Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-11-22-Speech-4-031-000"
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"en.20121122.7.4-031-000"2
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"Madam President, overall I think that the findings of the European Court of Auditors as worrying. I am of the view that the greatest problem is the error rate in the distribution of Union resources under shared management at Member State level. In view of the fact that there are two areas with an alarming error rate, it is essential to adopt a regime that would enable the Commission to evaluate Member States’ individual difficulties and to react to them in a timely manner.
Financial resources were expended in 2011 in many areas of EU policy in contravention of the rules. The examples mentioned in the Court of Auditors’ Annual Report are often a sad picture of the way in which public resources are handled. Farmers are taking subsidies for more land than they are actually farming and the data in land registries often differ from reality. The employment and social affairs policy has paid out for inappropriate costs, there has been overestimation of personal costs and unsuitable participants have been sent for training. Recipients of Union resources have claimed unjustifiable or unspent costs. The reason for the errors is overestimation of costs on the part of recipients and non-existent supporting documentation.
A considerable number of errors are also associated with the way in which the selection and award procedures are handled. There have been contraventions of conditionality and incorrect data have been provided by both recipients and Member States. The question arises as to whether the rules are actually too complicated or are these shortcomings the result of a reluctance to become thoroughly familiar with them and to be guided by them, or the result of other less honourable intentions. For example, in the regional policy programmes, more than half of the audited operations were beset by errors, even though the Member States’ authorities had sufficient information to be able to detect and correct most of the errors prior to the submission of certified expenditure to the Commission. Indeed, this problem affects not only regional policy, but also other areas of European Union policy.
It is clear that control in the Member States is failing. I believe that the competent authorities in Member States should work more efficiently and bear more responsibility, since this has been under discussion for a long time now. The control systems in most areas of European Union policy have been considered only partially fit for purpose, and we know that it is essential to put in place transparent rules and strict controls at all levels. Apart from formal controls, however, it is also vital to direct financial resources correctly and to invest in meaningful projects. Even if a given project is formally in order, it need not always be of benefit for European citizens."@en1
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