Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-22-Speech-2-296"
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"en.20021022.12.2-296"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Mrs Schreyer, if we are to take the Commission at its word when it makes these statements, then the new Financial Regulation is leading us into a new era of financial management, in which we will be able to resolve the problems of the past. We will simply have to wait and see.
What we can, unfortunately, see at the present time is that the new era is being ushered in by the weakening of Parliament's rights. The new Financial Regulation's rules of implementation, should, according to previous rules, have been decided on in agreement with Parliament. In law, the Commission is no longer obliged even to listen to Parliament. Of course, Mrs Schreyer, we welcome the way that you are doing that any way, as these rules of implementation do not apply to the Commission alone, but are in future to be applicable to all the EU institutions.
Let me pick out a number of points on which we should be asking the Commission to think again, if not to make improvements. Take the accounting officer: according to this proposal, the institutions have to select their accounting officers from the ranks of the civil service. Applications from outside will not be possible. This means that we are in fact spoiling our opportunities for even considering external candidates. You have told us, Mrs Schreyer, that the Statute prevents this.
Let me turn to the accounting officer's functional independence, on which depends the reliability and credibility of the figures we have to present to the public in their capacity as contributors to the European Union. The draft has nothing to say about this. Why do you not give the accounting officer a right of appeal against attempts at interference in his work, as you have to the internal auditor?
There are other aspects that cause me concern; one example is the so-called panel on financial irregularities. I hope that is not meant to compete with OLAF or even interfere with its work.
Conflicts of interest are given a comprehensive and appropriate definition in the Financial Regulation, but the rules of implementation make it look as if this can be simply evaded.
Finally, Article 84's provisions on the waiver or claims open the door to waiving the recovery of debts. It will be the European taxpayer who will have to cough up for these decisions, by paying additional contributions.
Thanks are due to the rapporteur, Mr van Hulten, for the speed with which he has worked under enormous pressure of time."@en1
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