Brussels, 29/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 29 April, the European Parliament decided to postpone granting discharge on the spending of the 2013 budget by the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT) and by two European/private technology partnerships. (ITER, however, is taking the test, contrary to the recommendation of the Parliament's budgetary control committee - see EUROPE 11281).
The Budapest-based EIT has failed the first discharge test. MEPs are not satisfied with the payment verification processes before and after the projects contracted. Furthermore, MEPs question the EIT's use of public procurement processes by invitation only. The EIT has until December to prove to the legislators that is has improved its management of European resources.
Two of the seven projects launched as European partnerships with private companies (known as joint ventures) have failed to convince the Parliament of their adequate management of European funds. The Stockholm-based Artemis project (now known as ECSEL - the Electronics Components and Systems for European Leadership) and the Brussels-based ENIAC nanoelectronics project (European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council) were criticised by MEPs. However, contrary to the suggestion of its budgetary control committee, the Parliament agreed discharge on the spending of the 2013 budgets of the London-based Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) and of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. “This decision is a signal of trust to ITER after the serious management crisis the project went through last year” said MEPs Alain Lamassoure and Anne Sander.
For the fifth consecutive year, the budgetary control committee recommends postponing granting discharge on the 2013 budget of the Council and of the European Council, given the lack of cooperation with the Parliament on providing the necessary information. The Parliament will take its final decision on the postponed discharges in October. (Lionel Changeur)