Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-11-15-Speech-3-022"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20001115.1.3-022"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Commissioner, Mr President of the Court of Auditors, ladies and gentlemen, this new report from the Court of Auditors which we have just received is of interest to the Committee on Budgetary Control because it makes a number of points concerning the problems of managing the Community budget, while at the same time warning us against the narrow interpretations that could be extracted from the crude exploitation of certain figures.
But in addition to these, Mr President, we need more detailed explanations and analyses in order to progress. Let me quickly expand upon three points.
First of all, there is a question of terminology: even though all too often no clear distinction is made between the notions of fraud and irregularity, the Court of Auditors warns us against the temptation to consider irregularities or errors as tantamount to cases of fraud. But it must be pointed out that the Court of Auditors itself says that cases of fraud are few in number.
This report raises another point: the problems linked to VAT. VAT is an important component of the Community budget revenues. But it has to be recognised that we are faced with a complex system. Rates differ from one Member State to the next; their make-up also differs from one Member State to the next. For example, there is regional VAT in some Member States. We also still need to continue to question the implementing of fiscal harmonisation.
The third point I would like to make concerns the debate which took place yesterday evening when the Court of Auditors’ presented its annual report to the Committee on Budgetary Control. The Court of Auditors was asked – and a number of speakers have reminded us of this morning – to explicitly name the Member States in which fraud and irregularities have been uncovered. I would warn us against the temptation to indulge in such practices. We are not looking for scapegoats, either in our institutions or in our Member States. What is more, as the working method applied by the Court of Auditors is based on sampling, we only have a partial view of the situation.
The report from the Court of Auditors highlights, somewhat more so than in the past, the situation regarding the management and control of Community funds by the Member States. This analysis should lead us, as MEPs, and the Commission to put forward proposals to improve the management and financial control systems which the Member States must implement in order to protect the financial interests of the European Union. In conclusion, I would call for improved cooperation with the Council."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples