Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-06-Speech-4-047"
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"en.20060406.5.4-047"2
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".
Mr President, I welcome the debate that we have had here today. I think it is important to underline that the problem of fraud can never be considered as solved. Constant vigilance at all levels and in all circumstances is needed in the high-risk field of external actions. These actions are carried out in poorly governed States, where countervailing powers and capacities at the level of civil society are lacking.
As corruption cannot be isolated within the governance agenda, the Commission’s approach in preventing and fighting it is twofold. It consists of mainstreaming good governance practices in all EU-funded programmes and projects on the one hand, and in the implementation of specific programme interventions on the other hand.
Country strategy papers and national indicative programmes between the European Union and beneficiary countries generally include specific interventions in the fields of rule of law, democratisation, public administration reform, public finance management and reinforcement of civil society.
I shall now make a few comments on some of the questions that have been raised today. On the discussion on companies, we must make sure that companies do not benefit from corruption. We must do the best we can. We can exclude companies from participation in our tenders if they have been found guilty of fraud or corruption. We can also suspend a project that has been financed if we discover fraud or corruption at some stage. We once used that option on a project in Zimbabwe.
On support for national parliaments, the Commission sees the strengthening of the national parliaments’ supervisory role as an important means of trying to improve the overall effectiveness and impact of our development effort in these countries. For instance, through the EDF and the budget line for South Africa, the capacities of national parliaments of some 11 ACP countries have been strengthened to a total amount of EUR 35 million since 2000.
On the subject of watchdogs, it is true that we work with private sector organisations. We would be worse off if we did not have these watchdogs.
Several Members raised the issue of transparency, and it is a key issue. That is why we support several programmes in the field of budget supervisory functions. The promotion of efficient and transparent budgeting and public spending is at the heart of our budget support programmes.
Finally, through its permanent dialogue with the partner governments and the various regions, the Commission encourages the broadest possible participation of institutions at various levels, particularly at parliamentary level. I have noted the view on the positive influence of the participation of women."@en1
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