Brussels, 18/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Committee on Budgetary Control (Cocobu) adopted the report by British Labour member Terry Wynn, who recommends approving the European Commission's accounts for 2003. At the same time, MEPs call on Member States to provide new control systems for the Community budget in order to allow the Commission to meet its obligations under Article 274 of the Treaty (Member States cooperate with the Commission to ensure that funding is used in compliance with good financial management principles). Mr Wynn's report recalls that, although the Commission assumes final responsibility for the implantation of the EU budget, it falls on Member States to execute the main part of the budget. He goes on to note that the distinction between financing and implementation of Community policy gives rise to an “inherent risk” in several fields: - Member States and beneficiaries do not always give Community resources the same attention as national resources when it comes to the way they are used; - control standards of Member States are heterogenous; - and sporadic sounding out methods of control are limited in nature. The committee adopted a compromise amendment considering that these problems would only be resolved by “centralised controls” and that the current situation clearly shows the need for new instruments allowing the Commission to better understand the Member State management and control systems. Cocobu therefore suggests that Member States should each year publish a declaration to certify the legality and regularity of operations and that the Commission should, by 1 October, present a report on the possibility of concluding a protocol on this subject with Member States. If this is not accepted, the Council and the Commission are “informed” that it will be difficult for the Parliament to conclude an interinstitutional agreement on the new financial perspectives, Cocobu warns. “What I propose”, the rapporteur explains, “is a simple and clear national declaration of assurance as regards EU funds. I want the current system of control to be further developed into a global disclosure statement per Member State. This goal should be realised sooner rather than later”.