On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022, Section II – European Council and Council
CONT-PR-761252
Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Jonas Sjöstedt
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This draft report proposes that Parliament refuse to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2022 budget, due to the Council's continued non-cooperation in the discharge procedure since 2009.¶¶ It calls on the Council to cooperate, resume negotiations, and respect Parliament's prerogatives, while stressing the need for transparency and democratic accountability.¶¶
Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament refuse to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2022 budget, citing the Council's non-cooperation.¶¶
Key points
- Parliament refuses to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2022 financial year.¶
- The Council has refused to answer Parliament's questionnaire and did not participate in the hearing, preventing informed scrutiny.¶¶
- Parliament emphasizes its sole responsibility to grant discharge under Article 319 TFEU and the need for transparency and democratic accountability.¶
- The Commission cannot oversee other institutions' budgets, so discharge should be granted to each institution individually.¶
- The Council's non-cooperation damages trust and discredits budget management; Parliament demands full respect for its prerogatives.¶¶
- A Treaty revision could clarify the discharge procedure, but pending that, interinstitutional cooperation must improve.¶
- Calls on the Council to resume negotiations at the highest level to break the deadlock.¶
- Parliament's observations from its discharge resolution of 23 April 2024 remain valid.¶