On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2023, Section I – European Parliament
CONT-PR-764999
Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Monika Hohlmeier
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This draft report proposes granting discharge to Parliament's President for the 2023 budget and includes a resolution with observations on financial management, internal controls, and various directorates.¶¶¶ It notes the budget totaled EUR 2,247 million, highlights Court of Auditors findings, and makes recommendations on simplification, fraud prevention, and administrative efficiency.¶¶¶ The report covers specific areas like cybersecurity, building projects, staff policies, and the voluntary pension fund, calling for improvements and reviews.¶¶¶
Committee position. The rapporteur proposes granting discharge to Parliament's President for the 2023 budget, with observations in a resolution that includes recommendations for improvements.¶¶
Key points
- Grants discharge to the President for implementing Parliament's 2023 budget, with observations in the accompanying resolution.¶¶
- Notes final appropriations of EUR 2,247 million, a 3.95% increase from 2022, and that six chapters accounted for 84.5% of commitments.¶¶
- Calls for aligning control methodologies across directorates-general and creating a forum for ex-ante verifiers to standardize procedures.¶
- Welcomes the implementation of the 14-point action plan on integrity and transparency and initiatives to prevent fraud.¶
- Notes the internal auditor's findings and calls for proposals to reduce bureaucracy and assess proportionality of administrative expenditure.¶¶
- Calls for a review of rules after 12 months to address administrative burden and legal uncertainty for Members.¶
- Highlights the need to reassess the rollout of Europa Experience centres based on performance and cost-effectiveness.¶¶
- Calls for more efficient selection procedures and addressing geographical imbalance in staff recruitment.¶¶
- Calls for a risk-based approach to auditing Members and reducing document retention periods to 7-10 years.¶¶
- Calls for equal treatment of local assistants and APAs, and for information courses in multiple languages.¶
- Calls for continued cybersecurity investments and a review of IT governance structures.¶¶
- Notes the voluntary pension fund's underfunding and asks to address its future only after the Court of Justice ruling.¶¶
Who is affected
- Members of the European Parliament and their offices, affecting rules on financial allowances and document retention.¶¶
- Parliament's staff, including accredited parliamentary assistants and local assistants, affecting recruitment, data protection, and working conditions.¶¶¶
- Political groups and non-attached Members, subject to budget item 400 rules and external audits.¶¶
- European political parties and foundations, monitored by the Authority for compliance and sanctions.¶¶
- Beneficiaries of the voluntary pension fund, affected by reduced pensions and increased retirement age.¶
Figures and deadlines
- EUR 2,247 million in final appropriations for 2023, a 3.95% increase from 2022.¶
- 84.5% of total commitments from six chapters.¶
- 70% of administrative expenditure on human resources including pensions.¶
- EUR 12.3 billion for Heading 7, with Parliament's share at EUR 2.3 billion (18.7%).¶
- 27 of 69 internal audit actions validated as implemented.¶
- 712 adjustments to Luxembourgish social allowance in June 2023.¶
- Over 8,500 participants at the European Youth Event, with 10,000 more online.¶
- Voluntary pension fund underfunded by EUR 99.0 million as of 31 December 2023.¶
Legal basis: Article 314(10) and Article 318 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶