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Adopted text

Discharge 2023: EU general budget - European Council and Council

TA-10-2025-0245 · P10_TA(2025)0245 · PE775.471

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

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.

Parliament refuses to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2023 budget, citing the Council's continued non-cooperation since 2009. The resolution calls on the Council to cooperate, resume negotiations, and follow up on Parliament's recommendations, and urges treaty reforms to improve transparency and decision-making.

Key points

  1. Refuses to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2023 financial year.
  2. Regrets the Council's refusal to answer Parliament's questionnaire and to participate in the discharge hearing.
  3. Emphasises Parliament's prerogative to grant discharge under Article 319 TFEU and the Financial Regulation.
  4. Finds incomprehensible the Council's belief that discharge should be granted to the Commission for the Council budget.
  5. Stresses the practice of granting discharge to each institution and the Commission's inability to oversee other institutions' budgets.
  6. Deplores the Council's lack of political willingness to collaborate, which has damaged trust in the Union.
  7. Calls on the Council to follow up on Parliament's recommendations and to resume negotiations at the highest level.
  8. Calls for the budget of the European Council and Council to be divided into two separate budgets.
  9. Regrets the Hungarian government's obstructive stance and calls for treaty reforms to enhance democratic decision-making.
  10. Welcomes the adoption of conclusions on support for Ukraine, but calls for mechanisms to bypass vetoes in urgent matters.
  11. Urges the Council to ensure the Presidency is conducted in line with Union law and deplores the Hungarian government's misconduct.

Who is affected

  • The Council and its Secretary-General, who are refused discharge and urged to cooperate with Parliament.
  • The Hungarian government, whose conduct in the European Council and Presidency is criticised.

Figures and deadlines

  • Since 2009, the Council has refused to cooperate in the discharge procedure.
  • On 20 September 2024, a questionnaire with 90 questions was sent to the Council.
  • On 23 September 2024, the Council refused to answer the questionnaire.
  • On 6 May 2025, the Council expressed willingness to cooperate.

Legal basis: Article 314(10) and Articles 317, 318 and 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union