Brussels, 12/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has called upon the European Commission to “promote adequate legislation on the protection of whistleblowers, access to information and the transparency of lobbying”, in its adoption (636 votes in favour, 9 against and 62 abstentions), in Strasbourg on Wednesday 11 March, of the report by Georgi Pirinski (S&D, Bulgaria) on the 2013 annual report on combating fraud against the EU budget.
The EP notes that although the overall financial impact of non-fraudulent irregularities reported in 2013 decreased to about €1.84 billion, or 38% less than in 2012, the number of such irregularities was up 16% on the previous year. It also notes that the number of fraudulent irregularities reported in 2013 increased by 30% compared with 2012, while the financial impact of these, involving €309 million in EU funding, was down by 21%.
The EP takes note of the fact that in 2013, the Commission closed 217 cases of interruption of payment in the cohesion policy area and that 131 were still open at the end of the year, involving a total amount of €1.977 million. It also acknowledges the fact that the Commission adopted 15 suspension decisions in 2013 and two in January 2014.
In a narrow adoption (333 votes in favour, 314 against and 56 abstentions) of an amendment tabled by the EFDD group, the EP expresses concern at the fact that in 2013, the EIB financed the 'Passante di Mestre' project for a total of €350 million and that, despite the fact that this project has been affected by corruption fraud, which led to the arrest of several of the people involved, it is considering whether to refinance the project for an initial amount of €700 million through 'project bonds'. The EP therefore asks that, in cases of proven fraud and corruption, the EIB be required to suspend and/or block any foreseen and ongoing financing for the project in question. (Lionel Changeur)