On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section III – Commission, executive agencies and the ninth, tenth and eleventh European Development Funds
DEVE-AD-779677
Committee on Development · Rapporteur: Charles Goerens
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
The Committee on Development's opinion on the 2024 EU budget discharge expresses concern over budget cuts in development aid, urges respect for NDICI allocations, and calls for reduced error rates and improved transparency in EU development spending.¶¶¶ It demands better audit access, accountability in indirect management, visibility compliance, project durability, and support for local partners, while noting the decline in aid for trade to least developed countries.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the motion for a resolution on discharge for the 2024 budget.¶
Key points
- Is concerned about budget cuts in development and humanitarian aid from leading donors; insists on transparent, effective use of EU funds and against decreasing development funding for defence.¶
- Reminds the Commission to respect NDICI allocations, especially the EUR 29,181 billion for Sub-Saharan Africa for 2021-27; urges measures to close the 348 million gap.¶
- Welcomes ECA's specific assessment for heading 6 with 4.9% error rate, but calls for decisive efforts to reduce it below the 2.0% materiality threshold.¶
- Notes transparency problems with ECA's access to documents of international organisations; reiterates need for full audit access and strong EU-UN partnership.¶
- Calls for time-bound measures to reduce errors in indirect management and ensure transparency and accountability, with clearer guidance for partners.¶
- Demands strict compliance with visibility rules and stricter follow-up for repeated non-compliance.¶
- Insists on lasting impact of projects, local ownership, and adequate staffing of EU delegations for monitoring.¶
- Calls for adapting rules and procedures to make EU funds accessible to local partners, including simplified administrative procedures and sustained funding for NGOs.¶
- Notes that aid for trade to LDCs has dropped to 12%, away from the 25% target by 2030; invites interim milestones and a special approach for fragile contexts.¶
- Emphasises monitoring and publishing the impact of EU-funded measures on sustainable development and job creation.¶
Who is affected
- The Commission, which must respect budget allocations, reduce error rates, and improve transparency and monitoring.¶¶¶
- International organisations and financial institutions implementing EU funds, which face calls for transparency and audit access.¶¶
- Local implementing partners, NGOs, and civil society, which should benefit from simplified procedures and sustained funding.¶
- Least developed countries, which need support for trade capacity and a special approach in fragile contexts.¶