Brussels, 27/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 26 September, MEPs from the budgetary control committee at the European Parliament recommended refusing to grant discharge to the secretary general of the Council on the execution of the Council's 2010 budget. The reason for this is the Council's lack of cooperation with the Parliament's committee.
When the MEPs had postponed their decision on the Council's accounts for 2010, they had asked for answers to a list of questions about the management of its budget. In particular, these questions concerned the financing of the Residence Palace building project, the costs related to setting up the post of High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy, and the budgetary consequences of transferring Council staff to the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Unlike other European institutions, the Council has repeatedly refused to cooperate with the budgetary control committee. Given that the committee received no response - either orally or in writing - it decided unanimously, by adopting the report of Ines Ayala Sender (S&D, Spain), to recommend that the Parliament refuse discharge to the Council. If the committee's decision is confirmed by the Parliament, it will be the second consecutive year that MEPs refuse discharge to the Council.
Council reaction. According to sources, the Council “fully recognises the right of the European Parliament to give the discharge to the whole EU budget”. However, Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU states that discharge is given solely and exclusively to the Commission. Since the European Parliament gave the discharge to the Commission on 10 May on the execution of the 2010 EU budget, the Council considers that the Parliament has given discharge to the entirety of the accounts, including the Council budget.
The Council is “very much committed” to the spirit of transparency. In fact, the Council says it has provided the European Parliament with all relevant information linked to the discharge procedure. The Council has also made several proposals for a “new approach in the discharge procedure” founded on transparency and full accountability on a reciprocal basis between the institutions. In spite of the fact that the Parliament had asked for such an approach, it has never taken position on the Council's offers. (LC/transl.fl)