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Parlement européen2019-2024

Commission du contrôle budgétaire

CONT_PV (2020)0706_1

PROCÈS-VERBALRéunion du 6 juillet 2020, de 11 h 30 à 12 h 30, de 13 h 45 à 15 h 45

et de 16 h 45 à 18 h 45

BRUXELLES

La séance est ouverte le lundi 6 juillet 2020, à 11 h 33, sous la présidence de Monika Hohlmeier, présidente.

6 juillet 2020, de 11 h 30 à 12 h 30

À huis clos

1. Réunion des coordonnateurs

Le résumé des recommandations des coordinateurs ainsi que de la procédure écrite pour laquelle le délai a été fixé au même jour est annexé au présent procès-verbal.

* * *

6 juillet 2020, de 13 h 45 à 15 h 45

2. Adoption de l’ordre du jour

Le projet d’ordre du jour est adopté tel qu’il ressort du présent procès-verbal.

3. Communications de la présidence

4. Approbation de procès-verbaux de réunions 7 mai 2020 PV – PE652.468v01-00 28-29 mai 2020 PV – PE652.589v01-00

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11 juin 2020 PV – PE653.776v01-00

Aucune objection n’ayant été formulée avant la fin de la réunion, les procès-verbaux sont réputés approuvés.

Compte rendu des négociations interinstitutionnelles en cours

5. Enquêtes effectuées par l’Office européen de lutte antifraude (OLAF) en ce qui concerne la coopération avec le Parquet européen et l’efficacité des enquêtes de l’OLAFCONT/9/01460***I 2018/0170(COD) COM(2018)0338 – C8-0214/2018

Rapporteur:Marian-Jean Marinescu (PPE)

Fond:CONT

Compte rendu à la commission sur les négociations (article 74, paragraphe 3) du 26 juin 2020

Intervient: Marian-Jean Marinescu.

* * *

6. Audition publique sur le suivi des dossiers de l’OLAF, la lutte contre la fraude, la corruption et les autres irrégularités dans les États membresCONT/9/03399 Audition - Voir projet de programme distinct

Intervenants lors de l’audition

Nom TitreMonika HOHLMEIER Présidente de la commission CONT

Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ Rapporteur de l’audition publique

Martin LEUVERING Ministère fédéral des finances (Allemagne)Chef d’unité, département de politique européenne, unité de la protection des intérêts financiers de l’Union, contrôle financier et répression des fraudes dans l’Union

Crin BOLOGA Direction anticorruption nationale (Roumanie)Procureur général

Vincenzo AMENDOLA Garde des finances (Italie)Brigadier en chef, commandant de l’unité spéciale des dépenses publiques et de la lutte contre les fraudes affectant le budget de

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l’UnionVille ITÄLÄ Office européen de lutte antifraude (OLAF)

Directeur généralJan INGHELRAM Cour de justice de l’Union européenne

Directeur, conseiller juridique sur les questions administratives

Laura Codruța KÖVESI Parquet européenCheffe du Parquet européen

Marian-Jean MARINESCU Député au Parlement européen, rapporteur pour le règlement relatif à l’OLAF

Interviennent: Tomáš Zdechovský, Caterina Chinnici, Ramona Strugariu, Joachim Kuhs, Michèle Rivasi.

* * *

À huis clos

6 juillet 2020, de 16 h 45 à 18 h 45

7. Échange de vues avec les représentants de la task-force pour les relations avec le Royaume-UniCONT/9/03397 Échange de vues

Interviennent: Monika Hohlmeier, Tomáš Zdechovský, Lara Wolters, Joachim Kuhs, Ryszard Czarnecki, représentants de la task-force pour les relations avec le Royaume-Uni Nicolas Galudec, Philippe Bertrand, Norbert Gacki.

8. État d’avancement des rapports d’audit sur la Tchéquie; décisions d’exécution de la Commission suspendant les paiements liés au programme de développement rural et mesures complémentaires à adopterCONT/9/03398 Échange de vues avec le commissaire Hahn

Interviennent: Monika Hohlmeier, Tomáš Zdechovský, Lara Wolters, Ramona Strugariu, Joachim Kuhs, Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel, Ryszard Czarnecki et Johannes Hahn (commissaire).

9. Questions diverses

Néant.

10. Prochaines réunions 3 septembre 2020 (Bruxelles)

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La séance est levée à 19 h 4.

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ПРИСЪСТВЕН ЛИСТ/LISTA DE ASISTENCIA/PREZENČNÍ LISTINA/DELTAGERLISTE/ ANWESENHEITSLISTE/KOHALOLIJATE NIMEKIRI/ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΠΑΡΟΝΤΩΝ/RECORD OF ATTENDANCE/

LISTE DE PRÉSENCE/POPIS NAZOČNIH/ELENCO DI PRESENZA/APMEKLĒJUMU REĢISTRS/DALYVIŲ SĄRAŠAS/ JELENLÉTI ÍV/REĠISTRU TA' ATTENDENZA/PRESENTIELIJST/LISTA OBECNOŚCI/LISTA DE PRESENÇAS/

LISTĂ DE PREZENŢĂ/PREZENČNÁ LISTINA/SEZNAM NAVZOČIH/LÄSNÄOLOLISTA/NÄRVAROLISTA

Бюро/Mesa/Předsednictvo/Formandskabet/Vorstand/Juhatus/Προεδρείο/Bureau/Predsjedništvo/Ufficio di presidenza/Prezidijs/ Biuras/Elnökség/Prezydium/Birou/Predsedníctvo/Predsedstvo/Puheenjohtajisto/Presidiet (*)

Monika Hohlmeier (Chair), Isabel García Muñoz (1st Vice-Chair), Caterina Chinnici, (2nd Vice-Chair)

Членове/Diputados/Poslanci/Medlemmer/Mitglieder/Parlamendiliikmed/Βουλευτές/Members/Députés/Zastupnici/Deputati/Deputāti/ Nariai/Képviselõk/Membri/Leden/Posłowie/Deputados/Deputaţi/Jäsenet/Ledamöter

Olivier Chastel, Lefteris Christoforou, Caterina Chinnici, Corina Cretu , Ryszard Czarnecki, Daniel Freund, Joachim Kuhs, Tsvetelina Penkova, Sabrina Pignedoli, Michèle Rivasi , Angelika Winzig, Lara Wolters, Tomáš Zdechovský

Заместници/Suplentes/Náhradníci/Stedfortrædere/Stellvertreter/Asendusliikmed/Αναπληρωτές/Substitutes/Suppléants/Zamjenici/ Supplenti/Aizstājēji/Pavaduojantysnariai/Póttagok/Sostituti/Plaatsvervangers/Zastępcy/Membros suplentes/Supleanţi/Náhradníci/ Namestniki/Varajäsenet/Suppleanter

Katalin Cseh,, Hannes Heide, David Lega, Jeroen Lenaers, Marian-Jean Marinescu,,Jan Olbrycht, Mikuláš Peksa, Ramona Strugariu, Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel

Onrej Knotek

209 (7)

216 (3)

56 (8) (Точка от дневния ред/Punto del orden del día/Bod pořadu jednání (OJ)/Punkt på dagsordenen/Tagesordnungspunkt/ Päevakorra punkt/Σημείο της ημερήσιας διάταξης/Agenda item/Point OJ/Točka dnevnog reda/Punto all'ordine del giorno/Darba kārtības punkts/Darbotvarkės punktas/Napirendi pont/Punt Aġenda/Agendapunt/Punkt porządku dziennego/Ponto OD/Punct de pe ordinea de zi/Bod programu schôdze/Točka UL/Esityslistan kohta/Punkt på föredragningslistan)

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Наблюдатели/Observadores/Pozorovatelé/Observatører/Beobachter/Vaatlejad/Παρατηρητές/Observers/Observateurs/Promatrači/ Osservatori/Novērotāji/Stebėtojai/Megfigyelők/Osservaturi/Waarnemers/Obserwatorzy/Observadores/Observatori/Pozorovatelia/ Opazovalci/Tarkkailijat/Observatörer

По покана на председателя/Por invitación del presidente/Na pozvání předsedy/Efter indbydelse fra formanden/Auf Einladung des Vorsitzenden/Esimehe kutsel/Με πρόσκληση του Προέδρου/At the invitation of the Chair/Sur l’invitation du président/ Na poziv predsjednika/Su invito del presidente/Pēc priekšsēdētāja uzaicinājuma/Pirmininkui pakvietus/Az elnök meghívására/ Fuq stedina taċ-'Chairman'/Op uitnodiging van de voorzitter/Na zaproszenie Przewodniczącego/A convite do Presidente/La invitaţia preşedintelui/ Na pozvanie predsedu/Na povabilo predsednika/Puheenjohtajan kutsusta/På ordförandens inbjudan

Съвет/Consejo/Rada/Rådet/Rat/Nõukogu/Συμβούλιο/Council/Conseil/Vijeće/Consiglio/Padome/Taryba/Tanács/Kunsill/Raad/ Conselho/Consiliu/Svet/Neuvosto/Rådet (*)

Комисия/Comisión/Komise/Kommissionen/Kommission/Komisjon/Επιτροπή/Commission/Komisija/Commissione/Bizottság/ Kummissjoni/Commissie/Komisja/Comissão/Comisie/Komisia/Komissio/Kommissionen (*)

Други институции и органи/Otras instituciones y organismos/Ostatní orgány a instituce/Andre institutioner og organer/Andere Organe und Einrichtungen/Muud institutsioonid ja organid/Λοιπά θεσμικά όργανα και οργανισμοί/Other institutions and bodies/Autres institutions et organes/Druge institucije i tijela/Altre istituzioni e altri organi/Citas iestādes un struktūras/Kitos institucijos ir įstaigos/ Más intézmények és szervek/Istituzzjonijiet u korpi oħra/Andere instellingen en organen/Inne instytucje i organy/Outras instituições e outros órgãos/Alte instituții și organe/Iné inštitúcie a orgány/Muut toimielimet ja elimet/Andra institutioner och organ

Други участници/Otros participantes/Ostatní účastníci/Endvidere deltog/Andere Teilnehmer/Muud osalejad/Επίσης παρόντες/Other participants/Autres participants/Drugi sudionici/Altri partecipanti/Citi klātesošie/Kiti dalyviai/Más résztvevők/Parteċipanti ohra/Andere aanwezigen/Inni uczestnicy/Outros participantes/Alţi participanţi/Iní účastníci/Drugi udeleženci/Muut osallistujat/Övriga deltagare

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Секретариат на политическите групи/Secretaría de los Grupos políticos/Sekretariát politických skupin/Gruppernes sekretariat/ Sekretariat der Fraktionen/Fraktsioonide sekretariaat/Γραμματεία των Πολιτικών Ομάδων/Secretariats of political groups/Secrétariat des groupes politiques/Tajništva klubova zastupnika/Segreteria gruppi politici/Politisko grupu sekretariāts/Frakcijų sekretoriai/ Képviselőcsoportok titkársága/Segretarjat gruppi politiċi/Fractiesecretariaten/Sekretariat Grup Politycznych/Secretariado dos grupos políticos/Secretariate grupuri politice/Sekretariát politických skupín/Sekretariat političnih skupin/Poliittisten ryhmien sihteeristöt/ De politiska gruppernas sekretariat

PPE

S&D

Renew

Verts/ALE

ID

ECR

GUE/NGL

NI

Balazs Szechy, Edyta Tarczynska

Timothée Etchecopar

Кабинет на председателя/Gabinete del Presidente/Kancelář předsedy/Formandens Kabinet/Kabinett des Präsidenten/Presidendi kantselei/Γραφείο του Προέδρου/President's Office/Cabinet du Président/Ured predsjednika/Gabinetto del Presidente/Priekšsēdētāja kabinets/Pirmininko kabinetas/Elnöki hivatal/Kabinett tal-President/Kabinet van de Voorzitter/Gabinet Przewodniczącego/Gabinete do Presidente/Cabinet Preşedinte/Kancelária predsedu/Urad predsednika/Puhemiehen kabinetti/Talmannens kansli

Кабинет на генералния секретар/Gabinete del Secretario General/Kancelář generálního tajemníka/Generalsekretærens Kabinet/ Kabinett des Generalsekretärs/Peasekretäri büroo/Γραφείο του Γενικού Γραμματέα/Secretary-General's Office/Cabinet du Secrétaire général/Ured glavnog tajnika/Gabinetto del Segretario generale/Ģenerālsekretāra kabinets/Generalinio sekretoriaus kabinetas/ Főtitkári hivatal/Kabinett tas-Segretarju Ġenerali/Kabinet van de secretaris-generaal/Gabinet Sekretarza Generalnego/Gabinete do Secretário-Geral/Cabinet Secretar General/Kancelária generálneho tajomníka/Urad generalnega sekretarja/Pääsihteerin kabinetti/ Generalsekreterarens kansli

Генерална дирекция/Dirección General/Generální ředitelství/Generaldirektorat/Generaldirektion/Peadirektoraat/Γενική Διεύθυνση/ Directorate-General/Direction générale/Glavna uprava/Direzione generale/Ģenerāldirektorāts/Generalinis direktoratas/Főigazgatóság/ Direttorat Ġenerali/Directoraten-generaal/Dyrekcja Generalna/Direcção-Geral/Direcţii Generale/Generálne riaditeľstvo/Generalni direktorat/Pääosasto/Generaldirektorat

DG PRES

DG IPOL

DG EXPO

DG EPRS

DG COMM

DG PERS

DG INLO

DG TRAD

DG LINC

DG FINS

DG ITEC

DG SAFE

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Правна служба/Servicio Jurídico/Právní služba/Juridisk Tjeneste/Juristischer Dienst/Õigusteenistus/Νομική Υπηρεσία/Legal Service/ Service juridique/Pravna služba/Servizio giuridico/Juridiskais dienests/Teisės tarnyba/Jogi szolgálat/Servizz legali/Juridische Dienst/ Wydział prawny/Serviço Jurídico/Serviciu Juridic/Právny servis/Oikeudellinen yksikkö/Rättstjänsten

Секретариат на комисията/Secretaría de la comisión/Sekretariát výboru/Udvalgssekretariatet/Ausschusssekretariat/Komisjoni sekretariaat/Γραμματεία της επιτροπής/Committee secretariat/Secrétariat de la commission/Tajništvo odbora/Segreteria della commissione/Komitejas sekretariāts/Komiteto sekretoriatas/A bizottság titkársága/Segretarjat tal-kumitat/Commissiesecretariaat/ Sekretariat komisji/Secretariado da comissão/Secretariat comisie/Sekretariat odbora/Valiokunnan sihteeristö/Utskottssekretariatet

Evelyn Waldherr, Cécile Bourgault, Aleksi Hyvatti, Charlotte Kutzenberger, Benoît Lefort, Olivier Sautière, Paulus Johannes Stander

Сътрудник/Asistente/Asistent/Assistent/Assistenz/Βοηθός/Assistant/Assistente/Palīgs/Padėjėjas/Asszisztens/Asystent/Pomočnik/ Avustaja/Assistenter

Veronika Patyi-Horvath, Kameliya Velcheva

* (P) = Председател/Presidente/Předseda/Formand/Vorsitzender/Esimees/Πρόεδρος/Chair/Président/Predsjednik/Priekšsēdētājs/ Pirmininkas/Elnök/'Chairman'/Voorzitter/Przewodniczący/Preşedinte/Predseda/Predsednik/Puheenjohtaja/Ordförande

(VP) = Заместник-председател/Vicepresidente/Místopředseda/Næstformand/Stellvertretender Vorsitzender/Aseesimees/Αντιπρόεδρος/ Vice-Chair/Potpredsjednik/Vice-Président/Potpredsjednik/Priekšsēdētāja vietnieks/Pirmininko pavaduotojas/Alelnök/ Viċi 'Chairman'/Ondervoorzitter/Wiceprzewodniczący/Vice-Presidente/Vicepreşedinte/Podpredseda/Podpredsednik/ Varapuheenjohtaja/Vice ordförande

(M) = Член/Miembro/Člen/Medlem./Mitglied/Parlamendiliige/Βουλευτής/Member/Membre/Član/Membro/Deputāts/Narys/Képviselő/ Membru/Lid/Członek/Membro/Membru/Člen/Poslanec/Jäsen/Ledamot

(F) = Длъжностно лице/Funcionario/Úředník/Tjenestemand/Beamter/Ametnik/Υπάλληλος/Official/Fonctionnaire/Dužnosnik/ Funzionario/Ierēdnis/Pareigūnas/Tisztviselő/Uffiċjal/Ambtenaar/Urzędnik/Funcionário/Funcţionar/Úradník/Uradnik/Virkamies/ Tjänsteman

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ISSUE N°8 - 6 JULY 2020

NEWSLETTER

11.30-12.30

1. COORDINATORS’ MEETING

Meeting held in camera with remote participation

Coordinators present in Brussels can attend the meeting in room: Jozsef Antall (6Q1).

13:45 - 15:45

2. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

The draft agenda and meeting documents are available in the meeting file.

3. CHAIR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Chair draws attention to the following points:

Languages available

FR DE IT EN ES CS PL and RO

Webstreaming

The meeting will be webstreamed and can be followed live via the CONT webpage.

4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETINGS

7 May 2020 PV – PE652.468v01-00

COMMITTEE MEETINGMONDAY, 6 JULY 2020

13:45 to 15:45 and 16.45 to 18.45

Remote participation of Members

Any Members present in Brussels can attend the meeting in room József Antall (JAN) 6Q1

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28-29 May 2020 PV – PE652.589v01-00

11 June 2020 PV – PE653.776v01-00

5. INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE EUROPEAN ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE (OLAF) AS REGARDS

COOPERATION WITH THE EUROPEAN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF

OLAF INVESTIGATIONSCONT/9/01460 - 2018/0170(COD)

Reporting back to committee on the negotiations (Rule 74(3) of the Rules of procedure)

Rapporteur: Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP)Administrator: Aleksi Hyvätti

Shadow Rapporteurs: Caterina Chinnici (S&D), Martina Dlabajová (RE), Michèle Rivasi (Greens), Jean-François Jalkh (ID), Ryszard Czarnecki (ECR), Luke Ming Flanagan (GUE)

An inter-institutional trilogue meeting on the OLAF Regulation took place on 26 June 2020 in the European Parliament, and in remote participation. The trilogue meeting was the third

of its kind, with the first two trilogue meetings held on 5 November and 12 December 2019 respectively.

Rule 74(3) of the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure stipulates: “After each trilogue, the Chair of the negotiating team and the rapporteur shall, on behalf of the negotiating team, report back to the next meeting of the committee responsible.”

On this occasion the Chair and the Rapporteur will report back to CONT Committee on the discussions held and the results achieved on the trilogue meeting of 26 June 2020.

Negotiating team: (from the left) Ville Itälä (OLAF Director-General), CONT Chair Monika Hohlmeier; Mirjana Jurić (Chair of the Working Party on Combating Fraud, Croatian Presidency) and Rapporteur Marian-Jean Marinescu.

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6. PUBLIC HEARING ON FOLLOW-UP OF OLAF CASE FILES, FIGHTING FRAUD, CORRUPTION AND

OTHER IRREGULARITIES IN MEMBER STATESCONT/9/03399

Public Hearing - see separate draft programme below

Rapporteur: Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP)Administrator: Aleksi Hyvätti

The CONT Committee is organising a public hearing entitled "Follow-up of OLAF case files, fighting fraud, corruption and other irregularities in the Member States". This public hearing focuses on the follow-up of OLAF's recommendations and, in this regard, aims to present different views from the Member States' authorities and the EU institutions and bodies.

The hearing will consist of presentations on three case studies and national views from Germany, Romania and Italy, and of presentations on the views of the European institutions and bodies (OLAF, European Court of Justice, European Public Prosecutor's Office and the European Parliament). The presentations will be followed by a discussion with the Members of the CONT Committee.

Once OLAF concludes its investigations, it issues recommendations to competent authorities at EU and national level. As a result of its investigations concluded during 2018, OLAF recommended the recovery of EUR 371 million to the EU budget.

Judicial authorities in Member States took 319 decisions on the follow-up of OLAF's recommendations in 2018: in almost two-third of the decisions taken (203) the OLAF cases were dismissed; in 116 cases the judicial authorities pressed charges. It would appear that judicial authorities of some Member States do not regard the follow-up of OLAF's recommendations on misuse of EU money as a priority.

One essential factor effecting the follow-up to OLAF's recommendations relates to the admissibility of evidence collected by OLAF in national judicial proceedings. National judicial authorities may consider insufficient procedural guarantees of persons concerned by OLAF investigations as one of the reasons for not using OLAF-gathered evidence in criminal-law proceedings, along with other justifications such as poor quality and lack of timeliness of OLAF final reports.

Furthermore, it seems that often neither the Commission nor Member States press hard enough to implement financial recommendations in OLAF case files with the view to maximise recoveries.

More information about the hearing is available on the CONT website.

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Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union Directorate for Budgetary Affairs Secretariat of the Committee on Budgetary Control

Brussels 22 June 2020

DRAFT PROGRAMME

Follow-up of OLAF case files, fighting fraud, corruption and other irregularities in the Member States

Meeting room: Jozsef Antall (JAN 6Q1), remote participation Monday, 6 July 2020, 13h45 - 15h45 13h45 Monika HOHLMEIER

Chair of the CONT Committee

Welcome and communications

13h50 Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ Rapporteur of the Public Hearing Opening remarks

Follow-up of OLAF case files by Member States: Three case studies

13h55 Martin LEUVERING, Federal Ministry of Finance (Germany)

Head of Unit, European Policy Department, Unit for the Protection of the Union’s Financial Interest, EU Financial Control and Anti-Fraud The German view

14h05 Crin BOLOGA, National Anticorruption Directorate (Romania) Chief Prosecutor The Romanian view

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14h15

Vincenzo AMENDOLA, Guardia di Finanza (Italy) Brigadier General, Commander of Special Unit on Public Expenditures and Fight Against Community Frauds Fighting fraud and corruption in Italy

Follow-up of OLAF case files: The view of the European institutions

14h25 Ville ITÄLÄ, European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) Director-General

OLAF initiatives to improve the judicial follow-up of case files

14h35

Jan INGHELRAM, Court of Justice of the European Union Director, Legal Adviser on Administrative Matters

OLAF case files in front of the ECJ

14h45 Laura Codruța KÖVESI, European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) Chief European Public Prosecutor

Fighting fraud and corruption in Europe

14h55 Marian-Jean MARINESCU Rapporteur for the OLAF Regulation

The revision of the OLAF Regulation

15h05

Discussion

15h35 Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ Rapporteur of the Public Hearing Concluding remarks

Members from national parliaments in Germany, Romania and Italy will be invited to follow the webstream meeting.

16.45 to 18.45

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7. EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TASK FORCE FOR RELATIONS WITH THE

UNITED KINGDOMCONT/9/03397 - 2020/2023(INI)

Exchange of views

Administrator: Olivier Sautière

The EU and the UK signed and ratified the Withdrawal Agreement on the rules of the UK’s departure from the EU and the Political Declaration on the future relationship in October 2019. The EU has been in negotiations with the UK since March 2019 based on a negotiating mandate that the EP strongly supported in February 2020. On 1 January 2021, the United

Kingdom will exit the EU customs union and the single market.

In the resolution prepared by the two leading committees, AFET and INTA, MEPs regret that no real progress has been achieved so far and that the divergences remain substantial. This resolution was adopted ahead of the 15 June High Level Conference to take stock of the achievements of the negotiations up to this point, with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, European Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and the participation of EP President David Sassoli.

They warn against the UK government’s current piecemeal approach and emphasise that a comprehensive agreement is in the interest of both parties. Having the UK cherry-pick certain policies and its access to the single market after Brexit is ‘unacceptable’ for the EU.

The draft resolution also reiterates Parliament’s full support for the EU’s Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier in his talks with the UK, based on the political mandate given to him by the EU member states and Parliament resolutions.

On 18 June 2020, the EP plenary adopted a resolution with Parliament's recommendations for a new partnership with the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, involving input from 17 specialised committees, including the Budgetary Control committee, as well as Parliament’s United Kingdom Coordination Group (UKCG).

CONT's opinion includes recommendations on the four following items: (i) financial governance and scrutiny framework, (ii) implementing the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, (iii) customs cooperation and mutual administrative assistance and (iv) impact of EU cohesion policy in UK and Northern Ireland.

This exchange of views will also be an opportunity to take stock of the negotiations under way.

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8. STATE OF PLAY ON THE AUDIT REPORTS ON THE CZECH REPUBLIC; COMMISSION

IMPLEMENTING DECISIONS SUSPENDING PAYMENTS LINKED TO THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAMME AND FURTHER ACTIONCONT/9/03398

Exchange of views Commissioner Hahn

Administrator: Aleksi Hyvätti

The CONT Committee has invited the Budget Commissioner for an in camera exchange of views to receive further information on the Commission’s audits in the Czech Republic with regard to the alleged conflict of interest of the Czech Prime Minister, as well as on the suspension of payments in the Rural Development Programme, and the further steps the Commission intends to take in this matter.

The Members of the CONT Committee hope to have further insight to the Commission's view on the issue of conflict of interests, also beyond the scope of the ongoing audits looking at previous EU spending.

9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

10. NEXT MEETINGS

3 September 2020 (Brussels) 29 September 2020 (Brussels) (TBC) 1 October 2020 (Brussels) (TBC)

PAPERLESS PROGRAMME (INTERNAL USERS ONLY)Access CONT committee meeting documents on eMeeting or any CONT committee information on eCommittee

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONContact the CONT Secretariat or visit the website of the CONT committee

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Recent Publications

CONT

At a Glance “Nominations for Members of the European Court of Auditors”In-depth Analysis “Follow up to the 2009 and 2014 Studies on the Code of Conduct for Commissioners - Improving Effectiveness and Efficiency”In-depth Analysis “Gaps and Errors in the TED database” Study “The European Public Prosecutor’s Office: Strategies for coping with complexity”Study “Effectiveness of cohesion policy: learning from the project characteristics that produce the best results”

BUDGBriefing “Assigned revenue in the Recovery Plan - The frog that wishes to be as big as the ox?”Study “A Just Transition Fund - How the EU budget can best assist in the necessary transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy"Briefing “The net operating balances: Variants, emerging numbers and history” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV) Briefing “Why net operating balances are a distorted indicator of a Member State’s benefit from the EU budget” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)Briefing “The benefits of EU membership are not measured by net operating balances” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)Briefing “Strategies to overcome the ‘juste retour’ perspective on the EU budget” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)At A Glance “The net operating balances or the “juste retour” approach” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)At A Glance “Net operating balances indicator: A distorted indicator of a Member State’s benefit from the EU budget” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)At A Glance “EU membership benefits: Not measured by net operating balances” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)At A Glance “How to overcome the “juste retour” obsession” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)At A Glance “’I want my money back’: The history of national rebates” (available in DA, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SV)

Forthcoming Publications

BUDG

- Study “Documenting climate mainstreaming in the EU budget - making the system more transparent, stringent and comprehensive”- Study “How EU funds tackle economic divide in the European Union”- Study “Pilot projects and preparatory actions (PP/PA) in the EU budget 2014-2019”

NEWS FROM POLICY DEPARTMENT - BUDGETARY AFFAIRS

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The European Parliament has concluded a new framework contract on external expertise in the field of budgetary affairs, mainly for the BUDG and CONT committees. Following on a public call for tenders, seven bids have been received, checked and evaluated. Service contracts for the years 2020-24 have been signed with the following consultancies and think-tanks:

AEGIS, a network of academics from different universities, the main partners from Spain, Germany and Italy;

Blomeyer & Sanz Ltd., based in Spain, leading a group of institutes from Austria, Czechia, Germany, Italy and Poland;

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), a research think-tank from Brussels, with partners from Belgium, France, Latvia and UK;

Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services LLP (CSES), a consultancy from UK and Ireland;

Deloitte Belgium, an audit company;

European Economic Research Ltd. (Europe-Economics), a consultancy from UK;

Mr Ivailo KALFIN, a former MEP and former Minister in Bulgaria, with some associated experts.

For more information see the publication of the procurement outcome: https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:215928-2020:TEXT:EN:HTML or contact the Policy Department: poldep-budg@europarl.europa.eu

CONTACTSPolicy Department for Budgetary Affairspoldep-budg@ep.europa.euPolicy Department Webpage

DisclaimerThe items contained herein are drafted by the Secretariat of the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament and are provided for general information purposes only. The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. This document may contain links to websites that are created and maintained by other organisations. The Secretariat does not necessarily endorse the view(s) expressed on these websites.

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European Parliament2019 - 2024

Committee on Budgetary Control- The Secretariat -

COORDINATORS' WRITTEN PROCEDURE

Summary of coordinators’ recommendations

Deadline: Monday, 6 July 2020, 10.00

LIST OF ITEMS

DRAFT PROGRAMME ........................................................................................................12Follow-up of OLAF case files by Member States: Three case studies ..........12Follow-up of OLAF case files: The view of the European institutions ..........13

Items for decision.....................................................................................................................191. New opinions referred to CONT................................................................................192. Request for an ECA opinion on the Commission’s Proposal on Establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility......................................................................................293. Screening of recently published ECA SRs ................................................................294. Request to the Legal Service of the European Parliament for an opinion on the legal basis and the conditions for the EU to acquire the full membership in GRECO..............30

Items for information ...............................................................................................................305. Launch of Client satisfaction survey monthly exercise in EP ...................................306. Documents received for information .........................................................................307. Any other business .....................................................................................................308. Time and date of next Coordinators' meeting ............................................................30

Monika Hohlmeier ...................................................................................................................39Annex: Background note of Policy Department D ..................................................................39ANNEX V ................................................................................................................................40

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Items for decision

1. New opinions referred to CONT

A, New procedures:

CONT Reference

Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

1. COM(2020)0104 Establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility

ECON BUDG requested Rule 58 CONT requested Rule 57 by letters from 24 and 29 June 2020,Conflict of competence still pending.

Opinion (Rule 57)Appoint Rapporteur0,5 points

- CONT to draft an opinion- EPP requested to take the opinion for 0.5 point- EPP to appoint a rapporteur

2. COM(2020)0451

2020/0101(COD)

Amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards exceptional additional resources and implementing arrangements under the Investment for growth and jobs goal to provide assistance for fostering crisis repair in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy

REGI BUDG will deliver opinion

REGI timetable:- Presentation of draft report: 16 July- Deadline for amendments: 22 July- Vote: week of 7-10 September- Plenary mandate: September (tbc)

No opinionDue to short timeline of lead committee

No opinion

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A, New procedures:

CONT Reference

Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

(REACT-EU)

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CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

3. COM(2020)0404

2020/0106(COD)

Amending Regulation (EU) 2015/1017 as regards creation of a Solvency Support Instrument

ECON BUDG requested Rule 58 with ECON

The new proposal amends the European Fund for Strategic Investment Regulation (EFSI). It puts forward a temporary equity-based instrument to provide support to viable business, which are solvency constrained due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Commission wants this instrument in place as soon as possible in 2020, at the latest by the start of October 2020. ECON is to vote in September 2020.

No opinion, due to lack of CONT competence for EFSI

No opinion

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B, Amended proposals to MFF related sectoral acts

CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

4. COM(2020)0407

2020/0107(COD)

Amending Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 establishing the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD), the EFSD Guarantee and the EFSD Guarantee Fund

DEVE BUDG requests Rule 58 with DEVE & AFETNo timetable yet in lead committeeCONT has delivered an opinion on 12 April 2017 to the original proposal. (Rapporteur: Tarand, Greens)

Main amendments of the new Commission's proposal (COM(2020) 407 final) are related to:- extending the geographic coverage of the EFSD to beneficiaries in Western Balkans; - increasing the contribution to the EFSD from the Union budget for implementing operations in response of the impact of COVID 19; - prolonging the investment period until 31/12/2021.

Justification: the aforementioned main amendments do not affect the substance of Chapter IV 'Reporting, accounting and evaluation' and Chapter V 'General provisions' of the Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 establishing the EFSD, the EFSD Guarantee and the EFSD Guarantee Fund on which CONT has given its opinion in 2017.

No opinion

The new proposal does not require an update of the opinion CONT has already delivered.

No opinion

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CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

5. COM(2020)0450

2018/0196(COD)

Common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum and Migration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Border Management and Visa Instrument

REGI On the original proposal, REGI was responsible for the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR), with ECON and EMPL providing opinions under Rule 56+.

CONT delivered an opinion on to the original proposal 11 October 2018. (Rapporteur: Hoffmann, S&D)

REGI Coordinators decided that the amended proposal will be taken into account in the interinstitutional negotiations, therefore an involvement of opinion giving committees is not foreseen at this stage.

The proposal does not replace the existing CPR, which will continue to govern programmes adopted in 2014-2020. The proposal reduces fragmentation of rules, delivering a common set of basic rules for the seven funds. It is limited to targeted amendments including increased flexibility for transferring resources between Funds and empowerment to the Commission to adopt implementing acts to allow for temporary measures for the use of the Funds in response to exceptional and unusual circumstances. The proposed amendments have no impact on the attribution of competences.

No opinion

Due to lead committee entering immediately into interinstitutional negotiations.

- No opinion

- Letter to be sent from CONT Chair to REGI Chair

-Coordinators approved the proposed draft letter in(Annex I)

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CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

6. COM(2020)0445

COM (2018)0325

2018/0135(CNS)

Proposal for a Council decision on the system of own resources of the European Union

BUDG Indicative timetable in the lead committee: early September in BUDG for a final vote in Plenary on 14 September 2020 (awaiting the political agreement that could be reached in the July European Council).

Main amendments of the new Commission's proposal:- the Commission will be authorized to borrow funds on capital markets via the issuance of bonds on behalf of the Union (up to EUR 750 billion), the proceeds of borrowing will be transferred to different Union programmes covered by the European Union Recovery Instrument;

- allowing for an additional and temporary increase of 0.11 percentage points of both the ceiling for appropriations for commitments (up to 1.40% of the EU GNI) and the ceiling for appropriations for payment (up to 1.46% of the EU GNI);

Opinion in form of amendments

Time permitting

N.B.: the Secretariat was informed after the coordinators’ meeting that BUDG committee set the deadline for AMs on 15 July therefore the opinion in form of AMs is not a feasible option

Opinion in form of a letter (Rule 56 (1))

Chair as rapporteur

0 point

“The opinion giving committee may... send its views in the form of a letter from the Chair.”

The proposed draft opinion in form of a letter will be circulated for coordinators’ input in written procedure.

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CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

7. COM(2020)0459(01)

2018/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination

ITRE CONT delivered an opinion on 19 November 2018. (Rapporteur:Dlabajova, RE)

ITRE coordinators decided that the amended proposals would be taken into account during the inter-institutional negotiations on Horizon Europe and its Specific Programme, therefore procedure do not foresee involvement of opinion giving committees at this stage.

No opinion

Due to lead committee entering immediately into interinstitutional negotiations.

No opinion

8. COM(2020)0459(02)

2018/0225(COD)

Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation

ITRE CONT delivered an opinion on 19 November 2018. (Rapporteur:Dlabajova, RE)

ITRE coordinators decided that the amended proposals would be taken into account during the inter-institutional negotiations on Horizon Europe and its Specific Programme, therefore procedure do not foresee involvement of opinion giving committees at this stage.

No opinion

Due to lead committee entering immediately into interinstitutional negotiations.

No opinion

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CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

9. COM(2020)0459(04)

2018/0216(COD)

Establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the Common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)

AGRI AGRI will vote on its draft report at the latest in September 2020.

CONT already delivered an opinion on 31 January 2019.(Rapporteur: Zeller, EPP)

Compared to Commission original proposal, this amended proposal: - Brings targeted changes to the EARDF interventions under the CAP strategic plans as part of the revised proposal for the 2021-2027 MFF. It makes possible to finance these programs for a limited period above the ceilings for commitments and payments set by the MFF, as external assigned revenue; - Does define neither new working method covering direct payments for farmers nor change in the objectives and performance monitoring.

No opinion

Due to short timeline of lead committee

- No opinion

- Letter to be sent from CONT Chair to AGRI Chair

- Coordinators approved the proposed draft letter in(Annex II)

10. COM(2020)0447

2018/0206(COD)

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)

EMPL CONT delivered opinion on 20 November 2018 (Rapporteur: Pirinski, S&D)

EMPL will not start a fresh procedure but will take into consideration the Commission amended proposal into the early second reading negotiations, therefore procedure does not foresee involvement of opinion giving committees at this stage.

No opinion

Due to lead committee entering immediately into interinstitutional negotiations.

No opinion

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CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

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CONT Reference Title Lead Comments Proposal of the secretariat

Decision of Coordinators

11. COM(2020)0452

2018/0197(COD)

European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund

REGI CONT delivered an opinion on 12 October 2018.(Rapporteur: Pargneaux, S&D)

REGI Coordinators decided that the amended proposal will be taken into account in the interinstitutional negotiations, therefore procedure does not foresee involvement of opinion giving committees at this stage.

No opinion

Due to lead committee entering immediately into interinstitutional negotiations.

No opinion

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2. Request for an ECA opinion on the Commission’s Proposal on Establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility

The Chair proposes to request ECA for an opinion on the Commission’s proposal on Establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility (COM(2020)0104).Decision: Coordinators approved this proposal, the Chair will send a letter to ECA President in this regard. (Draft letter as approved by Coordinators in Annex III)

3. Screening of recently published ECA SRs

ECA has recently published three new special reports as follows:

12/2020 - The European Investment Advisory Hub — Launched to boost investment in the EU, the Hub’s impact remains limited Published on: 12 May 2020

AD: Olivier SautierePolitical group: S&D (already notified the Secretariat that they will opt for presentation in CONT)

13/2020 - Biodiversity on farmland: CAP contribution has not halted the declinePublished on: 5 June 2020AD: Cecile BourgaultPolitical group: Greens (already notified the Secretariat that they will opt for presentation in CONT)

10/2020 - EU transport infrastructures: more speed needed in megaproject implementation to deliver network effects on timePublished on: 16 June 2020AD: Aleksi HyvattiPolitical group: EPP

The Secretariat has scrutinized these special reports recommending the presentation in CONT committee for two of them – coordinators received the scrutiny reports.

Decision: Coordinators decided to schedule the presentation of all three special reports in CONT committee at an upcoming CONT committee meeting.

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4. Request to the Legal Service of the European Parliament for an opinion on the legal basis and the conditions for the EU to acquire the full membership in GRECO

Coordinators approved during their meeting of 20 February 2020 the organisation of the workshop “The EU's current role in the GRECO and ambitions for the future: how to move towards full membership”.The objective of the workshop is to exchange views on legal aspects of the EU’s future full membership with GRECO. The Commission and the Council have in the past both indicated their willingness to go a step further and make the EU become a full member of GRECO, which includes a monitoring of EU institutions through GRECO. In order to better prepare this workshop CONT coordinators might request to obtain the opinion of the EP Legal Service under which conditions the EU can join GRECO as a full member.Decision: Coordinators approved the request for a legal opinion to be submitted to the Legal Service. (Draft letter as approved by Coordinators in Annex IV)

Items for information

5. Launch of Client satisfaction survey monthly exercise in EP

On 5 June 2020, a first client satisfaction survey was sent to a sample of CONT members (in their capacity of Chair and rapporteurs of ongoing reports and opinions). As of June the survey will be sent on a monthly basis to a sample of 10% of CONT rapporteurs randomly selected by the tool.This is part of a wider exercise launched and organised centrally, which involves all units of the Parliament’s General Secretariat and which aims at receiving systematic feedback from clients, in this case committee members, on the services provided by the secretariat. Similar surveys concerning all other kind of EP services – drivers, travel office, etc. – are also sent to Members.Members are invited to reply by rating their satisfaction with the services provided by the committee (1 to 5 stars), with the initial/default value set at 3. Replies are anonymous; however, if Members have a specific comment or suggestion they wish to address to the secretariat, they can leave their name in the questionnaire's comment box.

6. Documents received for informationCoordinators will find for information in all documents the committee received for information since the written procedure of 15 June 2020. (Annex V)7. Any other business

8. Time and date of next Coordinators' meeting 6 July 2020, 11.30-12.30

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ANNEX I

Committee on Budgetary ControlThe Chair

IPOL-COM-CONT D(2020)

Mr Younous Omarjee Chair of Committee on Regional

DevelopmentEuropean Parliament

Brussels

Subject: Contribution on behalf of the Committee on Budgetary Control as regards the Commission amended proposal for a Common Provisions Regulation

Dear Mr Omarjee,

The Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) calls on the Committee on Regional Development, as the committee responsible, to bear in mind the following concerns in the preparation of its report on the Commission amended proposal for a Common Provisions Regulation on the ERDF, the ESF, the CF, and the EMFF and financial rules for those and for the AMIF, the ISF and the Boarder Management and Visa Instrument, as expressed in the 2018 annual discharge procedure,

Mandatory use of ARACHNE IT programme and extension

1. CONT points out that at currently, ARACHNE IT programme is used on a voluntary basis and only as a risk assessment tool;

2. CONT deplores that ARACHNE is limited to the information on projects implemented under the Structural Funds in the EU and provided by the ESF and ERDF and that it does not aim at assessing the particular individual conduct of EU fund recipients;

3. CONT also notes that ARACHNE is not linked to any other system in the Commission, except to the VAT Information Exchange System (VIES) of the Directorate General of Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD), which is used to validate VAT numbers;

4. CONT calls on the Commission to make the use of ARACHNE IT programme

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compulsory, to ensure that data extracted from ARACHNE can be used for monitoring purposes as well, that the provision of information be made mandatory, particularly for expenditure of programmes in the field of agriculture, including direct payments, maritime, cohesion and social policies, and that Member States should not have the possibility to opt-out of using this IT tool;

5. Our Committee calls on the Commission to upgrade ARACHNE so that it contains information on beneficial ownership to monitor the total amounts of subsidies received per natural person, directly through direct payments and indirectly through ownership of a company receiving subsidies, and to help detect possible conflict of interest (e.g. including information about business or family relations);

6. In this respect, CONT underlines that information on beneficial ownership could be based on Chapter III of Directive (EU) 2015/849 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing; data should be entered in a uniform manner and in real-time to allow comparability of information provided by all Member States;

7. CONT considers that the information in ARACHNE has to allow cross-checks within the IT programme and to be interoperable with other databases relevant to EU monitoring activities;

8. CONT points out that a mandatory use of ARACHNE IT programme could be included in the Commission amended proposal for a Common Provisions Regulation and other sectoral regulations covering all policies, and that once the current Financial Regulation 2018/1046 is opened for revision, a sub-paragraph could be inserted in its Article 63(4) to state that bodies designated in accordance with sector-specific rules shall "use a dedicated risk-sharing tool developed by the Commission";

9. CONT urges the Commission to ensure that data from ARACHNE is fully accessible by the Commission and Parliament’s discharge authority for monitoring and budgetary control purposes and that publication of information on beneficiaries of EU subsidies be considered with respect for the protection of personal data and in line with relevant decisions of the ECJ;

On behalf of the Committee on Budgetary Control, I would be very grateful if your Committee could take these observations into consideration in the final negotiations on the pending legislative procedures.

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Yours sincerely,

Monika HohlmeierCONT Chairman

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ANNEX II

Committee on Budgetary ControlThe Chair

IPOL-COM-CONT D(2020) Mr Norbert Lins

Chair of Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

European ParliamentBrussels

Subject: Contribution on behalf of the Committee on Budgetary Control as regards the Commission Omnibus amended proposal for CAP Strategic Plans (EAGF, EAFRD)

Dear Mr Norbert Lins,

The Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) calls on the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, as the committee responsible, to bear in mind the following concerns in the preparation of its report on the Commission Omnibus amended proposal for CAP Strategic Plans (EAGF, EAFRD), as expressed in the discharge 2018 procedure to the Commission1:

Fairer CAP allocation

10. CONT urges the Commission to ensure that CAP funds are fairly allocated to active farmers and do not result in land deals that benefit a select group of political insiders called ‘the oligarchs’, given the importance of CAP, notably for small farmers;

11. CONT is concerned by recent reports of alleged cases of high-level conflicts of interest and the fact that EU agricultural funds are allegedly misused to benefit ‘oligarchic’ structures and organised crime in some Member States, which represents a threat and severe injustice towards Union taxpayers and puts the Union’s reputation at risk;

12. CONT acknowledges the Commission proposal for a new delivery model including a capping combined with a degressive mechanism to ensure that CAP funds are distributed in a weighted manner, such that the payments per hectare are on a reducing scale relative to the size of the holding/farm; CONT considers that a capping, with the introduction of labour offsets before capping is insufficient to guarantee a fairer

1 Notably in paragraphs: 18, 19, 23, 25, 27, 260, 261, 262, 275, 276, 277, 279 and 280.

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allocation of direct payments and supports the idea of a redistribution mechanism;

13. CONT urges the Commission to include a proposal for a cap on the total amounts of subsidies per natural person in order to avoid a situation in which one natural person either directly through direct payments or indirectly through ownership of companies can receive Union subsidies in shared management amounting to three-digit million euros during one programming period;

14. CONT calls on the Commission to ensure that this cap on the total amounts of subsidies per natural person includes sectoral caps for subsidies receivable for each of the EU funds under shared management as well as a total cap on the overall amount that one natural person can receive, directly through direct payments and indirectly through ownership of companies receiving subsidies;

Land grabbing and unfair treatment - Direct complaint mechanism for farmers and SMEs

15. CONT is deeply concerned that in some Member States, small farmers face threats of land grabbing and other threats to their fundamental rights while criminal structures and ‘oligarchic’ structures benefit from CAP direct payments and other funds in shared management;

16. CONT also notes with concern that OLAF reports that in some Member States, EU subsidies were distributed to recipients for land that has been acquired illegally or fraudulently and SMEs face similar pressures and unfairly disadvantageous treatment compared with large conglomerates, e.g. in land auctions or the distribution of subsidies in some Member States;

17. Our Committee calls on the Commission to come up with proposals clearly indicating that lease or ownership contracts of land are based on the rule of law and that national legislation regarding workers’ rights, including rights concerning the incomes of farm workers, are followed;

18. CONT acknowledges that disputes on land ownership or alleged cases of land grabbing fall within the national competence and responsibility to establish systems to prevent and avoid irregularities and fraud and that the same holds for disputes involving SMEs facing unfair treatment in tenders or the distribution of subsidies;

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19. CONT is concerned about the financial loss caused by generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in a number of Member States which render existing complaint and protection mechanisms void or ineffective;

20. CONT calls on the Commission where generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law have been detected in a Member State, to set up a specific mechanism at EU level to enable farmers and SMEs confronted, for example, with land grabbing malpractices, misconduct of national authorities, pressure from criminal structures, organised crime or ‘oligarch’ structures, or with an infringement of their fundamental rights, to swiftly lodge a complaint with the Commission;

21. CONT calls on the Commission to ensure that under the same conditions, farmers or SMEs experiencing unfairly disadvantage treatment, for example in land auctions or concerning the distribution of subsidies or public tender decisions, can lodge a complaint directly with the Commission;

22. CONT underlines that adequate protection for persons or companies following the loge of a complaint has to be guaranteed;

On behalf of the Committee on Budgetary Control, I would be very grateful if your Committee could take these observations into consideration in the final negotiations on the pending legislative procedures.

Yours sincerely,

Monika HohlmeierCONT Chairman

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ANNEX III

Committee on Budgetary ControlThe Chair

IPOL-COM-CONT D(2020)21707

Mr Klaus-Heiner LehnePresident of the European Court of Auditors

Rue Alcide De Gasperi 121615 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG

Subject: Request for an Opinion of the European Court of Auditors on the Commission’s proposal on Establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility (COM(2020)0104)

Dear Mr President,

At their last meeting on 6 July 2020, the CONT Coordinators decided to request the European Court of Auditors to deliver an opinion on the Commission’s proposal on Establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility (COM(2020)0104), more specifically, to provide an assessment of the overall design of this new instrument.

Beyond the fact that the proposed Recovery and Resilience Facility (RFF) would provide large scale financial support and loans to Member States to support public investments and reforms, the RFF however raises a certain number of questions that should be carefully addressed from the angle of the competences of the European Court of Auditors.

Any recommendation from the Court of Auditors on the adequacy of the financial instruments that are proposed to be used (i.e. loans and non-repayable financial support), on the risk of unforeseen design-related problems and the implementation of the RFF would be welcome as well as indications on the best way to minimise the risks to compliance and sound financial management in the management of the RFF.

Finally, the RFF will be fully financed by borrowing operations of the Union and the proceeds of these borrowings on capital markets will be recorded in the EU budget as external assigned revenue (cf. article 21(5) of the Financial Regulation) which appears in the EU's accounts and the balance sheet and will have to be carefully scrutinized in the discharge procedure. The money borrowed from the financial markets will create liabilities of the Union which will have to be paid back from the EU's budget in later years. Your analysis of this unprecedented

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large use of external assigned revenue and in particular of the question whether sufficient control, reporting and monitoring mechanisms are provided in the draft legislative act would be most welcome.

Considering all these aspects and challenges at stake, I believe that the Court of Auditor’s independent and objective assessment will be extremely important and appreciated by the European Parliament in the framework of the future discussions on this legislative procedure.

On behalf of the Committee on Budgetary Control, I would be very grateful to the Court of Auditors for providing Parliament with its qualitative evaluation and views on these elements, ideally by the end of August.

Yours sincerely,

Monika Hohlmeier

Copy to:

Johan VAN OVERTVELDT, Chair of BUDG CommitteeIrene TINAGLI, Chair of ECON CommitteeCristian-Silviu BUŞOI, Chair of ITRE CommitteeKarima DELLI, Chair of TRAN CommitteePascal CANFIN, Chair of ENVI CommitteeLucia ĎURIŠ NICHOLSONOVÁ, Chair of EMPL Committee

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ANNEX IV

Committee on Budgetary ControlThe Chair

IPOL-COM-CONT D(2020)

Freddy DrexlerThe Jurisconsult

European Parliament

Subject: Request for a Legal Opinion on the possibility of the EU to join GRECO as a full member

Dear Jurisconsult,

CONT Coordinators approved during their meeting of 20 February 2020 the organisation of the workshop “The EU's current role in the GRECO and ambitions for the future: how to move towards full membership”.

The objective of the workshop is to exchange views on legal aspects of the EU’s future full membership with GRECO. The Commission and the Council have in the past both indicated their willingness to go a step further and make the EU become a full member of GRECO, which includes a monitoring of EU institutions through GRECO.

In order to better prepare this workshop CONT coordinators approved on 6 July 2020 to request to obtain the opinion of the EP Legal Service on the below questions:

1. Under which legal base and decision-making procedure can the EU become a full member of GRECO?

2. In case of a full membership of the EU, are there any legal obstacles against the EU institutions being monitored and evaluated like those of the other GRECO members?

I would kindly ask you to transmit the legal opinion until end of September 2020 at the latest.

Yours sincerely,

Monika Hohlmeier

Annex: Background note of Policy Department D

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ANNEX V

SubjectDescription /

remarks

Parliament future discharges will be taken into

consideration in the 2019 discharge to the Parliament

RAPPORTS ANNUELS D'ACTIVITES 2019 - DECLARATION DE L'ORDONNATEUR DELEGUE PRINCIPAL

D (2020) 17369

Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations - Reply to Q 201 (Actions to be taken on the resolution accompanying the discharge decision) - (FINS-C with APPF)

Commission future discharges will be taken into

consideration in the 2019 discharge to the Commission

COMMUNITY PLANT VARIETY OFFICE - FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019 A (2020) 3651

EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK - EFSI INVESTMENT COMMITTEE DECISIONS (JUNE 2020)

A (2020) 3677

EDUCATION AUDIOVISUAL AND CULTURE EXECUTIVE AGENCY (EACEA) FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019

A (2020) 3759

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE COURT OF AUDITORS - ANNUAL REPORT TO THE DISCHARGE AUTHORITY ON INTERNAL AUDITS CARRIED OUT IN 2019

A (2020) 6898

Commission's Statement of Estimates 2021 (+ Working Document 1 on Programme statements)

Final annual accounts of the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA) for the financial year 2019

A (2020) 3943

COM(2020)0265 FINAL - RAPPORT DE LA COMMISSION AU PARLEMENT EUROPEEN, AU CONSEIL ET A LA COUR DES COMPTES EUROPEENNE RAPPORT ANNUEL 2019 SUR LA GESTION ET LA PERFORMANCE DU BUDGET DE L'UNION EUROPEENNE

A (2020) 6995

Final Accounts of the Research Executive Agency (REA) for the financial year 2019 A (2020) 3962

2019 Annual accounts and CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS of the EU and Commission - COM(2020)0288; COM(2020) 289 final

A (2020) 7106; A (2020) 7080; A (2020) 3985

RAPPORT DE LA COMMISSION AU PARLEMENT EUROPEEN ET AU CONSEIL PREVISIONS A LONG TERME CONCERNANT LES ENTREES ET LES SORTIES FUTURES DU BUDGET DE L'UE (2021-2025)

A (2020) 7187

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Executive Agency for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (EASME) final accounts 2019 A (2020) 4019

INNOVATION AND NETWORKS EXECUTIVE AGENCY (INEA) FINAL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2019

A (2020) 4009

CONSUMERS HEALTH AGRICULTURE AND FOOD EXECUTIVE AGENCY (CHAFEA) FINAL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2019

A (2020) 3999

EDF future dischargeswill be taken into consideration in the 2019 discharge to EDF

2019 Annual accounts of the European Development Fund (EDF) A (2020) 7078

Agencies future discharges Working document on European chemicals agency's (ECHA) building policy – June 2020 will be taken into

consideration in the 2019 discharge to Agencies

Final Annual Accounts 2019 of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and opinion on the accounts A (2020) 4068

2019 EBA (European Banking Authority) Annual Report A (2020) 3618

European Banking Authority (EBA) - Transmission of the 2019 Annual Accounts A (2020) 4073

2019 EBA Consolidated Annual Activity Report (CAAR) A (2020) 4077

European Training Foundation (ETF) Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019 and Analysis and Assessment and the related ETF Governing Board’s Opinion

A (2020) 3632

FRONTEX - Measures taken in the light of the Discharge Authority’s observations and comments issued in respect of the implementation of the budget 2018

FRONTEX ANNUAL INFORMATION ON THE COMMITMENTS AND DEPLOYMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES TO THE EUROPEAN BORDER AND COAST GUARD TEAMS AND TO THE TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT POOL REPORT ON THE OPERATIONAL RESOURCES IN 2019

A (2020) 3635

FRONTEX EVALUATION REPORT ON RETURN OPERATIONS - 2ND SEMESTER OF 2019 A (2020) 3671

Frontex report on budgetary and financial management in 2019 - Annual accounts A (2020) 4015

FRONTEX CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2019 A (2020) 4001

Annual accounts 2019 of the European Environment Agency (EEA) A (2020) 3654

European Environment Agency (EEA) - CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2019 A (2020) 3683

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EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK - REVISED DRAFTS OF THE PROGRAMMING DOCUMENT 2021-2023 AND BUDGET AND ESTABLISHMENT PLAN 2021

A (2020) 3656

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (FRA) - FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS REPORT 2020

A (2020) 3672

FRA - Statement of revenue and expenditure for the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2020 – Amending budget No 1; • Adoption of the Management Board budgetary transfer 2020-01; CAAR 2019; The Management Board's Assessment of the CAAR 2019

BODY OF EUROPEAN REGULATORS FOR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS (BEREC) ANNUAL REPORTS 2019

A (2020) 3690

European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) 2019 Annual Report

European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) Final accounts FY 2019 A (2020) 3987

EUROPEAN INSURANCE AND OCCUPATIONAL PENSIONS AUTHORITY (EIOPA) FINAL MINUTES OF THE 61TH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ON 13/05/2020

A (2020) 3719

DISCHARGE 2019: EIOPA Annual Report

EIOPA Final Annual Accounts for the Financial Year 2019 A (2020) 4030

Responses from the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice(eu-LISA) to the observations in the discharge report 2018

European Union Agency for Law EnforcementTraining (CEPOL) Annual Report 2019

CEPOL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2019 A (2020) 3984

Final Accounts of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) A (2020) 3789

European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019 A (2020) 3826

Europol Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019 A (2020) 3757

EUROPOL final annual accounts for the financial year 2019 A (2020) 3824

EUROPOL annual report on information provided by each Member State in 2019 A (2020) 3885

EMSA Follow up report on the 2018 discharge A (2020) 3997

European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019 A (2020) 3835

EMSA FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019 A (2020) 3886

Final accounts 2019 of the Euratom Supply Agency A (2020) 3827

EUROPEAN FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS (EUROFOUND) FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019

A (2020) 3859

European Medicines Agency's (EMA) 2019 Report on Budgetary and Financial Management - preparation for 2019 discharge

A (2020) 3872

EMA Annual Activity Report and Management Board Assessment 2019 A (2020) 3957

EUROPEAN ASYLUM SUPPORT OFFICE (EASO) - FINAL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2019 A (2020) 3883

EASO CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2019 A (2020) 3944

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Annual accounts 2019 of the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA)

A (2020) 3881

Report of EU-OSHA’s Executive Director to the Discharge authority on the follow up to the 2018 budgetary discharge

EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK (EU-OSHA) annual accounts 2019

A (2020) 3932

EU-OSHA 2019 Authorising Officer´s Annual Activity Report A (2020) 4061

ECDC - Final annual accounts 2019 & Opinion of ECDC's Management Board on final accounts 2019

A (2020) 4039

EUROPEAN FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY (EFSA) Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019 - ANNUAL ACCOUNTS

A (2020) 4078

EFSA Annual Activity Report 2019

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) - Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019 (with Management Board analysis and assessment)

A (2020) 4011

CEDEFOP- Final Annual Accounts 2019 (with Opinion of Management Board and MRL)

A (2020) 4055

EUROPEAN MONITORING CENTRE FOR DRUGS AND DRUG ADDICTION (EMCDDA) FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019

A (2020) 4016

TRANSLATION CENTRE FOR THE BODIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (CDT) FINAL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2019

A (2020) 4021

EUROPEAN UNION AVIATION SAFETY AGENCY KOLN (EASA) 2019 Certified Final Annual Accounts

EASA CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2019 A (2020) 4051

Consolidated Annual Activity Report and Final Accounts for 2019 of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)

EUROJUST Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019

European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) Consolidated Annual Activity Report - 2019

European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) Consolidated Annual Activity Report 2019 and the Final Accounts for the Financial Year 2019

Other institutions discharges A (2020) 4017 will be taken into

consideration in the 2019 discharge to Other Institutions

EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN - FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019 A (2020) 3681

EESC Annual Activity Report for 2019 A (2020) 3698

EESC - Follow-up of Parliament's observation in the 2018 discharge resolution

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION - FINAL ACCOUNTS FOR 2019 A (2020) 3695

EEAS - COMPTES DE L'ANNEE 2019 A (2020) 3830

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EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION SUPERVISOR's FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019 A (2020) 3850Comptes annuels définitifs 2019 - Cour de justice

Décharge 2018 - Réponses de la Cour de justice

COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS (CoR) FINAL ACCOUNTS 2019 A (2020) 3989

Joint undertakings discharges will be taken into

consideration in the 2019 discharge to Joint undertakings

IMI2 JU Annual Activity Report for 2019 A (2020) 3887IMI2 JU Final Annual Accounts 2019 A (2020) 3903Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking (S2R JU) Annual Activity Report 2019 A (2020) 3946

Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking's (S2R JU) final accounts, financial year 2019 A (2020) 3948

Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking Final Accounts & Budgetary implementation report for the year 2019

A (2020) 3964

CLEAN SKY JOINT UNDERTAKING - ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2019 A (2020) 4040

ITER Council 26 - Record of Decisions and Press Release

Annual accounts of SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU) for the financial year 2019 A (2020) 4090

Other procedures not related to the Discharge procedure European Court of Auditors (ECA) - audit preview “The EU’s anti-money laundering policy in the banking sector” (No 05/2020), led by Court Member Mihails Kozlovs

Letter from Agrofert - Observations about CONT report following fact-finding mission to CZ on 26-28 February 2020

A(2020)3643

Letter from Europol - EPPO / Protecting our economic recovery

COMMUNICATION DE LA COMMISSION AU CONSEIL INFORMATIONS FINANCIERES SUR LE FONDS EUROPEEN DE DEVELOPPEMENT FONDS EUROPEEN DE DEVELOPPEMENT (FED): PREVISIONS RELATIVES AUX ENGAGEMENTS, AUX PAIEMENTS ET AUX CONTRIBUTIONS

A (2020) 6451

COM(2020)0234 FINAL - PROPOSITION DE DECISION DU CONSEIL RELATIVE AUX CONTRIBUTIONS FINANCIERES A VERSER PAR LES ETATS MEMBRES POUR FINANCER LE FONDS EUROPEEN DE DEVELOPPEMENT, NOTAMMENT LA DEUXIEME TRANCHE POUR 2020

A (2020) 6492

CONSULTATION ON THE AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL ON ESTABLISHING THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTING HORIZON EUROPE - THE FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION (8550/19)

A (2020) 3785

BUDG-ECON COOPERATION WITH REGARD TO THE RECOVERY PACKAGE - REQUESTS FOR ASSOCIATION UNDER RULE 57 BY TRAN, ENVI, ITRE, EMPL AND CONT COMMITTEES

D (2020) 19338

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EUROPEAN UNION INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE (EUIPO) - Annual Report 2019 A (2020) 3869

EUROPEAN UNION INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE (EUIPO) - FINAL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2019

A (2020) 3994

ECA’s Review on Climate action spending