The European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control voted on Tuesday 29 January in Brussels in favour of a budget of €362.4 million (current prices) for the Union's 2021-2027 programme to combat fraud. It therefore proposes to double the amounts initially proposed by the European Commission.
The report by José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra (EPP, Spain), which slightly amends the initial proposal, was adopted with 17 votes in favour, none against and 2 abstentions.
After the plenary vote (11-14 February), MEPs will be ready to start negotiations with the Council on this programme as part of the next multiannual financial framework (MFF).
The amendments reflect the figures contained in the European Parliament's interim report (November 2018) on the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027.
The proposed programme provides for the renewal of most of the provisions of Hercule III, which covers the costs of providing specialised technical assistance to Member States as well as the organisation of targeted specialised training and other actions. The programme will also finance two key systems: the Anti-Fraud Information System (AFIS), which covers customs applications managed by the Commission, and the Irregularities Management System (IMS), which helps Member States to comply with their obligation to report detected irregularities (fraudulent and non-fraudulent) in relation to EU funds. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)