Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-02-01-Speech-3-119"
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"en.20060201.14.3-119"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for this opportunity to explain the Council's opinion on this important issue, the statement of assurance (DAS) to be issued by the European Court of Auditors on the management of the Community budget. I would like to begin with the rather obvious comment that the management of the Community budget is very complicated, and is unique in the world.
In the Council's opinion, the Member States should continue to work with the Commission to implement and improve controls in relation to funds for which they have joint responsibility for managing. This should take account of the competences pursuant to the Treaty, the Financial Regulation and the relevant provisions of the sectoral regulations.
For example, some Member States are prepared to take precautions within the framework of the Confidence Pact, as provided for in connection with the Structural Funds programmes. As the Member States are in agreement in the Council, I am speaking for all the Member States, not just for the Council itself.
As you know, the Commission's services have published an initial analysis of the deficiencies of their internal control framework in comparison with the control principles set out in the Court of Auditors' proposal for a Community internal control framework. In connection with the shared management, the Council has requested the Commission to assess the implementation of the current regulations concerning sample checks on operations, paying authorities and winding up bodies' activities.
The Council conclusions propose that the Commission, working with the Member States, should provide an assessment of the present controls at sector and regional level and the value of existing statements and declarations.
I will now turn to the subject of the audit. In setting up the internal control framework we must make a distinction between internal controls and the external audit. Any form of cooperation between independent supreme audit institutions can only be based on the Treaty, as these authorities are not part of the internal control framework. This is an important point. Some audit authorities are willing to discuss with the Court of Auditors how they might strengthen their contribution. I can assure you that all the Member States have expressed a willingness to do everything they can to reduce the risk of error and to improve controls.
The Commission and the Member States should ensure that their approach to the integrated internal control framework is based on common control standards, and to confer with one another on how these standards can most effectively be implemented.
To that end, the Council encourages the Member States to hold bilateral discussions with the Court of Auditors on the results of their DAS audits, in order to solve systemic problems. It requests the Commission to provide it with a report on solutions for problems common to several Member States. Finally – and this is particularly important – the Court of Auditors has proposed that the European Parliament and the Council should come to a common understanding regarding the risks to be tolerated in the underlying transactions.
The Council's conclusions place considerable importance on this common understanding, and the Council eagerly awaits further progress in this regard.
I now come to a subject that is very important to all of us: simplification. There is a need for simplification regarding harmonisation of the control principles, of legislation and of the control requirements in connection with the regulations to be adopted for the programming period 2007-2013. In the Council's opinion, simplification must under no circumstances lead to an increase in the current administration and control costs. What is more, it should ensure elimination of multiple internal controls by the various parties involved in the control framework.
Finally, I would like to talk about the extremely important subject of the declarations associated with the decentralised management of EU funds. The Council sees the existing declarations at operational level as a means of providing the Commission, and ultimately the Court of Auditors, with assurances. They must be useful and cost-efficient and can be taken into account when it comes to achieving a positive statement of assurance. It must be ensured that the existing balance between the Commission and the Member States is not threatened.
It covers many levels of government, from the various Commission services, via central, regional and local government in the Member States, to the individual final beneficiaries. It is in the interests of all those involved, including the budgetary and discharge authorities, to contribute to the proper management of budgetary funds.
I am aware that you expected more in this connection, but I am sure you will agree with me that the text itself can be regarded as a significant and important step forward. In order to make further progress in this matter, the Council has agreed, on the occasion of the 2004 discharge process, to examine the Commission's Action Plan to fill the gaps in the present control framework. The Council conclusions of 8 November will, of course, be followed by further steps in 2006.
A positive statement of assurance is, as has already been said, an important and very ambitious goal, which cannot be achieved overnight. I think, however, that the Council conclusions are an important step towards reaching this goal. They also confirm that the Council continues to support the Commission in its efforts to make an active contribution to financial management at all levels.
Some of you perhaps take the view that the Council should have gone a step further, and I can well understand that. You should bear in mind, though, that on this topic the Presidency was restricted by the need for unanimity. Thank you for your attention!
As you have in this House, so likewise we in the Council have repeatedly expressed our disappointment at the situation, particularly in connection with the discharge procedure. Following detailed discussions in the Council and in the Council bodies, the Council adopted conclusions on the Commission communication on the roadmap on 8 November, and I can assure you that it was not easy.
This document summarises the discussions held by a group of experts from all the Member States, representing the ministries of finance, the operating authorities and the audit authorities, in a two-day hearing held jointly with the Commission. This preparatory work formed a good basis for the detailed discussions in the Council bodies, and proved to be useful in that we reached agreement on the aforementioned Council conclusions. I assume you have already had an opportunity to read this document, so I need only mention the most important points here.
I would like to leave the aspect of the declarations to be made by the individual Member States to the end of my comments. I know that this issue is particularly important to you, but I would ask you to be patient.
The Council emphasises in its conclusions that numerous efforts have already been made to improve sound financial management: the introduction of internal audits, stricter requirements regarding the accountability of the Commission's accounting officer and implementation of the integrated administration and control system, to name just a few.
In view of the importance of the Structural Funds in the European Union's budget, I would like to draw your attention to the efforts that have been made to set up paying authorities and to further extend the internal and
controls of the structural measures. One of the first points mentioned in the Council's conclusions is the balanced relationship between the competences of the Commission and the Member States in implementing the European Union's budget in accordance with the Treaty, which must be taken into account when it comes to improving the relevant controls and assurances.
Furthermore, the Council considers it to be extremely important that these improvements should build on the existing control structures and that we should aim to improve the cost/benefit ratio and to simplify the systems. The Council believes that an effective integrated internal control framework based on the principles set out in the Court of Auditors' opinion on the single audit will provide assurances regarding the management of the risk of error in the underlying transactions.
One of the most important points in the Council's conclusions relates to improving the control systems. The Member States and the Commission need to optimise the effectiveness, economy and efficiency of current control systems. Despite the differences in administrative arrangements between the various Member States, the Council advocates that general common principles and elements regarding internal controls should be drawn up."@en1
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