The European Parliament called, on Tuesday 23 November, for a revision of the EU’s financial regulation, including strengthening the protection of the Union’s financial interests, taking into account the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation and updating the rules applicable to public contracts in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
The European Parliament adopted (534 votes in favour, 98 against and 57 abstentions) the report by Nils Ušakovs (S&D, Latvia) and Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany), which makes suggestions for the revision of the Financial Regulation to take account of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 (see EUROPE 12819/22).
Rule of law. The Parliament emphasises that there is a clear link between respect for the Rule of law and the proper implementation of the EU budget, including the Next Generation EU instrument. It stresses that sound financial management depends on the effective prosecution of fraud, including tax evasion and avoidance, corruption and conflicts of interest, as well as on judicial review of public authorities’ decisions by independent courts.
The European Parliament recalls that, when adopting the cross compliance regulation, the Parliament, the EU Council and the Commission agreed to consider including the content of the Conditionality Regulation in the Financial Regulation in its next revision. It therefore invites the Commission to present the proposal.
The Parliament also says that the Commission should ensure that expenditure from the EU budget is allocated to projects or organisations that respect the values of the Union as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, in order to protect the financial interests of the Union. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)