regrets the growing use of long-term acquisitions and usufruct contracts, which tie in Parliament over several decades, without any systematic presentation of detailed comparative analyses of purchases, locations, usufruct and optimisation of existing properties;

Or. fr

Amendment 126

Dick Erixon, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 58 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	58 b. Calls on the Parliament’s administration to actively identify and implement cost-saving measures, including through the increased use of hybrid meeting technologies, the optimization of building usage, the consolidation of parliamentary activities and the reduction of unnecessary logistical expenses; requests regular progress reports on the measures implemented and savings achieved;

Or. en

Amendment 127

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 59

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
59. Notes that DG INLO’s final appropriations amounted to EUR 258 638 966 in 2024, representing 10,9 % of Parliament’s budget; highlights that, of that amount, a total of EUR 256 935 431 was committed; welcomes the high use of appropriations;	59. Notes that DG INLO’s final appropriations amounted to EUR 258 638 966 in 2024, representing 10,9 % of Parliament’s budget; highlights that, of that amount, a total of EUR 256 935 431 was committed; notes the high use of appropriations;

Or. en

Amendment 128

Tomáš Zdechovský

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 59 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	59 a. Encourages the administration to further assess the quality, pricing and range of catering services offered within Parliament, with a view to ensuring that procurement criteria adequately balance price and quality considerations; invites DG INLO to explore options to enhance competition among catering service providers in order to improve service standards, choice and cost-effectiveness, particularly in the context of official events and visitors services;

Or. en

Amendment 129

Dick Erixon, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 59 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	59 a. Calls on the Court of Auditors and the Parliament’s administration to conduct a comprehensive analysis of all Strasbourg-related costs, including building maintenance, chartered trains, additional logistics and operational expenses; requests that this analysis identify potential savings achievable within the current Treaty framework through the optimization of operations and increased use of remote participation technologies, as well as potential savings in alternative scenarios; calls for the establishment of concrete milestones and an action plan for achieving identified cost reductions;

Or. en

Amendment 130

Dick Erixon, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 59 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	59 b. Notes that the suspension of Strasbourg part-sessions during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to total savings of EUR 26 260 608 according to Parliament’s Secretariat; highlights that the Court of Auditors in 2014 estimates that “the end of moving from Strasbourg to Brussels could generate annual savings of EUR 114 million plus a one-off saving of EUR 616 million if the Strasbourg buildings are successfully divested, or a one-off cost of EUR 40 million if they are not”1a; considers that, retaining the Strasbourg seat is irresponsible;
	_________________
	1a https://www.eca.europa.eu/other%20publications/pl1407_letter/pl1407_letter_en.pdf

Or. en

Amendment 131

Dick Erixon, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 59 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	59 c. Recalls the support expressed by the vast majority of Parliament for a single seat to ensure the efficient spending of Union taxpayers' money; calls, therefore, for the establishment of a single seat for the European Parliament; calls on the Council to take Parliament’s position into account and act on it as a matter of urgency;

Or. en

Amendment 132

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	60a. Recalls that, under the Treaties, Parliament's official seat is in Strasbourg; regrets that that is not the case in practice, leading to significant construction, acquisition and maintenance costs in the various sites and cities, and the costs of transferring equipment from the Brussels offices to Strasbourg for the plenary sessions, rather than ensuring that the Union budget is used effectively and avoiding wasting EU taxpayers' money;

Or. fr

Amendment 133

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
60. Welcomes that, in 2024, the administration implemented Parliament’s ‘Building Strategy Beyond 2019’, and achieved its main objectives; notes that DG INLO, after years of expansion brought on by the growth of Parliament’s institutional powers, now concentrates on the consolidation of Parliament’s building stock and renovation of existing premises; welcomes DG INLO’s commitment to further developing Parliament’s role in the cities of Strasbourg, Brussels, and Luxembourg, fostering projects of common interest, and connecting the sites to the surrounding areas;	60. Welcomes that, in 2024, the administration implemented Parliament’s ‘Building Strategy Beyond 2019’, and achieved its main objectives; notes with satisfaction that DG INLO, after years of expansion brought on by the growth of Parliament’s institutional powers, now concentrates on the consolidation of Parliament’s building stock and renovation of existing premises, taking into account sustainability, accessibility and mobility of Members and staff; welcomes the fact that there are no new building projects in the pipeline and the strategy is now consolidation and renovation; welcomes DG INLO’s commitment to further developing Parliament’s role in the cities of Strasbourg, Brussels, and Luxembourg, fostering projects of common interest, and connecting the sites to the surrounding areas;

Or. en

Amendment 134

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	60 a. Notes that major building projects involve complex negotiations and significant legal scrutiny; calls on Parliament to ensure structured ex-post reporting to the discharge authority on such projects, including negotiation processes, risk-mitigation measures and legal assessments, in order to strengthen transparency and institutional learning;

Or. en

Amendment 135

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	60b. Underlines that Parliament's credibility depends on exemplary property management; calls for greater transparency around how property projects are managed, more detailed information on major investment decisions, and tighter budget monitoring, including regular reports on cost overruns, delays and financial risks;

Or. fr

Amendment 136

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	60 b. Calls on Parliament to strengthen its climate- and biodiversity-mainstreaming in building management and renovation projects, including life-cycle cost and carbon assessment, circularity requirements for materials, and strict energy-efficiency benchmarks; calls for transparent reporting to the discharge authority on measurable reductions in energy use and emissions linked to Parliament’s building stock and logistics, including a clear link to procurement choices and contract performance;

Or. en

Amendment 137

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 61

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
61. Notes with concern the persistent shortage of meeting and seminar rooms within Parliament, which makes booking spaces increasingly difficult and requires planning far in advance; regrets that this situation hinders the efficient organisation of parliamentary work and limits flexibility for Members and members of staff; expresses concern that the upcoming renovation of the SPAAK building, while necessary, will exacerbate the existing room shortage; calls on Parliament’s administration to implement measures to mitigate the impact of the renovation and to ensure that sufficient facilities are available to support Parliament’s operational needs;	61. Notes with concern the persistent shortage of meeting and seminar rooms within Parliament, which makes booking spaces increasingly difficult and requires planning far in advance; regrets that this situation hinders the efficient organisation of parliamentary work and limits flexibility for Members and members of staff; takes note of the upcoming renovation of the SPAAK building which is in line with Union’s energy performance requirements; ,; calls on Parliament’s administration to implement measures to mitigate the impact of the renovation and to ensure that sufficient facilities are available to support Parliament’s operational needs;

Or. en

Amendment 138

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
62. Takes note of building projects in 2024, and in particular, the completion of the West Wing of the ADENAUER II building in Luxembourg, bringing all Parliament’s members of staff and services together under the same roof; notes that the new security and visitors’ reception pavilion in the WEISS building in Strasbourg was completed in time for the start of the new legislature in July 2024; notes the acquisition of the TRÈVES II building in Brussels, further consolidating Parliament’s stock of buildings in the city’s European quarter;	62. Takes note of building projects in 2024, and in particular, the completion of the West Wing of the ADENAUER II building in Luxembourg, bringing all Parliament’s members of staff and services together under the same roof; notes that the new security and visitors’ reception pavilion in the WEISS building in Strasbourg was completed in time for the start of the new legislature in July 2024; notes the acquisition of the TRÈVES II building in Brussels, further consolidating Parliament’s stock of buildings in the city’s European quarter; requests to be provided an updated timetable for the interconnection of the Trèves l and Trèves ll to the main central buildings in Brussels; and asks the administration to keep the discharge authority informed on the upcoming steps: requests to address some structural problems that are still pending in the Treves l building such as the unstable heating system, the lack of air conditioning and toilets for persons with reduced mobility, the poor sound proofing, as well as the sewage problem; reminds the need to upgrade the building to the latest energy and environmental norms;

Or. en

Amendment 139

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 63

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
63. Recalls that during its meeting on 12 June 2023, the Bureau discussed the steps for the renewal of the SPAAK building; notes that the Bureau expressed a preference for a comprehensive environmental renovation and approved the project on 11 December 2023; appreciates that the SPAAK renewal project will be used as a reference for sustainable building techniques for other building operations; notes that DG INLO has made progress with the preliminary projects in connection with the SPAAK building renovation by launching studies in connection to the new central technical room of Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences (DG LINC), the reorganisation of the Print Shop, the move of the Cabinets and the media and press area;	63. Recalls that during its meeting on 12 June 2023, the Bureau discussed the steps for the renewal of the SPAAK building; notes that the Bureau expressed a preference for a comprehensive environmental renovation and approved the project on 11 December 2023; appreciates that the SPAAK renewal project will be used as a reference for sustainable building techniques for other building operations; notes that DG INLO has made progress with the preliminary projects in connection with the SPAAK building renovation by launching studies in connection to the new central technical room of Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences (DG LINC), the reorganisation of the Print Shop, the move of the Cabinets and the media and press area; regrets Parliament's incoherent and costly property strategy since 2019, and deplores the incomplete and approximate costings for the renovation of the SPAAK building (such as the buffer building for staff during the works) or the additional EUR 4.1 million of funding earmarked for the work on the WEISS building in Strasbourg;

Or. fr

Amendment 140

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 63

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
63. Recalls that during its meeting on 12 June 2023, the Bureau discussed the steps for the renewal of the SPAAK building; notes that the Bureau expressed a preference for a comprehensive environmental renovation and approved the project on 11 December 2023; appreciates that the SPAAK renewal project will be used as a reference for sustainable building techniques for other building operations; notes that DG INLO has made progress with the preliminary projects in connection with the SPAAK building renovation by launching studies in connection to the new central technical room of Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences (DG LINC), the reorganisation of the Print Shop, the move of the Cabinets and the media and press area;	63. Is strongly opposed to the renovation works on the SPAAK building in Brussels, which will cost more than EUR 450 million; recalls that, pursuant to Article 341 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and Protocol No 6, the European Parliament has its seat in Strasbourg;

Or. fr

Amendment 141

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 63

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
63. Recalls that during its meeting on 12 June 2023, the Bureau discussed the steps for the renewal of the SPAAK building; notes that the Bureau expressed a preference for a comprehensive environmental renovation and approved the project on 11 December 2023; appreciates that the SPAAK renewal project will be used as a reference for sustainable building techniques for other building operations; notes that DG INLO has made progress with the preliminary projects in connection with the SPAAK building renovation by launching studies in connection to the new central technical room of Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences (DG LINC), the reorganisation of the Print Shop, the move of the Cabinets and the media and press area;	63. Recalls that during its meeting on 12 June 2023, the Bureau discussed the steps for the renewal of the SPAAK building; notes that the Bureau expressed a preference for a comprehensive environmental renovation and approved the project on 11 December 2023; notes that DG INLO has made progress with the preliminary projects in connection with the SPAAK building renovation by launching studies in connection to the new central technical room of Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences (DG LINC), the reorganisation of the Print Shop, the move of the Cabinets and the media and press area;

Or. en

Amendment 142

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 63 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	63a. Emphasises the increase in the number of building construction, renovation and acquisition projects in the three places of work, including the HAVEL, ADENAUER, CAMPOAMOR, MARTENS, TRÈVES II and VEIL buildings, and the renovation of the SPAAK building; regrets the absence of a fully transparent, overall view of the cumulative costs, including the indirect costs linked to maintenance, security, use and temporary relocations;

Or. fr

Amendment 143

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 63 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	63b. Notes with concern that the extensive renovation of the SPAAK building, combined with the end of the KOHL lease and the conclusion of an 18-year usufruct contract for the MONTERRA building, raise questions about long-term planning, greater reliance on expensive transitional solutions and the fiscal sustainability of these property choices, against a backdrop of ongoing financial constraints;

Or. fr

Amendment 144

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 63 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	63 a. Takes note that EUR 4 million are included in the 2026 estimates for studies and the contractor's preparatory works related to the SPAAK building renovation while the overall costs are estimated at EUR 36 million; notes therefore that EUR 32 million of costs related to the SPAAK building renovation are not included in the 2026 estimates; notes that the Secretary-General intends to cover these costs by a mopping-up transfer or the use of a loan; requests the Secretary-General to provide the Committee on Budgetary Control with detailed information on a possible loan to cover these costs as soon as possible; notes that as of December 2024, the direct costs of the SPAAK project amount to EUR 14,12 million; is of the opinion that the evolution of costs of the SPAAK building renovation must be closely and carefully monitored;

Or. en

Amendment 145

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
64. Notes that DG INLO develops a concept for optimisation of office space with the aim to use current offices in a manner which uses the full potential of Parliament’s members of staff and keeps them socially engaged inside Parliament; notes that for this concept the MARTENS, TRÈVES II and ARENDT buildings in Brussels are used as an inspiration, focusing on 'activity-based workplace' including social areas for meetings, informal gatherings and exchanges; notes that a general concept was also studied for the KOHL building, taking into account its structural limitations and budgetary constraints; calls on DG INLO to make the perspectives of users central to the development of this concept and to prioritise its implementation in buildings where optimisation is most needed;	64. Notes that DG INLO develops a concept for optimisation of office space with the aim to use current offices in a manner which uses the full potential of Parliament’s members of staff and keeps them socially engaged inside Parliament; notes that for this concept the MARTENS, TRÈVES II and ARENDT buildings in Brussels are used as an inspiration, focusing on 'activity-based workplace' including social areas for meetings, informal gatherings and exchanges; notes that a general concept was also studied for the KOHL building, taking into account its structural limitations and budgetary constraints; calls on DG INLO to make the perspectives of users central to the development of this concept and to prioritise its implementation in buildings where optimisation is most needed, and always in concertation with the staff representatives;

Or. en

Amendment 146

Monika Hohlmeier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64 a. Urges that defibrillators be installed on every floor and elsewhere in the buildings of the Parliament so that one can reach a patient within five minutes, in order to enhance health and safety accessibility for staff, and that these defibrillators be regularly checked to ensure their proper functioning; also encourages DG INLO to coordinate with DG PERS to offer regular training for staff on how to use a defibrillator;

Or. en

Amendment 147

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64 a. Points out that a large share of the seats available in the vehicle fleet commuting between Brussels and Strasbourg for plenary sessions seats remained unoccupied in 2024; reiterates its call on Parliament's administration to widen the user group and allow Parliament' staff to travel to and from Strasbourg with the service fleet without the presence of a Member, while making sure that Member's seats are secured;

Or. en

Amendment 148

Monika Hohlmeier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64 b. Encourages more frequent cleaning of heating air vents in the Spinelli building to prevent the build-up of dust and mould in offices and to improve the health of staff at work;

Or. en

Amendment 149

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64b. Underlines the high volume and dispersion of spending under the 2026 budget item 'Security and surveillance of buildings', which totalled EUR 14.95 million in 2024 solely for general security and firefighting services at Parliament's three sites; is particularly concerned about the cumulative costs linked to the security and surveillance of Europa Experience centres and Parliament's liaison offices – costs that are significant and steadily mounting – without any systematic presentation of a consolidated evaluation of their necessity, proportionality and added value;

Or. fr

Amendment 150

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Ondřej Knotek, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64c. Stresses that financing for institutional communication facilities, such as the Europa Experience centres, designed to demonstrate how Parliament works, should not be a budget priority; considers that the corresponding resources should be redirected towards policies that produce concrete results for EU citizens;

Or. fr

Amendment 151

Monika Hohlmeier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64 c. Encourages the gym to offer more courses that support physical and mental well-being, stability and balance, such as yoga, tai-chi, pilates, fascia training etc. in order to reach a wider range of staff;

Or. en

Amendment 152

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Ondřej Knotek, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64d. Reiterates that Parliament should focus on its legislative and budgetary functions; considers that maintaining an extensive network of liaison offices in the Member States constitutes disproportionate expenditure with limited effectiveness; stresses that Parliament should set an example by reducing non-essential administrative spending;

Or. fr

Amendment 153

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	64a. Notes with concern that 65 thefts on Parliament premises were reported to DG SAFE in 2024, resulting in a degree of financial damage to the institution's budget, and questions the effectiveness of the existing security and surveillance mechanisms, given the significant amounts spent on those services; calls for corrective measures to be put in place to reduce the recurrence of such incidents, improve theft prevention and ensure that security spending is more closely aligned with actual outcomes;

Or. fr

Amendment 154

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 68 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	68a. Recalls that the budget and transparency rules and good practices also apply to Parliament's administration; calls in this regard for transparency around all administration staff mission expenses, travel within the Union and further afield, the purpose of each trip and the position of the participants, where the amount totalled more than EUR 732 000 in 2024, in order to give the discharge authority in particular a clear view of how EU funds are used so that it can give an informed opinion;

Or. fr

Amendment 155

Michal Wiezik, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 69

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
69. Recommends that DG FINS establishes a risk-based approach to controlling and auditing Members’ expenditure; acknowledges that it is essential to have a (sample based) baseline level of control to ensure compliance with the rules; welcomes that in the event of a higher risk of irregular spending by a Member, the administration can exercise its right to check the funds concerned;	69. Recommends that DG FINS establishes a risk-based approach to controlling and auditing Members’ expenditure; acknowledges that it is essential to have a (sample based) baseline level of control to ensure compliance with the rules; welcomes that in the event of a higher risk of irregular spending by a Member, the administration can exercise its right to check the funds concerned; emphasises that, while such controls are necessary and welcomed, their effectiveness depends on additional verifications being carried out in a timely manner;

Or. en

Amendment 156

Kinga Kollár

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 69

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
69. Recommends that DG FINS establishes a risk-based approach to controlling and auditing Members’ expenditure; acknowledges that it is essential to have a (sample based) baseline level of control to ensure compliance with the rules; welcomes that in the event of a higher risk of irregular spending by a Member, the administration can exercise its right to check the funds concerned;	69. Recommends that DG FINS establishes a risk-based approach to controlling and auditing Members’ expenditure and processes aligned with the principles of good governance, notably transparency, accountability, responsiveness and equity; acknowledges that it is essential to have a (sample based) baseline level of control to ensure compliance with the rules; welcomes that in the event of a higher risk of irregular spending by a Member, the administration can exercise its right to check the funds concerned;

Or. en

Amendment 157

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 70

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
70. Acknowledges the problem of attracting members of staff to DG FINS, caused by a lack of candidates on EPSO lists in finance and IT fields, and difficulties in attracting members of staff to Luxembourg, where 45 % of DG FINS posts are based; notes the difficulty in attracting members of staff to Luxembourg because the remuneration on the local labour market is equal or better than in Parliament, and the cost of living is high, particularly as regards housing;	70. Acknowledges the problem of attracting members of staff to DG FINS, caused by a lack of candidates on EPSO lists in finance and IT fields, and difficulties in attracting members of staff to Luxembourg, where 45 % of DG FINS posts are based; notes the difficulty in attracting members of staff to Luxembourg because the remuneration on the local labour market is equal or better than in Parliament, and the cost of living is high, particularly as regards housing; calls on the administration to consider the relocation of staff from Luxembourg to Brussels where the labour market offers better conditions;

Or. en

Amendment 158

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 73

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
73. Notes the statement of assurance signed by the Director-General of DG FINS; notes the remark made in the statement of assurance concerning the residual risk of errors or irregularities in the reimbursement of certain travel expenses for Members, mainly concerning the reimbursement claims for travel by car, and the payment of distance and duration allowance, as the actual expenses incurred cannot be verified since there is no requirement to submit proof of these costs claimed for reimbursement; notes that the financial impact of this residual risk might exceed EUR 9 million per year; notes the mitigating actions suggested by DG FINS and calls for their swift implementation;	73. Notes the statement of assurance signed by the Director-General of DG FINS; notes the remark made in the statement of assurance concerning the residual risk of errors or irregularities in the reimbursement of certain travel expenses for Members, mainly concerning the reimbursement claims for travel by car, and the payment of distance and duration allowance; notes the mitigating actions suggested by DG FINS and calls for their swift implementation;

Or. en

Amendment 159

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 73

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
73. Notes the statement of assurance signed by the Director-General of DG FINS; notes the remark made in the statement of assurance concerning the residual risk of errors or irregularities in the reimbursement of certain travel expenses for Members, mainly concerning the reimbursement claims for travel by car, and the payment of distance and duration allowance, as the actual expenses incurred cannot be verified since there is no requirement to submit proof of these costs claimed for reimbursement; notes that the financial impact of this residual risk might exceed EUR 9 million per year; notes the mitigating actions suggested by DG FINS and calls for their swift implementation;	73. Notes the statement of assurance signed by the Director-General of DG FINS; notes the remark made in the statement of assurance concerning the residual risk of errors or irregularities in the reimbursement of certain travel expenses for Members, mainly concerning the reimbursement claims for travel by car, and the payment of distance and duration allowance, as the actual expenses incurred cannot be verified since there is no requirement to submit proof of these costs claimed for reimbursement; notes that the financial impact of this residual risk might exceed EUR 9 million per year; notes the mitigating actions suggested by DG FINS and calls for swift implementation of risk-reducing measures, including evidence-based options for reimbursement (e.g. proof-of-journey requirements proportionate to risk), improved digital traceability, and an evaluation of whether the current framework creates structural incentives for over-claiming; requests a report to the discharge authority on the financial impact and the effectiveness of the measures taken;

Or. en

Amendment 160

Tomáš Zdechovský

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 73 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	73 a. Notes with concern that the reimbursement of travel expenses for Members frequently exceeds three months, creating unnecessary cash-flow pressure on Members and their offices; stresses that such delays undermine the efficient exercise of Members’ mandates; calls on the administration and DG FINS to significantly accelerate reimbursement procedures, including through further digitalisation, simplified verification processes and clearer internal deadlines, while fully respecting financial control requirements;

Or. en

Amendment 161

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 74

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
74. Welcomes the intensified work on the ‘EP Finance Academy by DG FINS’ which concerned the provision of twelve online video tutorials, in addition to the existing offering of in-person and hybrid training courses; underlines the importance of training on financial matters for members of staff across Parliament, and welcomes the procurement training sessions for members of staff of the political groups, and invites DG FINS to provide enhanced support to political groups in the public procurement processes, in particular in light of the findings of the Court; suggests to DG FINS to provide an alignment of practices applied by different political groups in the public procurement field;	74. Welcomes the intensified work on the ‘EP Finance Academy by DG FINS’ which concerned the provision of twelve online video tutorials, in addition to the existing offering of in-person and hybrid training courses; underlines the importance of training on financial matters for members of staff across Parliament, and welcomes the training sessions on procurement and on Parliament's administrative services for members of staff of the political groups, and invites DG FINS to provide enhanced support to political groups in the public procurement processes, in particular in light of the findings of the Court that revealed weaknesses in public procurement procedures, notably in Parliament; suggests to DG FINS to provide an alignment of practices applied by different political groups in the public procurement field;

Or. fr

Amendment 162

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 75

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
75. Notes that there is no obligation on Members to document their use of the funds under the General Expenditure Allowance (GEA); highlights that they can do so voluntarily in detail or by type of cost, on their own or with the support of an external auditor, and that they can choose to have this information published in whole or in part on their online page on Parliament’s website in accordance with Rule 11(2) of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure; considers maximum transparency a good practice; welcomes that a simplified list of types of costs is integrated into the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members (IMSM)and that an amendment clarifying the possibility for Members to use the GEA when an exhaustion of other allowances has also been adopted; notes that all Members have been informed about the specifics of this allowance;	75. Highlights that Members are free to document their use of the funds under the General Expenditure Allowance (GEA); highlights that they can do so voluntarily in detail or by type of cost, on their own or with the support of an external auditor, and that they can choose to have this information published in whole or in part on their online page on Parliament’s website in accordance with Rule 11(2) of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure;; welcomes that a simplified list of types of costs is integrated into the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members (IMSM)and that an amendment clarifying the possibility for Members to use the GEA when an exhaustion of other allowances has also been adopted; notes that all Members have been informed about the specifics of this allowance; considers maximum transparency a good practice;

Or. en

Amendment 163

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 76

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
76. Notes that the GEA was EUR 4 950 per month in 2024 and accounts for approximately EUR 40 million per year spent without any requirements for financial management; regrets that, at its meeting on 17 October 2022, the Bureau adopted this decision without establishing any oversight framework;	76. Notes that the GEA was EUR 4 950 per month in 2024 and that no indexation of the allowance was made in 2024 and 2022; ; notes that following the Bureau’s decision at its 17 October 2022 meeting to amend the IMSM with regard to the GEA, which is paid in a lump sum, DG FINS took the necessary steps to implement the decision; further commends the decision taken by the Bureau to create an ad-hoc Bureau Working Group on the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members, in order to evaluate the implementation of the IMMS and to look at a permanent mechanism for the application of the GEA;

Or. en

Amendment 164

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 77

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
77. Recalls that the European Ombudsman, in her recommendation of 29 April 2019 in case 1651/2018/THH, found that Parliament’s refusal to grant public access to documents related to the revision of the list of expenses covered by the GEA constituted maladministration, recommending access be granted to the Parliament Bureau’s ad hoc Working Group proposal; regrets that Parliament rejected this recommendation and urges reconsideration;	77. Recalls that Parliament makes public all relevant documents related to the GEA, in line with existing rules and with the overarching objective of ensuring that the decision making process of the Parliament remains objective, sound and transparent towards the citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 165

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 78

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
78. Calls for reform of the GEA, whereby Members keep all receipts related to the GEA, annually publish a private overview of expenditure to DG FINS, and that Parliament establish an annual 5 % sample check of GEA expenditure by Members;	78. Calls for reform of the GEA, whereby Members keep all receipts related to the GEA, annually publish a private overview of expenditure to DG FINS, and that Parliament establish an annual 5 % sample check of GEA expenditure by Members; reiterate the request for more clarity and guidance for Members on what the GEA can be used for as well as the return of the unspent share of the GEA at the end of the mandate; request to produce a study of the financial impact of moving from the current system to the reform requested by the parliament for more transparency, identifying additional costs but also possible savings in particular with the return of GEA at the end of the mandate;

Or. en

Amendment 166

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 78

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
78. Calls for reform of the GEA, whereby Members keep all receipts related to the GEA, annually publish a private overview of expenditure to DG FINS, and that Parliament establish an annual 5 % sample check of GEA expenditure by Members;	78. Calls for reform of the GEA, to ensure minimum accountability standards: requires Members to retain supporting documents for the full retention period; establishes a standardised annual declaration of categories of expenditure to be submitted to DG FINS; introduces a meaningful, risk-based sampling strategy (including a minimum annual sample) with the possibility of expanded checks where red flags arise; and calls for publication of an annual, standardised overview per Member, while respecting legitimate privacy and security considerations;

Or. en

Amendment 167

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 78

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
78. Calls for reform of the GEA, whereby Members keep all receipts related to the GEA, annually publish a private overview of expenditure to DG FINS, and that Parliament establish an annual 5 % sample check of GEA expenditure by Members;	78. Calls for the GEA to continue to be implemented following strictly the existing rules and highlights the need to take into account aspects of transparency, accountability and sound financial management made available to Members, bearing in mind the principle of freedom and independence of the parliamentary mandate and the objective of legal certainty for Members as well as avoiding an unnecessary administrative burden for Members, their offices and Parliament’s services;

Or. en

Amendment 168

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 79 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	79 a. Calls the Parliament to adopt a comprehensive Digital Transformation Strategy, with objectives and timeline, incorporating technical solutions for document management, voting, and communication, to ensure transparency, improve workflow efficiency, safeguard security and move towards a paperless administration; stresses that the digital transformation strategy should focus on measures that would enhance sustainability, save costs, and improve security; calls for the development of user-friendly digital platforms to enhance e-participation, allowing EU citizens to provide feedback on proposed legislation and access Parliament's activities in real time; ensure that the strategy provides digital literacy training; calls on the Parliament to consider creating a Digitisaiton Fund with the aim of supportive initiatives developed as part of the digital transformation strategy;

Or. en

Amendment 169

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 87 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	87a. Notes with concern that, despite the investments made and the proliferation of electronic forms, the e-Portal is not reliable, smooth or coherent, which means ongoing processing delays, technical issues, encoding errors and more red tape for Members and their teams; calls, therefore, on DG FINS to remedy as a matter of urgency the ongoing issues with the e-Portal and to ensure that Members have an operational, effective and fully functional tool that is in line with the objectives of sound administrative and financial management;

Or. fr

Amendment 170

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 88

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
88. Welcomes the establishment of a new governance framework for AI, with an AI Governance Board overseeing Parliament’s AI strategy and roadmap and ensuring regulatory compliance and ethical oversight, an Inter-DG Steering Group on AI responsible for drafting AI strategies, develop key capabilities and ensure long-term safety and sustainability, and an AI Centre of Competence within DG ITEC, that guides, promotes and monitors AI initiatives across Parliament; notes that this governance framework will ensure transparency and compliance with Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council3 , which entered into force on 1 August 2024 with its provisions becoming applicable from 2025 onwards; notes that Parliament’s members of staff can make use of third-party publicly available generative AI tools if they respect the guidelines on the use of publicly available AI tools for Parliament’s members of staff, approved by the Secretary-General on 16 April 2024, under the strict understanding that they support professional duties only;	88. Welcomes the establishment of a new governance framework for AI, with an AI Governance Board overseeing Parliament’s AI strategy and roadmap and ensuring regulatory compliance and ethical oversight, an Inter-DG Steering Group on AI responsible for drafting AI strategies, develop key capabilities and ensure long-term safety and sustainability, and an AI Centre of Competence within DG ITEC, that guides, promotes and monitors AI initiatives across Parliament; notes that this governance framework will ensure transparency and compliance with Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council3 , which entered into force on 1 August 2024 with its provisions becoming applicable from 2025 onwards; notes that Parliament’s members of staff can make use of third-party publicly available generative AI tools if they respect the guidelines on the use of publicly available AI tools for Parliament’s members of staff, approved by the Secretary-General on 16 April 2024, under the strict understanding that they support professional duties only; calls on the administration to step up its efforts to train staff in the efficient and secure use of new technologies such AI, so that it does not lead to a reduction in the number of workers;
_________________	_________________
3 Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act) (OJ L, 2024/1689, 12.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj).	3 Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act) (OJ L, 2024/1689, 12.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj).

Or. en

Amendment 171

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 89

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
89. Notes that, in 2024, six reports of whistleblower cases were received under the Internal Rules Implementing Article 22c of the Staff Regulations, five through official channels and one from another Union institution; notes that one case was referred to the EPPO, two led to administrative inquiries, and one was sent to the Consultative Committee on the Code of Conduct of Members, with the external report also triggering an inquiry;	89. Notes that, in 2024, six reports of whistleblower cases were received under the Internal Rules Implementing Article 22c of the Staff Regulations, five through official channels and one from another Union institution; notes that one case was referred to the EPPO, two led to administrative inquiries, and one was sent to the Consultative Committee on the Code of Conduct of Members, with the external report also triggering an inquiry; expresses concern that in 2024 the Court of Justice ruled in Case T- 793/22 that the European Parliament had not taken all the measures necessary to ensure that a whistleblower had balanced and effective protection against any form of retaliation; notes that the Court also found that the Parliament did not adequately protect the whistleblower’s confidentiality; urges Parliament to bring its internal rules fully in line with Directive (EU) 2019/1937;

Or. en

Amendment 172

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 90

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
90. Welcomes that ethics training remained a priority but regrets that only 13 ‘Let’s Talk Ethics’ sessions trained 178 staff, tailored courses reached 109 participants, and the mandatory induction for APAs achieved a 72 % completion rate; welcomes that the new course for managers on ethical leadership and harassment prevention trained 320 managers across 33 sessions;	90. Welcomes that ethics training remained a priority and that 13 ‘Let’s Talk Ethics’ sessions trained 178 staff, tailored courses reached 109 participants, and the mandatory induction for APAs achieved a 72 % completion rate; welcomes that the new course for managers on ethical leadership and harassment prevention trained 320 managers across 33 sessions;

Or. en

Amendment 173

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 91

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
91. Insists that the measures of transparency, accountability, and ethical governance be reinforced; considers that Parliament has to strengthen its culture of integrity, embedding ethical standards into daily operations and reinforcing its legitimacy in oversight;	91. Notes the existing measures in place related to transparency and accountability; considers that Parliament must continue to project trust and integrity in the eyes of the citizens, including s into daily operations and reinforcing its legitimacy in oversight, while ensuring the independence of Members in fulfilling their mandate;

Or. en

Amendment 174

Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 91 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	91 a. Emphasises the importance of maintaining institutional integrity and strengthening the Parliament’s resilience against potential foreign interference; condemns any improper attempt to influence the legislative activities of the European Parliament; underlines, in this context, the essential responsibility of OLAF to carry out all necessary in-depth investigations; stresses the key role played by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in protecting the European Union’s financial interests; recalls the Agreement establishing an interinstitutional body for ethical standards for members of institutions and advisory bodies referred to in Article 13 of the Treaty on European Union, and insists on its swift and effective implementation across all EU institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 175

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 91 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	91 a. Acknowledges the positive evaluation of the technical implementation of the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament regarding the Integrity and Transparency, as reported to the Bureau; calls for additional efforts to enhance transparency across all sectors and services of Parliament, with particular emphasis on legislative production; in this regard invites Parliament administration not to limit introduction of transparency requirements to management level;

Or. en

Amendment 176

Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 91 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	91 a. Highlights that the ongoing investigation and the lack of real results regarding the criminal case, which was revealed at the end of 2022 shows, that the European Parliament’s rules to protect the financial interests of the EU and to ensure transparency and avoid misconduct have failed to function, as it has been revealed that for several years there was active involvement of European Parliamentarians in a maffia like network engaging in corruption, money laundering;

Or. en

Amendment 177

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 91 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	91 a. Notes that the European Parliament has been a contracting party to the interinstitutional agreement establishing an interinstitutional body for ethical standards since 17 May 2024; notes that Article 6 of this agreement provides for the development of common ethical standards; regrets that work on this has not yet begun; calls on the European Parliament to fulfil its obligations under this agreement;

Or. en

Amendment 178

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 91 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	91 b. Notes recurring concerns about the handling of complaints related to potential conflicts of interest involving Members, in particular where such complaints remain pending for prolonged periods without a decision being taken; regrets the lack of timely feedback provided to complainants in such cases; stresses that an effective ethics framework requires that all complaints be assessed diligently, within a reasonable timeframe and with appropriate communication to complainants; recalls that the rules prohibit Members from engaging in paid lobbying activities directly linked to the Union decision-making process and underlines that holding remunerated positions in organisations in the scope of the Transparency Register, while simultaneously exercising parliamentary functions in the same policy area or engaging in related contacts with the Commission or Council, is incompatible with these rules; calls for such situations to be properly examined and, where breaches are established, for proportionate and dissuasive sanctions to be applied;

Or. en

Amendment 179

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 91 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	91 b. Recalls that the Parliament remains bound by the Agreement establishing an interinstitutional body for ethical standards for members of institutions and advisory bodies referred to in Article 13 of the Treaty on European Union; recalls that the Parliament is therefore required to comply with its provisions without any further delay; regrets the rejection of amendments seeking to align the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure with that agreement;

Or. en

Amendment 180

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 94

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
94. Notes that the work is progressing on Parliament’s internal platform dedicated to generative AI; reiterates that this platform is a key element for the compliant and secure implementation of AI projects;	94. Notes that the work is progressing on Parliament’s internal platform dedicated to generative AI; reiterates that this platform is a key element for the compliant and secure implementation of AI projects, particularly for the support of Members in their activities;

Or. en

Amendment 181

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 95 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	95 a. Calls on the Parliament’s administration to further strengthen transparency and accessibility of parliamentary work by ensuring the systematic availability of digital, searchable and reusable transcripts of all committee debates, including exchanges with Commissioners, experts and stakeholders; stresses that such transcripts should be made available in a timely manner; underlines that improved access to committee debates would enhance democratic scrutiny, institutional memory and citizens’ understanding of the Parliament’s legislative work;

Or. en

Amendment 182

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 95 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	95 b. Acknowledges the significant improvements made to the plenary website, including enhanced accessibility of roll-call vote (RCV) verification tools, which have contributed to greater transparency and accuracy of parliamentary voting records; nevertheless calls for further improvements to the usability and presentation of voting-related information;

Or. en

Amendment 183

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 96

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
96. Notes with concern the excessively high costs of the Voluntary Pension Scheme, which impose a substantial and unsustainable burden on the Union budget through a persistent deficit of EUR 105 million at the end of 2024 and limited assets of EUR 23,17 million projected to be exhausted by late 2026; notes that escalating obligations stem from payment commitments to over 900 members until at least 2074;	96. Notes the underfunding of the Voluntary Pension Scheme, through a deficit of EUR 105 million at the end of 2024 and limited assets of EUR 23,17 million projected to be exhausted by late 2026; notes that obligations stem from legal payment commitments to over 900 members until at least 2074;

Or. en

Amendment 184

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 96

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
96. Notes with concern the excessively high costs of the Voluntary Pension Scheme, which impose a substantial and unsustainable burden on the Union budget through a persistent deficit of EUR 105 million at the end of 2024 and limited assets of EUR 23,17 million projected to be exhausted by late 2026; notes that escalating obligations stem from payment commitments to over 900 members until at least 2074;	96. Notes with concern the excessively high costs of the Voluntary Pension Scheme, which impose a substantial burden on the Union budget through a persistent deficit of EUR 105 million at the end of 2024 and limited assets of EUR 23,17 million projected to be exhausted by late 2026; notes that escalating obligations stem from payment commitments to over 900 members until at least 2074;

Or. en

Amendment 185

Jonas Sjöstedt

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 99

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
99. Notes that the Bureau decision of 12 June 20234 has been challenged by a 405 voluntary pension scheme beneficiaries and that they have filed a complaint in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU); recalls the remarks made by the Secretary-General in the hearing of 8 December in anticipation of the ruling of the CJEU and the potential courses of action; notes that the General Court of the European Union ruled on 17 December 2025 to dismiss the actions of the former Members; asks the administration and the Bureau to address the matter once again only after the legal assessment of the CJEU is delivered in order to consider the future of the voluntary pension scheme and Parliament’s role therein;	99. Notes that the Bureau decision of 12 June 20234 has been challenged by a 405 voluntary pension scheme beneficiaries and that they have filed a complaint in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU); recalls the remarks made by the Secretary-General in the hearing of 8 December in anticipation of the ruling of the CJEU and the potential courses of action; notes that the General Court of the European Union ruled on 17 December 2025 to dismiss the actions of the former Members; asks the administration and the Bureau to address the matter once again only after the legal assessment of the CJEU is delivered in order to consider the future of the voluntary pension scheme and Parliament’s role therein; in particular invites to consider to revise the decision taken by the Bureau on 1 April 2009 about the financial liability of the Parliament over the funds in order to avoid that no taxpayer money is used for any future bail-out;
_________________
4 Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 12 June 2023 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ C 227, 29.6.2023, p. 5).

Or. en

Amendment 186

Giuseppe Lupo

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 99

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
99. Notes that the Bureau decision of 12 June 20234 has been challenged by a 405 voluntary pension scheme beneficiaries and that they have filed a complaint in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU); recalls the remarks made by the Secretary-General in the hearing of 8 December in anticipation of the ruling of the CJEU and the potential courses of action; notes that the General Court of the European Union ruled on 17 December 2025 to dismiss the actions of the former Members; asks the administration and the Bureau to address the matter once again only after the legal assessment of the CJEU is delivered in order to consider the future of the voluntary pension scheme and Parliament’s role therein;	99. Notes that the Bureau decision of 12 June 20234 has been challenged by a 405 voluntary pension scheme beneficiaries and that they have filed a complaint in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU); recalls the remarks made by the Secretary-General in the hearing of 8 December in anticipation of the ruling of the CJEU and the potential courses of action; notes that the General Court of the European Union ruled on 17 December 2025 to dismiss the actions of the former Members; recall that the CJEU ruled that "a right is considered to be acquired when the event giving rise to it occurred before the legislative amendment"4a; asks the administration and the Bureau to address the matter once again only after the legal assessment of the CJEU is delivered in order to consider the future of the voluntary pension scheme and Parliament’s role therein;
_________________	_________________
4 Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 12 June 2023 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ C 227, 29.6.2023, p. 5).	4 Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 12 June 2023 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ C 227, 29.6.2023, p. 5).
	4a https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62023TJ0620

Or. en

Amendment 187

Adrián Vázquez Lázara, José Cepeda

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 99

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
99. Notes that the Bureau decision of 12 June 20234 has been challenged by a 405 voluntary pension scheme beneficiaries and that they have filed a complaint in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU); recalls the remarks made by the Secretary-General in the hearing of 8 December in anticipation of the ruling of the CJEU and the potential courses of action; notes that the General Court of the European Union ruled on 17 December 2025 to dismiss the actions of the former Members; asks the administration and the Bureau to address the matter once again only after the legal assessment of the CJEU is delivered in order to consider the future of the voluntary pension scheme and Parliament’s role therein;	99. Notes that the Bureau decision of 12 June 20234 has been challenged by 405 voluntary pension scheme beneficiaries before the General Court of the European Union ; recalls the remarks made by the Secretary-General in the hearing of 8 December in anticipation of the ruling of the General Court and the potential courses of action; notes that the General Court of the European Union ruled on 17 December 2025 to dismiss the actions of the former Members; asks the administration and the Bureau to address the matter and take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment of the General Court of the European Union;
_________________	_________________
4 Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 12 June 2023 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ C 227, 29.6.2023, p. 5).	4 Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 12 June 2023 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ C 227, 29.6.2023, p. 5).

Or. en

Amendment 188

Joachim Stanisław Brudziński

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 99 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	99 a. Stresses that this situation cannot remain unresolved and requires a clear and definitive outcome. Underlines the need for a timely resolution, once the legal assessment of the CJEU is delivered, in order to ensure legal certainty for all beneficiaries and for Parliament;

Or. en

Amendment 189

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 100 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	100 a. Calls on Parliament to enhance transparency and public scrutiny of procurement by publishing structured, machine-readable data on awarded contracts (including contract modifications and key performance indicators) and to systematically apply ambitious green and social procurement criteria, including due-diligence expectations in supply chains and enforcement through contract management;

Or. en

Amendment 190

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron, Tamás Deutsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 101 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	101a. Is concerned about the use of the exceptional negotiated procedure, which does not appear to be particularly 'exceptional', especially in the case of a contract valued at EUR 17 427.85 awarded to Luis Limousine for transfer services in New York during the week of the UN session (21-24 September 2024) for the President and her delegation, and a contract valued at EUR 22 000 concluded with the Malta Police Department to pay for the additional hours required to drive a VIP vehicle during the President's visit to Malta in 2024; questions the use of such a procedure for services required during visits that are entirely foreseeable and included long in advance in Parliament's agenda for the year;

Or. fr

Amendment 191

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 101 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	101b. Recalls that the ECA highlights a number of shortcomings in its annual report, stating 'we identified weaknesses in two procurement procedures led by the European Parliament. One involved an IT contract with a specific 6-year duration that was not sufficiently justified, despite the Financial Regulation generally limiting such contracts to 4 years, except in duly justified cases'; calls on Parliament to address these weaknesses as soon as possible and to review its procedures in this area;

Or. fr

Amendment 192

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 102

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
102. Notes that 2024 was a challenging year for presenting the expenditure accounted under budget item 400 for two reasons, the first being that it was an European election year, with expenditure split between the first half of 2024 (the ninth legislative term) and the second half of 2024 (the tenth legislative term), and the fact that the final accounts that were audited for the first half of 2024 of one of the political groups (ID Group) contained serious irregularities; notes that the first Vice-President, in the hearing on 8 December, also indicated that there was additional information asked regarding the accounts for the second half of 2024, which was still awaited by the Bureau before taking a decision on providing the information to the discharge authority; strongly regrets that, in the absence of the required supporting documentation, the Bureau cannot approve the consolidated information on budget item 400; urges the Bureau to inform the discharge authority about the relevant financial information for budget item 400 as soon as it is available;	102. Notes that 2024 was a challenging year for presenting the expenditure accounted under budget item 400 for two reasons, the first being that it was an European election year, with expenditure split between the first half of 2024 (the ninth legislative term) and the second half of 2024 (the tenth legislative term), and the fact that the final accounts that were audited for the first half of 2024 of one of the political groups (ID Group) contained serious irregularities;

Or. fr

Amendment 193

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 102

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
102. Notes that 2024 was a challenging year for presenting the expenditure accounted under budget item 400 for two reasons, the first being that it was an European election year, with expenditure split between the first half of 2024 (the ninth legislative term) and the second half of 2024 (the tenth legislative term), and the fact that the final accounts that were audited for the first half of 2024 of one of the political groups (ID Group) contained serious irregularities; notes that the first Vice-President, in the hearing on 8 December, also indicated that there was additional information asked regarding the accounts for the second half of 2024, which was still awaited by the Bureau before taking a decision on providing the information to the discharge authority; strongly regrets that, in the absence of the required supporting documentation, the Bureau cannot approve the consolidated information on budget item 400; urges the Bureau to inform the discharge authority about the relevant financial information for budget item 400 as soon as it is available;	102. Notes that 2024 was a challenging year for presenting the expenditure accounted under budget item 400 for two reasons, the first being that it was an European election year, with expenditure split between the first half of 2024 (the ninth legislative term) and the second half of 2024 (the tenth legislative term), and the fact that the final accounts that were audited for the first half of 2024 of one of the political groups (ID Group) contained serious irregularities; notes that the first Vice-President, in the hearing on 8 December, also indicated that there was additional information asked regarding the accounts for the second half of 2024, which was still awaited by the Bureau before taking a decision on providing the information to the discharge authority; notes the letter of 20 January 2026 of the Parliament’s Secretary-General to the Chair of the CONT Committee submitting the audit reports for the second half of 2024 for seven of the eight political groups; notes the unqualified opinion for each report; notes that the report of the Patriots for Europe Group for the second half of 2024 is still missing because of ongoing exchanges between that political group and the Parliament’s competent services; calls on both the Patriots for Europe Group and the Parliament’s competent services to swiftly resolve the open issues and inform the discharge authority of the outcome;

Or. en

Amendment 194

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 102

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
102. Notes that 2024 was a challenging year for presenting the expenditure accounted under budget item 400 for two reasons, the first being that it was an European election year, with expenditure split between the first half of 2024 (the ninth legislative term) and the second half of 2024 (the tenth legislative term), and the fact that the final accounts that were audited for the first half of 2024 of one of the political groups (ID Group) contained serious irregularities; notes that the first Vice-President, in the hearing on 8 December, also indicated that there was additional information asked regarding the accounts for the second half of 2024, which was still awaited by the Bureau before taking a decision on providing the information to the discharge authority; strongly regrets that, in the absence of the required supporting documentation, the Bureau cannot approve the consolidated information on budget item 400; urges the Bureau to inform the discharge authority about the relevant financial information for budget item 400 as soon as it is available;	102. Notes that 2024 was a challenging year for presenting the expenditure accounted under budget item 400 for two reasons, the first being that it was an European election year, with expenditure split between the first half of 2024 (the ninth legislative term) and the second half of 2024 (the tenth legislative term), and the fact that the final accounts that were audited for the first half of 2024 of one of the political groups (ID Group) contained serious irregularities; notes that the Vice-Presidents, in the hearing on 8 December, also indicated that there was additional information asked regarding the accounts for the second half of 2024, which was still awaited by the Bureau before engaging with the discharge authority again; notes that, in the absence of the required supporting documentation, the Bureau cannot approve the consolidated information on budget item 400; urges the administration to inform the discharge authority about the relevant financial information for budget item 400 as soon as it is available;

Or. en

Amendment 195

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 103

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
103. Notes reports accusing the Patriots for Europe (PfE) Group of misusing at least EUR 171 644 in funds during the second half of 2024; notes that Parliament’s administration has requested clarification from the PfE Group; regrets that documents clarifying these expenditures have still not been provided;	103. Deeply regrets that the discharge authority has not yet been provided with the Patriots for Europe’s (PfE) financial report for the second financial period of 2024; notes reports accusing the Patriots for Europe (PfE) Group of misusing at least EUR 171 644 in funds during the second half of 2024; notes that Parliament’s administration has requested clarification from the PfE Group; regrets that documents clarifying these expenditures have still not been provided; expects to be informed without delay of any further developments and of the outcome of the administrative follow-up in this matter; calls on the Bureau, as a precautionary measure, to ensure that no further funds are disbursed to the PfE Group until the outstanding financial report has been submitted and the alleged irregularities have been fully clarified;

Or. en

Amendment 196

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 103

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
103. Notes reports accusing the Patriots for Europe (PfE) Group of misusing at least EUR 171 644 in funds during the second half of 2024; notes that Parliament’s administration has requested clarification from the PfE Group; regrets that documents clarifying these expenditures have still not been provided;	103. Notes media reports accusing the Patriots for Europe (PfE) Group of misusing at least EUR 171 644 in funds during the second half of 2024; notes that Parliament’s administration has requested clarification from the PfE Group; regrets that the discharge authority has not yet been informed about the outcome of the procedure;

Or. en

Amendment 197

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 103

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
103. Notes reports accusing the Patriots for Europe (PfE) Group of misusing at least EUR 171 644 in funds during the second half of 2024; notes that Parliament’s administration has requested clarification from the PfE Group; regrets that documents clarifying these expenditures have still not been provided;	103. Notes reports accusing the Patriots for Europe (PfE) Group of misusing at least EUR 171 644 in funds during the second half of 2024; notes that Parliament’s administration has requested clarification from the PfE Group; notes that documents clarifying these expenditures have still not been provided;

Or. en

Amendment 198

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 103 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	103 a. Notes reports by the German news magazine Stern alleging that an ESN Group Member hosted a group congress involving staff and family members, with potential costs charged to Parliament’s budget under item 400, and that donations were allegedly collected during this event for a right-wing women’s network linked to close family and staff members of ESN Group Members; recalls that expenditure under budget item 400 must be strictly limited to parliamentary activities of the political groups and fully comply with the applicable rules; urges DG FINS to investigate the case; and inform the discharge authority without delay should any non-compliance be detected;

Or. en

Amendment 199

Damian Boeselager

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Daniel Freund

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 103 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	103 b. Notes that the "Financing of Political Groups and Non-Attached Members Unit", responsible for overseeing the use of budget line 400, has only five financial officers, three of whom, due to the constraints of the Rules governing budget line 400, monitor exclusively the expenditure of non-attached Members, and that oversight of political groups is therefore insufficient; calls, therefore, on the Bureau to reinforce the staff resources allocated to this Unit in order to ensure effective financial control of political groups' use of the budget item 400;

Or. en

Amendment 200

Niclas Herbst

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 104

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
104. Encourages Parliament to explore alternative arrangements to the exclusive financial responsibility entrusted to political groups; calls for strengthened oversight mechanisms within DG FINS to ensure sound financial management, effective controls and full accountability for public funds;	104. recalls the exclusive financial responsibility entrusted to political groups and their commitment to ensure sound financial management, effective controls and full accountability for public funds;

Or. en

Amendment 201

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 104 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	104a. Questions the EUR 62 171.30 spent under budget item 400 on a Munich-based limousine company by the chair of one of Parliament's political groups; points out that these appropriations are intended for communication activities and that the services provided by this company do not appear to meet the specifications laid down in the rules on budget item 400;

Or. fr

Amendment 202

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 104 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	104b. Recalls that the final report on 'European Parliament elections, 6-9 June 2024' of the ODIHR Special Election Assessment Mission of the OSCE states that not all Member States require election campaign finance reports (Germany, Malta and the Netherlands), and that some only ask for partial information or only disclose the identity of some donors on the basis of differing thresholds, thereby reducing transparency; highly recommends that consideration be given to the OSCE's observations calling for more transparency in this area to enable voters to make an informed choice;

Or. fr

Amendment 203

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 110 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	110a. Is concerned that certain European political parties[1] (primarily donations received by the ALDE from Microsoft, Vodafone, etc.) and European political foundations[2] (donations received by the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies from Janssen Pharmaceutica, Apple, Google, etc., donations from George Soros's Open Society to the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and the Green European Foundation, donations from Google, Janssen, Apple, Microsoft and Vodafone to the European Liberal Forum, etc.) are partly funded by large IT, pharmaceutical and other groups, whose parent companies are American in particular, which can be seen as tantamount to lobbying and thus imply a degree of influence over the legislative process or contribution to election campaigns;warns therefore against potential conflicts of interest that could arise from this legal, yet ethically questionable, situation, particularly when members of those political groups are rapporteurs on files concerning these sectors;expresses its deep concern that this could arouse suspicions of foreign interference;
	[1] https://www.appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/301297/2024%20PARTIES%20Contributions%20and%20Donations.pdf.
	[2] https://www.appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/300386/2024%20FOUNDATIONS%20Contributions%20and%20Donations.pdf.

Or. fr

Amendment 204

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 110 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	110b. Points out that, as of the date of analysing the 2024 discharge, the 2024 accounts of the European political parties have yet to be closed by Parliament as the Bureau is due to give its opinion in spring 2026;

Or. fr

Amendment 205

Julien Sanchez, Virginie Joron

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 112

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
112. Stresses, that in light of the widened scope of the values verification procedure, which now also applies to member parties and member organisation, and other novelties in Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2025/2445, including the welcome updates for the protection of European democracy against foreign interference, it is essential to enhance appropriately the human resources of the Authority;	deleted

Or. fr