Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-14-Speech-2-234"

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"en.19991214.10.2-234"2
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"Mr President, as the authority of the European Union increases, so too does the importance of the European Court of Auditors, which has been an independent body of the Community since the Maastricht Treaty. However, the quality of a body or an institution stands or falls with the people who bear the responsibility in it, which is why it is particularly important that candidates with the right specialist skills who are strong and independent of character be elected as members of the Court of Auditors. Because the task of the Court of Auditors is not always a pleasant one. The members of the Court of Auditors must monitor careful spending of European funds and be ruthless in pointing out irregularities. As far as spending by the European institutions is concerned, the confidence of the citizens of Europe has gradually been shaken in the past. It is, above all, thanks to the Court of Auditors that shortcomings have been uncovered. Now, however, we need to restore the confidence of the citizens of Europe in careful spending by the EU. The work of the Court of Auditors and its members will therefore be even more important and difficult over the coming years than ever before. All the challenges – enlargement, international competitiveness, sustained high unemployment – are linked to the question of funding and the remit of the Court of Auditors could change as a result. I think that its preventative work will increase. In my view, the eight members who were interviewed long and hard in the Committee on Budgetary Control have the qualities needed to carry out this work to the satisfaction of all concerned. I hope that you have the courage and strength to touch unerringly on sore points in the future, should it prove necessary. A strong Europe also needs a strong Court of Auditors. However, I make no bones about the fact that the Court of Auditors is weakened because the proportion of women is not high enough, let alone representative. This is a considerable fly in the ointment of the composition of the Court, even though the present candidates include a very impressive lady. The appeal to the Member States to propose women for this job therefore stands. It must have got out even in Europe that women too can count and they certainly have no problem in pointing out shortcomings!"@en1

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