Brussels, 14/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - The 1999 annual report from the Court of Auditors refuses to approve the management of Community accounts, "except concerning own resources, commitment appropriations and staff expenditure of the Institutions". In the report to be presented on Wednesday by the president Karlsson to the MEPs, the Court denounces the problems "which are of the same kind as those noted in previous years". The problems of the Commission and Member State management and control systems "continue to be at the origin of a significant number of errors, mainly at the level of final beneficiaries", that is, payments. In its report, the Court evaluates the follow-up to its recommendations, dishing out good points (on actions concerning own resources, the aid programme to Africa) and bad points (organisation of wine production market, ERDF management). The Court also gives its opinion, which is somewhat favourable, to the administrative reform of the Commission, or at least on the proposals presented. The Court thus approves the principle of reform of the financial regulation, but waits to make a full judgement "once procedures have been set in place and are really working". The Court's report points to member State accountability as they are "responsible for the management of a large part of funds from the Community budget". The 1999 report and the special reports published during the year "continue to draw attention to the grave and persistent shortcomings affecting the management and control systems of Member States". "The Commission must insist more so that Member States fully apply" the control measures set out.
EUROPE will come back in greater detail tomorrow on the report and on the debate in Parliament.