Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we are talking about a Budget with some EUR 96.8 billion in commitments and EUR 94.7 billion in payments from Parliament’s point of view. Far below the ceiling for own resources, therefore. I believe that what matters is to use the 2001 Budget for a budgetary and administrative consolidation of the European Union while fulfilling the commitments which have been entered into, including those relating to the common agricultural policy. The basis for doing so is to be found in the decisions made in connection with Agenda 2000. I would also state very clearly in this Chamber that anyone who goes beyond this fails to understand the processes of adjustment and the structural changes at present under way in agriculture and in rural areas and will provoke a debate which might lead some day to Brussels’ being told: we are sorry, the Commission is no doubt responsible for foreign trade and for competition law in the area of agricultural policy, but responsibility for everything else must again lie with ourselves because we are no longer going to allow the structures concerned to go downhill. We have had to resort to the reserves in the different areas. We do so not for the fun of it but because we want to make an impression and to see to it that responsible use is made of Parliament’s priorities. We would not need to use these reserves if, for example, following an amendment to budget law or to the budget regulations – of the kind which certainly takes place at national level – the Committee on Budgets were to have the opportunity in future to block and freeze funds in the current budget year, if this were necessary and if Parliament’s views had not been taken sufficiently into account. I want to say very clearly that, with regard to category 4, we on the one hand stand by the international political commitments which have been entered into and accept the new challenges. For us, however, it is crucial that, on 15 November, the Commission should submit – as we shall demand that it do – a clear, detailed and intelligible report on how we are dealing with the commitments entered into so far and with the total arrears in payments. I strongly advise the Commission to produce a thorough report so that we do not have to return to this problem area over the next few years. Until these figures are available, there will be problems in releasing the general implementation reserve of some EUR 650 million. Until this point has been clarified and discussed in detail, I flatly refuse to speak about any revision of the Financial Perspective. It must also, of course, be made clear to the Council that it also has its share of responsibility for the deficiencies in the way that many external programmes have been handled. I would state very clearly that we want to finance the programme for the Balkan region on the basis of the assessment to date, that is to say, however, not exclusively under heading 1 and not exclusively by revising the Financial Perspective, but by means of thoroughly sound multiannual financial planning. I want to mention one final point which is also part and parcel of this issue. In view of past experience, we want to help create a new culture of responsibility and administration at European level. We say yes to 400 new jobs in 2001. However, we would say just as clearly to the Commission that, before we are prepared to negotiate at all concerning the second tranche for 2002, we need a careful discussion and analysis of how, while respecting the substance of the acquis communautaire, Community law can be simplified, something which may save jobs both at Community level and within the Member States. In the same way, we need a careful analysis on the part of the Commission of how, in the course of the enlargement process, European administration is to be developed. So that we do not have to discuss these problems again in the next budget year, we should call for this right now so that the Commission is given a clear signal regarding the homework it has to do in the course of the next six months.

Political group: PPE-DE