### 30. deplores the fact that there is no system in place to ensure that members who are temporarily absent for a justified reason , such as maternity leave , parental leave , long-term sick leave or career’s leave , can continue to carry out their core duties , first and foremost to speak in debates and to vote; calls on the committee on constitutional affairs to provide for the continuation of remote participation and for providing for the substitution of a member - whether female or male - while on parental leave and in the above mentioned cases; ### 30. notes the fact that there is no system in place to ensure that members who are temporarily absent for a justified reason , such as maternity leave , parental leave , long-term sick leave or carer’s leave , can continue to carry out their core duties , first and foremost to speak in debates and to vote; calls on the committee on constitutional affairs to provide for the continuation of remote participation and for providing for the substitution of a member - whether female or male - while on parental leave and in the above mentioned cases; urges the bureau to find feasible and temporarily limited solutions for members who are absent for justified reasons , such a maternity leave , paternity leave , serious health matters , or temporary carer's leave , to continue to carry out their core duties , first and foremost to speak in debates and vote; recalls that daily allowances remain linked to physical presence at parliaments places of work;


### 32. welcomes that parliament distributed reusable facial fabric masks to members of staff at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic; notes that ffp2/3 masks have subsequently been proven to provide a much higher protection from sars-cov-2; regrets that there is no general requirement to date to wear ffp 2/3 masks on parliament’s premises; ### 32. welcomes that parliament distributed reusable facial fabric masks to members of staff at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic; notes that medical face masks en14683 or ffp2 respiratory protective devices have been required to be worn while in parliament's buildings in order to reinforce the protection of members and staff as well as to further reduce the release of infectious respiratory particles;


### 33. stresses that parliament needs to be at the forefront of adopting more digital , flexible and energy-efficient working methods and meeting practices , learning from the experiences of the covid-19 pandemic and capitalising on the technology investments already implemented which contribute to a significantly reduced need for office space , electricity , water consumption and emissions due to less daily commuting; ### 33. stresses that parliament needs to be at the forefront of adopting more digital , flexible and energy-efficient working methods and meeting practices , learning from the experiences of the covid-19 pandemic and capitalising on the technology investments already implemented; notes that on the initiative of former president sassoli , focus groups on “rethinking parliamentary democracy - a stronger european parliament after covid-19” discussed the future of work within parliament between april and july pertaining to each of their fields of action: plenary , parliamentary prerogatives , communication , external diplomacy and internal organisation; notes that the focus groups delivered a final report including recommendations which implementation will be discussed by the bureau;


### 34. calls on parliament to re-evaluate its emas target for 2020 in light of the covid-19 pandemic; reiterates its call to amend its current co2 reduction plan for reaching carbon neutrality by 2030 using an internal carbon price; ### deleted


### 34. calls on parliament to re-evaluate its emas target for 2020 in light of the covid-19 pandemic; reiterates its call to amend its current co2 reduction plan for reaching carbon neutrality by 2030 using an internal carbon price; ### 34. calls on parliament to re-evaluate its emas target for 2020 in light of the covid-19 pandemic; reiterates its call to amend its current co2 reduction plan for reaching carbon neutrality using an internationally recognised method when it has been validated as e.g. an internal carbon pricing (icp) mechanism by which companies voluntarily price their carbon footprint and thereby put a value on their greenhouse gas emission;


### 35. deplores that presently , on parliament’s brussels site , only four buildings (a quarter of the total number of buildings - spinelli , campoamor , arendt , montoyer science) are equipped with photovoltaic panels , and that these installations represent a cumulative surface area of less than 2% of the total roof surface in brussels; expects the bureau to decide to install as many photovoltaic panels as possible by 2023 , that could share their energy with the city of brussels during weekends when the parliament’s premises are mostly empty; ### 35. notes that three of parliament’s buildings in brussels (martens , campoamor and wayenberg nursery) have recently been awarded an internationally recognised environmental certification on sustainability , a breeam excellence , confirming the long-standing policy and actions by parliament to gradually transform its buildings portfolio into an environmentally exemplary one; notes that presently , on parliament’s brussels site , four buildings (a quarter of the total number of buildings - spinelli , campoamor , arendt , montoyer-science) are equipped with photovoltaic panels , and that these installations represent a cumulative surface area of less than 2% of the total roof surface of parliament's buildings in brussels; notes that three new photovoltaic installations (100m² on the montoyer 70 , 200 m² on the spinelli and 52 m² of replacement of the current solar panels by photovoltaic ones on the brandt building) will be completed by the end of 2022 (and this represents an increase of 64 % , in 2022 , of the total surface equipped with photovoltaic panels); invites the bureau to further evaluate the installation of additional photovoltaic panels by 2023 , taking into account technical feasibility and cost effectiveness;


### 36. strongly regrets that there are currently no photovoltaic panels on any of the buildings in parliament’s strasbourg site; notes that the feasibility studies based on which it was decided not to install solar panels on the roofs in strasbourg date back to 2011 and reiterates that prices for solar panels have decreased by more than 80% since 2010; expects the bureau to decide to install as many photovoltaic panels as possible that could share their energy with the city of strasbourg when parliament’s premises are mostly empty; calls on the bureau to also consider renting the roofs’ surfaces to external users for the installation of solar panels and thereby use it as an additional source of income for parliament; ### 36. notes that there are currently no photovoltaic panels on any parliament’s buildings in strasbourg as the emphasis has been placed on more efficient means of saving energy , by installing new highly efficient heat pumps; notes that the feasibility studies based on which it was decided not to install solar panels on the roofs in strasbourg date back to 2011 and reiterates that prices for solar panels have decreased by more than 80% since 2010; invites the bureau to evaluate the installation of photovoltaic panels by 2023 , taking into account technical feasibility and cost effectiveness;


### 36. strongly regrets that there are currently no photovoltaic panels on any of the buildings in parliament’s strasbourg site; notes that the feasibility studies based on which it was decided not to install solar panels on the roofs in strasbourg date back to 2011 and reiterates that prices for solar panels have decreased by more than 80% since 2010; expects the bureau to decide to install as many photovoltaic panels as possible that could share their energy with the city of strasbourg when parliament’s premises are mostly empty; calls on the bureau to also consider renting the roofs’ surfaces to external users for the installation of solar panels and thereby use it as an additional source of income for parliament; ### 36. strongly regrets that there are currently no photovoltaic panels on any of the buildings in parliament’s strasbourg site; notes that the feasibility studies based on which it was decided not to install solar panels on the roofs in strasbourg date back to 2011 and reiterates that prices for solar panels have decreased by more than 80% since 2010; expects the bureau to decide to install as many photovoltaic panels as possible that could share their energy with the city of strasbourg; calls on the bureau to also consider renting the roofs’ surfaces to external users for the installation of solar panels and thereby use it as an additional source of income for parliament;


### 37. welcomes the installation of heat pumps and cogeneration in the buildings in strasbourg and brussels to produce renewable electricity and heat; further welcomes that the new adenauer building in luxembourg was built using the most modern environmental techniques available including geothermal and solar energy and full use of daylight; calls on parliament to further increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix and , in particular , energy production and to phase out fossil fuels as soon as possible; calls on parliament to publish the energy certificates of all ep buildings; ### 37. welcomes the installation of heat pumps and cogeneration in the buildings in strasbourg and brussels to produce renewable electricity and heat; further welcomes that the new adenauer building in luxembourg was built using the most modern environmental techniques available including geothermal and solar energy and full use of daylight; calls on parliament to further increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix and , in particular , energy production that contributes to the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels through a technology-open strategy for the expansion of renewable energies; calls on parliament to publish the energy certificates of all parliament buildings;


### 38. recalls that efficient lighting solutions are an essential factor for the sustainability of buildings; welcomes that the replacement of existing lighting with low-energy led lights is evaluated whenever possible and feasible in parliament’s buildings; regrets that not all offices in parliament’s three seats are equipped with motion detectors and that it appears that the motion detectors in several offices in the spinelli building do not work; calls on parliament to ensure that fully functioning motion detectors are installed wherever feasible to reduce energy consumption; ### 38. recalls that efficient lighting solutions are an essential factor for the sustainability of buildings; welcomes that the replacement of existing lighting with low-energy led lights is carried out whenever possible and feasible in parliament’s buildings; notes that not all offices in parliament’s three seats are equipped with motion detectors and that , however , such areas not yet equipped are very limited in extent and in buildings rented or awaiting decision on their future use; and that it appears that the motion detectors in several offices in the spinelli building have too long delays before activating the lights to switch off , as is visible in particular in the mornings when the lights remain on for a long period of time after the cleaning company has intervened; calls on parliament to develop further information to building occupants of the correct and efficient use of lighting with or without detectors and to ensure that fully functioning motion detectors are installed wherever feasible and cost-efficient to reduce energy consumption;


### 39. welcomes that the wayenberg nursery , completed in september 2020 , is the first passive building of parliament; calls on the bureau to turn all of parliament’s buildings into passive buildings by 2030; ### 39. welcomes that the extension of the wayenberg nursery in brussels , completed in september 2020 , is the first passive building of parliament; invites the bureau to initiate in 2022 technical studies to identify additional possibilities to further reduce energy consumption and increase the production of renewable energy and to implement them as soon as possible;


### 40. calls for the removal of remaining individual printers , encouraging parliament’s staff to use high quality printer stations shared by several offices; ### 40. encourages parliament’s staff to use high quality printer stations shared by several offices; encourages staff to request the removal of remaining individual printers on a voluntary basis bearing in mind the lifecycle of printers and the potential waste volumes of such devices; encourages parliament’s staff to use high quality printer stations shared by several offices;


### 41. recalls that nearly two thirds of parliament’s carbon footprint originates from the transport of people; calls for the expansion of voluntary teleworking to more days and functions; calls for a preference to be given to hybrid or fully remote events and meetings , including for the provision of interpretation and for remote interpretation whenever possible; calls for a revision of mission rules by the end of 2022 to ensure a proper needs-based approval and a specific justification for authorisation for all missions , including requirements for low carbon transport modes; ### 41. recalls that nearly two thirds of parliament’s carbon footprint originates from the transport of people; notes that during the covid-19 pandemic , a remote working regimen was introduced in parliament by president's decision; notes that on 16 july 2021 the secretary-general decided that as of 1 september 2021 new teleworking rules apply to staff of parliament´s secretariat by making available three different modes of teleworking; notes that hybrid or fully remote working including events and meetings and interpretation services enables flexibility for members and staff; reiterates that these measures are temporary; calls for preference to be given to in-person meetings , while allowing virtual presence whenever it is possible; recalls that parliament introduced working groups on parliament's future work; calls on parliament to take the focus groups' conclusions into account;


### 41. recalls that nearly two thirds of parliament’s carbon footprint originates from the transport of people; calls for the expansion of voluntary teleworking to more days and functions; calls for a preference to be given to hybrid or fully remote events and meetings , including for the provision of interpretation and for remote interpretation whenever possible; calls for a revision of mission rules by the end of 2022 to ensure a proper needs-based approval and a specific justification for authorisation for all missions , including requirements for low carbon transport modes; ### 41. recalls that nearly two thirds of parliament’s carbon footprint originates from the transport of people; highlights the value of physical presence in parliament and calls for a preference to be given to in-person meetings , while allowing hybrid or fully remote events and meetings , including for the provision of interpretation and for remote interpretation , whenever relevant and it does not disturb the parliamentary work; calls for a revision of mission rules by the end of 2022 to ensure a needs-based approval and a specific justification for authorisation for missions;


### 42. welcomes the gradual shift to zero-emission vehicles in parliament’s car service fleet; calls for the service fleet to be fully electric by 2024 the latest; ### 42. welcomes the gradual shift to e-vehicles as well as hybrid-vehicles that are powered by renewable energy such as hydrogen , e-fuels and biofuels to allow long distances in parliament’s car service fleet; calls for the service fleet to take new possibilities of low-emission transport into account according to market availability and suitability as well as taking into account the existing infrastructure;


### 43. calls for an appropriate increase in the number of car parking spaces reserved exclusively for electric vehicles; calls on parliament to set up an incentive scheme covering the full price of an annual brussels public transport ticket for all staff in return for their car parking vignette , followed by a reassessment of the overall number of parking spaces needed and the use of unused car parking to be turned into additional bicycle parking spaces; ### 43. calls for an appropriate increase in line with present and near future demand in the number of car parking spaces reserved exclusively for electric vehicles whereever such an exclusivity is justified by the presence on the very same parking spaces; considers unused car parking to be turned into inter alia additional bicycle parking spaces;


### 45. welcomes the introduction of a wider and more sustainable food choice , including the introduction of a greater variety of vegetarian and vegan products , in parliament’s canteens; reiterates that plant-based food not only has health advantages but also has a much lower carbon footprint; calls on parliament to increase the variety of vegetarian and vegan meals further and incentivise the consumption of such meals with a view to reducing the consumption of meat , fish and other animal-based products in parliament’s canteens as much as possible; ### 45. welcomes the introduction of a wider and more sustainable food choice , including the introduction of a greater variety of vegetarian and vegan products , in parliament’s canteens; reiterates that plant-based food not only has health advantages but also has a much lower carbon footprint;


### 45. welcomes the introduction of a wider and more sustainable food choice , including the introduction of a greater variety of vegetarian and vegan products , in parliament’s canteens; reiterates that plant-based food not only has health advantages but also has a much lower carbon footprint; calls on parliament to increase the variety of vegetarian and vegan meals further and incentivise the consumption of such meals with a view to reducing the consumption of meat , fish and other animal-based products in parliament’s canteens as much as possible; ### 45. welcomes the introduction of a wider and more sustainable food choice , including the introduction of a greater variety of vegetarian and vegan products , in parliament’s canteens; reiterates that plant-based food not only has health advantages but also has a much lower carbon footprint; calls on parliament to increase the variety of vegetarian and vegan meals further and incentivise the consumption of such meals with a view to reducing the consumption of meat , fish and other animal-based products in parliament’s canteens as much as possible; further requests that minimum one fresh gluten-free meal option is available each day and that allergy and diet information is displayed visibly on the food cards next to the counters;


### 46. recalls the support by the vast majority of parliament for a single seat to ensure efficient spending of union taxpayers’ money and to assume its institutional responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint; recalls that parliament’s plenary has previously requested a debate on its right to determine its own working arrangements and committed itself to initiating an ordinary treaty revision procedure under article 48 of the treaty on the european union with a view to proposing changes necessary to the treaty on the functioning of the european union and protocol 6 to allow it to decide on the location of its seat and its internal organisation4; ### 46. recalls that under the treaty on the functioning of the european union , the seat of the european parliament is in strasbourg and any permanent amendment requires the unanimous agreement of the member states;


### 46. recalls the support by the vast majority of parliament for a single seat to ensure efficient spending of union taxpayers’ money and to assume its institutional responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint; recalls that parliament’s plenary has previously requested a debate on its right to determine its own working arrangements and committed itself to initiating an ordinary treaty revision procedure under article 48 of the treaty on the european union with a view to proposing changes necessary to the treaty on the functioning of the european union and protocol 6 to allow it to decide on the location of its seat and its internal organisation4 ; ### 46. recalls that according to the treaty on european union (teu) , and in particular protocol (no 6) annexed to the treaties , parliament shall have its seat in strasbourg , where the 12 periods of monthly plenary sessions , including the budget session , shall be held; highlights that exceptional circumstances which affect the functioning of the parliament are temporary in nature; underlines the will of parliament to resume back to the normal functioning based on the treaties as soon as the situation allows; notes that permanent changes would require a treaty change for which unanimity is needed;


### 47. reiterates its call on parliament to introduce a user-friendly online booking system for the use of parliament’s car services to travel to strasbourg to be operational once regular sessions in strasbourg resume; further calls on parliament to widen the user group to also include members of staff , group staff and apas without the requirement for members to accompany them; ### 47. reiterates its call on parliament to introduce a user-friendly online booking system for the use of parliament’s car services to travel to strasbourg to be operational once regular sessions in strasbourg resume;


### 48. welcomes that ethical and transparency standards applicable to parliament are in many respects ahead of those applicable in the member state equivalents; regrets , however , that these are often not enforced in a satisfactory manner; considers that parliament should strive to lead by example with regards to setting europe-wide ethics and transparency standards; recalls that a lack of transparency , weak ethics rules and a lack of enforcement have the potential to compromise the integrity of the institution , lead to reputational risks for the parliament as a whole and ultimately damage citizens’ trust in the institution; emphasises the importance of addressing potential reputational risks before they materialise; ### 48. welcomes that ethical and transparency standards applicable to parliament are in many respects ahead of those applicable in the member state equivalents; considers that parliament is leading by example with regards to setting europe-wide ethics and transparency standards; supports the strengthening of the existing ethical rules by providing members with guidance and support;


### 49. notes with satisfaction that , since the start of the new legislature , the necessary infrastructure to enable members to publicise scheduled meetings with interest representatives has been available on parliament’s website with a view to improving transparency; calls on parliament’s services to expand the infrastructure to allow assistants and policy advisers to voluntarily publish their meetings with interest representatives; recalls that rule 11 of the rules of procedure obliges rapporteurs , shadows and committee chairs to publish their meetings with interest representatives; notes with concern that as of 30 april 2021 , only 380 out of the 705 current members had publicised at least one meeting with an interest representative on parliament’s website; further notes that 10 out of the 24 committee chairs have published none or just a single meeting with an interest representative since the start of this legislature; recalls that the information , reminder notices and emails on the obligation to publish meetings should be sent to all members at more regular intervals; ### 49. notes with satisfaction that , since the start of the new legislature , the necessary infrastructure to enable members to publicise scheduled meetings with interest representatives has been available on parliament’s website with a view to improving transparency; recalls that rule 11 of the rules of procedure obliges rapporteurs , shadows and committee chairs to publish their meetings with interest representatives; notes that as of 30 april 2021 , only 380 out of the 705 current members had publicised at least one meeting with an interest representative on parliament’s website; further notes that 10 out of the 24 committee chairs have published none or just a single meeting with an interest representative since the start of this legislature; recalls that the nature of competences of different committees does not necessarily warrant a significant number of meetings that fall under current transparency obligations; recalls that the information , reminder notices and emails on the obligation to publish meetings should be sent to all members at more regular intervals;


### 50. recalls the president’s written reply dated of april 2020 to the joint letter from the anti-corruption intergroup , which , in particular , agreed to implement a number of changes to the tool for publishing members’ meetings with interest representatives to improve its user-friendliness , first and foremost by linking it to the transparency register and to the legislative observatory; regrets that these practical improvements have not yet been implemented; urges parliament’s administration to effectively establish this link immediately after the testing period in december 2021; ### 50. recalls the president’s written reply dated of april 2020 to the joint letter from the anti-corruption intergroup , which , in particular , agreed to implement a number of changes to the tool for publishing members’ meetings with interest representatives to improve its user-friendliness , first and foremost by linking it to the transparency register and to the legislative observatory; regrets that these practical improvements have not yet been implemented; asks parliament’s administration to effectively establish this link as soon as it is feasible without undue practical hinders;


### 51. welcomes that , with effect from july 2021 , the 2011 interinstitutional agreement on a common transparency register has been replaced by a new register , in which the council participates; notes that the quality of entries regarding the activities of interest representatives in the transparency register has improved over recent years and commends , despite limited resources , the role of the joint secretariat in that improvement; regrets , however , that the overall quality of entries remains unsatisfactory , with the secretariat’s check of around 40% of entries over the course of 2020 finding that only 43% of checked entries provided satisfactory data quality , a number similar to 2019; welcomes the allocation of an additional 1.5 full-time equivalent (fte) posts for the secretariat; urges the secretariat to use these for further reducing the number of registrations with sub-optimal data; ### 51. welcomes that , with effect from july 2021 , the 2011 interinstitutional agreement on a common transparency register has been replaced by a new register , in which the council participates; notes that the quality of entries regarding the activities of interest representatives in the transparency register has improved over recent years and commends , despite limited resources , the role of the joint secretariat in that improvement; regrets , however , that the overall quality of entries remains unsatisfactory , with the secretariat’s check of around 40% of entries over the course of 2020 finding that only 43% of checked entries provided satisfactory data quality , a number similar to 2019; welcomes the allocation of an additional 1.5 full-time equivalent (fte) posts for the secretariat;


### 52. calls on parliament to publish a list of all friendship groups in parliament on its website; ### deleted


### 53. reiterates that article 4 of the code of conduct provides , with respect to financial interests and conflicts of interest , that the members’ declarations of financial interests shall be provided in a detailed manner; regrets that according to a recent study from transparency international eu , around 15% of members with additional incomes have included vague or generic job descriptions in their declarations5 ; notes that in such cases it is questionable whether the activity can be checked for any potential conflict of interest with parliamentary activity; further regrets that parliament’s services are instructed to only carry out general plausibility checks; repeats its call on the bureau to review the format of the declarations to require more detail; asks the president to instruct the services to systematically carry out thorough checks of the declarations to ensure that the information provided therein is sufficiently detailed to allow for an assessment of any potential conflict of interest; ### 53. reiterates that article 4 of the code of conduct provides , with respect to financial interests and conflicts of interest , that the members’ declarations of financial interests shall be provided in a detailed manner; regrets that according to a recent study from transparency international eu , around 15% of members with additional incomes have included vague or generic job descriptions in their declarations5 ; notes that in cases where there is reason to believe that the information provided is out of date , the president may , where appropriate , request the member in question to correct the declaration within 10 days;


### 55. calls on the advisory committee on the conduct of members to regularly publish on parliament’s website any investigations , decisions and sanctions related to potential or real breaches of the code of conduct , rather than doing so in the annual report; further calls on parliament to publish decisions and sanctions imposed by the advisory committee against members on the respective member’s page on parliament’s website; ### deleted


### 55. calls on the advisory committee on the conduct of members to regularly publish on parliament’s website any investigations , decisions and sanctions related to potential or real breaches of the code of conduct , rather than doing so in the annual report; further calls on parliament to publish decisions and sanctions imposed by the advisory committee against members on the respective member’s page on parliament’s website; ### 55. recalls that the advisory committee on the conduct of members is responsible for investigations and making a recommendation to the president , but decisions and sanctions are a sole matter for the president as established in article 176(2) of the rules of procedure; recalls that that committee is the body to provide advice , which represents an interim and non-binding stage , thus preventing the committee from publishing information on investigations and sanctions; strongly underlines that the publication of information on individuals cases before a final decision is not compatible with the principle of confidentiality of investigations , thus running contrary to legal principles of a sound conduct of investigation , presumption of innocence , and protection of personal rights; opposes the mentality to publicly hunt and accuse members with charges of misbehaviour , which have not been proven;


### 56. strongly supports parliament’s services’ ongoing project to make plenary voting records available on a dedicated space where users will have access to clear and reader-friendly documents , and welcomes the new layout for the roll-call votes in which the individual voting record of each member will be published , giving the option to visualise the distribution of votes according to inter alia political group affiliation and/or nationality; regrets that it is not yet technically possible for parliament’s services to allow for the display of the text of each amendment along with the voting record as it is offered by several private providers; calls on parliamentary services to make available all amendments and roll-call voting records at committee level and to include them in the new layout; further asks parliament’s services to provide the possibility to members to test a beta version of the new tool and provide feedback to be taken into account during the development of the tool; ### 56. welcomes parliament’s services’ ongoing project to make plenary voting records available on a dedicated space where users will have access to clear and reader-friendly documents , and notes the new layout for the roll-call votes in which the individual voting record of each member will be published , giving the option to visualise the distribution of votes according to inter alia political group affiliation or nationality; acknowledges that it is not yet technically possible for parliament’s services to allow for the display of the text of each amendment along with the voting record as it is offered by several private providers; further asks parliament’s services to provide the possibility to members to test a beta version of the new tool and provide feedback to be taken into account during the development of the tool;


### 57. takes note of the fact that there were again no cases of whistleblowing recorded by parliament in 2020; recalls that the most recent cases of whistleblowing date back to 2016 and that each of the three apas concerned were subsequently dismissed; recalls that , among others , apas are in a vulnerable position due to their special employment situation; recalls the importance of bringing current parliament rules in line with the higher level of protection as set out in directive (eu) 2019/1937 on whistleblower protection6 , similar to the level of protection provided to victims of harassment , and that this should also include the establishment of an advisory committee dealing with the protection of whistleblowers; regrets that there is little awareness among staff of the existence of a contact point for whistleblowers in the secretary general’s cabinet and considers that this contact point cannot replace a fully-fledged advisory committee; calls on the bureau to require training for contact points of whistleblower disclosures and to adopt clear and legally certain standards regarding in which cases whistleblower protection can be granted , including for apas , and to publish those standards; ### 57. takes note of the fact that there were again no cases of whistleblowing recorded by parliament in 2020; recalls that the most recent cases of whistleblowing date back to 2016 and that each of the three apas concerned were subsequently dismissed; recalls that , among others , apas are in a vulnerable position due to their special employment situation; calls on parliament to fully adapt its own internal rules in contained in the staff regulations to directive (eu) 2019/19376 , including by setting up secure channels for reporting; further notes that whistleblowers deserve proper protection , similar to that of victims of harassment; requests parliament to raise awareness , where possible , among parliamentary staff on their whistleblower protections;


### 58. expresses its strong regret over the fact that the bureau still refuses to implement the will of the plenary expressed on numerous occasions to reform the general expenditure allowance (gea) , thereby actively preventing union taxpayers' money , which amounts to 40 million euro per year , from being spent in a more transparent and accountable manner; repeats its call for a reform of the gea that would establish sample checks annually by parliament’s services on 5% of members’ gea expenditure , and that would oblige members to keep all receipts pertaining to the gea , to annually publish an overview of expenditure by category as well as an independent auditor’s opinion on parliament’s website , and to return the unspent share of the gea at the end of the mandate; notes that the requested sample checks would pertain to checking 36 randomly selected members per year and , based on a calculation by dg fins , would require an estimated maximum of 4 to 6 fte posts; ### deleted


### 58. expresses its strong regret over the fact that the bureau still refuses to implement the will of the plenary expressed on numerous occasions to reform the general expenditure allowance (gea) , thereby actively preventing union taxpayers' money , which amounts to 40 million euro per year , from being spent in a more transparent and accountable manner; repeats its call for a reform of the gea that would establish sample checks annually by parliament’s services on 5% of members’ gea expenditure , and that would oblige members to keep all receipts pertaining to the gea , to annually publish an overview of expenditure by category as well as an independent auditor’s opinion on parliament’s website , and to return the unspent share of the gea at the end of the mandate; notes that the requested sample checks would pertain to checking 36 randomly selected members per year and , based on a calculation by dg fins , would require an estimated maximum of 4 to 6 fte posts; ### 58. stresses that the general expenditure allowance is a lump-sum allowance and underlines the necessity of independence of the free mandate as stated in the rules of procedure; stresses that the management of the general expenditure allowance should not lead to increased level of bureaucracy for members’ offices and parliament’s administration; recalls that based on calculations by the directorate-general for finance , by pro-rata projection , switching the payment of the general expenditure allowance into a reimbursement regime would require at least 75 full time equivalent positions , which constitutes an unrealistic increase of staff and rises the administrative burden;


### 59. recalls that pursuant to rule 11(4) of parliament’s rules of procedure , parliament provides members already with the possibility of publishing a voluntary audit or confirmation of their gea expenses; regrets that only five voluntary declarations on the use of the gea were submitted during the calendar year 2020; calls on parliament’s services to send an annual reminder to members in relation to this possibility; ### deleted


### 59. recalls that pursuant to rule 11(4) of parliament’s rules of procedure , parliament provides members already with the possibility of publishing a voluntary audit or confirmation of their gea expenses; regrets that only five voluntary declarations on the use of the gea were submitted during the calendar year 2020; calls on parliament’s services to send an annual reminder to members in relation to this possibility; ### 59. recalls rule 11(4) of parliament’s rules of procedure which provides that “the bureau shall provide the necessary infrastructure on members’ online page on parliament’s website for those members who wish to publish a voluntary audit or confirmation , as provided for under the applicable rules of the statute for members and its implementing rules , that their use of the general expenditure allowance complies with the applicable rules of the statute for members and its implementing measures”; notes that such publications are made individually and optionally under the members’ own responsibility and that parliament’s administration is not responsible for compiling the information provided; recalls that members are tasked with the correct and proper spending of funds; calls on parliament’s services to send a yearly reminder to members in relation to this possibility; calls on parliament to regularly inform the discharge authority of how many members follow these recommendations in order for the spending of union taxpayers’ money to become more transparent and accountable;


### 60. recalls that the european ombudsman , in her recommendation of 29 april 2019 in case 1651/2018/thh , found that parliament’s refusal to grant public access to documents related to the revision of the list of expenses that might be covered by the gea constituted maladministration and recommended granting public access to a proposal from the parliament bureau’s ad hoc working group , including the options listed in that proposal; regrets that parliament rejected the ombudsman’s recommendation and urges parliament’s administration to reconsider granting public access to the documents in question; ### deleted


### 60. recalls that the european ombudsman , in her recommendation of 29 april 2019 in case 1651/2018/thh , found that parliament’s refusal to grant public access to documents related to the revision of the list of expenses that might be covered by the gea constituted maladministration and recommended granting public access to a proposal from the parliament bureau’s ad hoc working group , including the options listed in that proposal; regrets that parliament rejected the ombudsman’s recommendation and urges parliament’s administration to reconsider granting public access to the documents in question; ### 60. highlights the fact that the 2018 bureau decision on the general expenditure allowance stipulates that the bureau will maintain this decision until the end of 2022 and will evaluate it on the basis of the experience gained during the 9th parliamentary term;


### 66. notes that creating the permanent possibility for members of staff to telework from anywhere , under conditions to be specified , entails a great number of advantages for both members of staff and institutions including the improvement of staff well-being and increasing parliament’s attractiveness as an employer , financial savings made through , inter alia , a reduced need for office space , a reduced environmental impact from staff commutes and a closer link between the union institutions and citizens in member states other than belgium , france and luxembourg; calls on parliament to enter into an inter-institutional discussion with a view to reviewing the decision obliging staff to telework exclusively from their place of employment , e.g. under the condition of temporarily forfeiting their expat allowance; ### 66. notes that creating the permanent possibility for trainees and study visitors to telework from anywhere , under conditions to be specified , could entail a great number of advantages; underlines that pursuant to article 20 of the staff regulations , members of staff of parliament shall reside at their place of employment; stresses not only the legal obligation , but also the need for physical presence and its importance for learning and skill development; underlines the advantages of-in person interaction and presence;


### 69. welcomes the achievements made so far as a result parliament’s gender mainstreaming policy , in reaching gender parity at the level of directors and 40% of women employed at the level of heads of unit; notes that there is still significant room for improvement at the level of directors-general with currently 23% of women employed at this level; calls on parliament to aim to reach gender parity at all three levels by 2024; reiterates that it is essential for staff representatives to be heard when the bureau discusses general matters affecting its staff policy , and repeats its request to the secretary-general to take the appropriate measures to implement this key approach; reiterates its request to the secretary-general to take further steps to ensure transparency and fairness during senior management appointment procedures , in particular in light of the court of justice’s judgment from 14 july 2021 in case t670 / 19 against the european parliament; asks for the full implementation of the measures recommended in parliament’s resolution of 18 april 2018 , notably that officials from staff representative bodies sit on parliament’s senior management selection panels; calls , furthermore , to ensure consistency when it comes to external publications of senior management posts and diligence in the publication of these posts as and when they fall vacant; ### 69. welcomes the achievements made so far as a result parliament’s gender mainstreaming policy , in reaching gender parity at the level of directors and 40% of women employed at the level of heads of unit; notes that there is still significant room for improvement at the level of directors-general with currently 23% of women employed at this level; welcomes the fact that the bureau approved on 13 january 2020 new and more ambitious targets for gender balance in senior and middle management posts in parliament’s secretariat to be achieved by 2024: 50 % female heads of unit , 50% female directors and 40% female directors-general; reiterates that it is essential for staff representatives to be heard when the bureau discusses general matters affecting its staff policy , and repeats its request to the secretary-general to take the appropriate measures to implement this key approach; reiterates its request to the secretary-general to take further steps to ensure transparency and fairness during senior management appointment procedures , in particular in light of the judgment of the court of justice of 14 july 2021 in case t-670/19 , carbajo ferrero v parliament1a; notes the limitations through article 3 , fourth paragraph , of annex iii of the staff regulations concerning the participation of staff representatives in senior management selection panels; requests , furthermore , to ensure consistency when it comes to external publications of senior management posts and diligence in the publication of these posts as and when they fall vacant;


### 70. regrets that political , rather than competency criteria seem to determine the internal “passerelle” competitions; calls on parliament to ensure in future competitions that candidates are chosen based on skills and competence rather than political affiliation; ### deleted


### 70. regrets that political , rather than competency criteria seem to determine the internal “passerelle” competitions; calls on parliament to ensure in future competitions that candidates are chosen based on skills and competence rather than political affiliation; ### 70. notes that internal “passerelle” competitions have been published and have taken place in 2020; notes that the internal “passerelle” competitions had written and oral exams and that the jury consisted of officials of the general secretariat including two representatives of parliament's staff committee;


### 73. recalls that article 1.7 of the cleaning contract specifies that contractors must comply with social and labour law obligations as provided for by eu law , national law and collective agreements or by international obligations in social and labour law; recalls that where the responsible parliament services detect or receive any alert on possible breaches , and on the condition that the persons concerned have raised in vain the issue with their managers , the union representatives and the external service for prevention and well-being of the company , the relevant authorities need to be contacted; ### deleted


### 74. notes that neither an inspection of the national service 'contrôle des lois sociales/direction de bruxelles' (2020) nor an analysis by the psychosocial department of the external service for prevention and protection at work in brussels (2020) found any legal breaches related to social laws and working conditions for cleaning staff; supports the launch of internal surveys , by the end of 2021 , aiming to reflect the actual state of the company’s employee satisfaction levels , engagement , commitment , loyalty , motivation , etc. and to identify weaknesses , problems or opportunities for improvement within the current cleaning company köse; calls on parliament to take all necessary precautions to ensure that the highest standards of labour law for cleaning staff , are being upheld by external contractors , in particular as regards psychological pressure and working conditions; ### deleted


### 79. calls for a debate on the space needs of parliament in light of the effects of the covid-19 pandemic , current and future increase in teleworking and , if appropriate , for the adaptation of its long-term building strategy; requests , in particular , that the building policy be reviewed to ensure a dedicated office space for each staff member , as this policy would result in significant office space being unused during large parts of the working week; considers that e.g. two staff members teleworking for 3 days a week should be able to share one work station; ### 79. supports a debate on the space needs of parliament in light of the effects of the covid-19 pandemic , current and future increase in teleworking and , if appropriate , for the adaptation of its long-term building strategy; recalls the work done by the focus groups and the working group on buildings and requests their involvement in this debate; encourages the review of the building policy to see if a dedicated office space for each staff member remains necessary , as a change might result in office space savings; considers that voluntarily e.g. two staff members teleworking for 3 days a week should be able to share one work station; recalls that many members , apas , and staff appreciate the working setting at parliament's three places of work and consider it part of their professional well-being to have enough office space to work;


### 79. calls for a debate on the space needs of parliament in light of the effects of the covid-19 pandemic , current and future increase in teleworking and , if appropriate , for the adaptation of its long-term building strategy; requests , in particular , that the building policy be reviewed to ensure a dedicated office space for each staff member , as this policy would result in significant office space being unused during large parts of the working week; considers that e.g. two staff members teleworking for 3 days a week should be able to share one work station; ### 79. further recalls that a thorough debate took place on the space needs of parliament in light of the effects of the covid-19 pandemic , current and future increase in teleworking; commends the recommendations adopted in this respect by the focus group v (work space);


### 83. raises concerns on the clearly overpriced purchase price of the scholl building , purchased at 74.9 million eur , while the market price of the building was previously estimated to be between 42 and 65 million eur; ### deleted


### 84. highlights that , in brussels , some buildings either currently occupied by parliament or of major strategic interest due to their location and the related security aspects , are not parliament's property , as was the case with the scholl building before it was acquired by parliament; notes that parliament's building strategy beyond 2019 underlines the importance of owning and interconnecting parliament’s central buildings and mentions treves ii as a building that is in parliament’s interest to acquire; notes that while these criteria are important , they should not be the ultima ratio for the purchase of a new building and cannot justify the purchase of additional office space at a price that lies significantly above market value; ### 84. highlights that , in brussels , some buildings either currently occupied by parliament or of major strategic interest due to their location and the related security aspects , are not part of parliament's portfolio , as was the case with the scholl building before its acquisition; notes that parliament's building strategy beyond 2019 underlines the importance of owning and interconnecting parliament’s central buildings and mentions treves ii as a building that is in parliament’s interest to acquire; notes that these criteria are essential and that they should be carefully analysed when proposing the purchase of a building , which must be concluded at a price representing an acceptable negotiation result and be the best offer in line with the quality-price ratio established for the procurement;


### 86. takes note of the decision of the bureau of 23 october 2019 to approve the creation of an idea lab in 2020 with the aim of testing new , innovative solutions in the context of offices and facility management; notes that the decision of the bureau was not based on any specific cost estimate; further notes that as part of the idea lab , one member’s office , at a cost of 486.012 eur , and adjacent showroom , at a cost of at least 203.978 euro , were built and equipped over the course of 2020; considers the testing of innovative office and facility management solutions useful in general but strongly rejects that the extensive costs incurred in this case are justifiable to taxpayers; further raises a strong concern about the fact that the renovated office space is now occupied by the chair of the bureau’s building working group responsible for the project; ### 86. takes note of the unanimous decision of the bureau of 23 october 2019 to approve the creation of an idea lab in 2020 with the aim of testing new , innovative solutions in the context of offices and facility management; notes that the decision of the bureau follows up on the successful testing of different office set-ups in the context of refurbishment works in 2019; recalls that these previous projects were unanimously welcomed , completed ahead of schedule and concluded with potential savings far below the estimated cost;


### 87. welcomes the fact that the extension of the wayenberg nursery in brussels was completed in september 2020 , and that the new facilities have been gradually put to use; ### 87. welcomes that the extension of the wayenberg nursery in brussels was completed in september 2020; invites the bureau to initiate in 2022 technical studies to identify additional possibilities to further reduce energy consumption and increase the production of renewable energy , and to implement them as soon as possible;


### 88. welcomes that the strategic approach related to the implementation of europa experiences in all member states by the end of 2024 , as decided by the bureau in november 2019 , was reinforced in november 2020 with the adoption by the bureau of a timeline for the deployment of the facilities in all member states; ### 88. welcomes that the strategic approach related to the implementation of europa experiences in all member states by the end of 2024 , as decided by the bureau in november 2019 , was reinforced in november 2020 with the adoption by the bureau of a timeline for the deployment of the facilities in all member states; strongly expresses the view that european parliament liaison offices and europa experiences are some of the best soft tools the union and parliament have to promote the work of the institutions and benefits of the union for citizens; encourages parliament and the commission to continue to establish new europa experiences in all capitals and locations of strategic importance in view of the next european elections 2024; supports a formalised contract to split the costs for all europa experience between the commission and parliament to ensure sound long-term financing of the venues;


### 93. observes with concern that the european court of justice estimates that the fund will be insolvent by 2024; reiterates that the bureau’s own commitment to guaranteeing the fund does not constitute a legal obligation to guarantee particular levels of payouts of the fund as no contract between the fund and parliament exists; appeals to the bureau , the board of directors and the members of the voluntary pension fund to support measures aiming at limiting the deficit of the voluntary pension fund , while considering any further measures in this light; ### 93. observes with concern that the european court of justice estimates that the fund will be insolvent by 2024; appeals to the bureau , the board of directors and the members of the voluntary pension fund to support measures aiming at limiting the deficit of the voluntary pension fund , while considering any further measures in this light;


### 94. notes with interest that , according to parliament’s legal service , it follows from the two judgments that the court of justice confirms that acquired rights as such , of members who have already fulfilled all the necessary conditions for the acquisition of the right to the additional voluntary pension , are fully protected under the general principles of union law; notes , however , that the judgments also confirm that this does not prevent the bureau from modifying the conditions as well as modalities of this group of members on the condition that the principle of proportionality is duly respected , as well as for those members who have not yet fulfilled all the conditions for the acquisition of pension rights and who therefore only hold future entitlements under the pension scheme , a situation which is further confirmed in case c-223/19: ys v nk; asks the secretary-general to guarantee that no taxpayer money is used for any future bail-out; considers that a review of the financial model of the fund would not be sufficient to prevent additional taxpayers money from being used for future payments; urges the secretary-general therefore to also propose measures on adjusting the modalities of the fund , including a further increase of the retirement age and a reduction of pension benefits paid out; ### deleted


### 94. notes with interest that , according to parliament’s legal service , it follows from the two judgments that the court of justice confirms that acquired rights as such , of members who have already fulfilled all the necessary conditions for the acquisition of the right to the additional voluntary pension , are fully protected under the general principles of union law; notes , however , that the judgments also confirm that this does not prevent the bureau from modifying the conditions as well as modalities of this group of members on the condition that the principle of proportionality is duly respected , as well as for those members who have not yet fulfilled all the conditions for the acquisition of pension rights and who therefore only hold future entitlements under the pension scheme , a situation which is further confirmed in case c-223/19: ys v nk; asks the secretary-general to guarantee that no taxpayer money is used for any future bail-out; considers that a review of the financial model of the fund would not be sufficient to prevent additional taxpayers money from being used for future payments; urges the secretary-general therefore to also propose measures on adjusting the modalities of the fund , including a further increase of the retirement age and a reduction of pension benefits paid out; ### 94. notes with interest that according to parliament’s legal service , it follows from the two judgments that the court of justice confirms that acquired rights as such , of members who have already fulfilled all the necessary conditions for the acquisition of the right to the additional voluntary pension , are fully protected under the general principles of union law; notes , however , that the judgments also confirm that this does not prevent the bureau from modifying the conditions as well as modalities of this group of members on the condition that the principle of proportionality is duly respected , as well as for those members who have not yet fulfilled all the conditions for the acquisition of pension rights and who therefore only hold future entitlements under the pension scheme , a situation which is further confirmed by the judgement of the court of justice of 24 september 2020 in case c-223/19 , ys v nk1a; urges the bureau and administration therefore to propose a future fit solution that takes into account the pension and living situation of entitled members and former members as well as the principles of sound financial management and relevant case law of the european court of justice; calls on all concerned stakeholders to promptly find a sustainable and feasible solution;


### 95. regrets that the secretary-general has not yet come forward with any findings in response to the investigation into the legal foundations of the scheme as called for in the 2017 discharge resolution; underlines that this investigation should be carried out by an independent party; ### 95. stresses that article 27(2) of the statute for members states that members who contributed to the fund acquired rights and future entitlements , which shall be maintained in full , and thus , do not cease if the fund terminates; recalls moreover , that parliament paid monthly two thirds of the total contributions of the defined benefit pension scheme thus underlining its regular participation in the fund; stresses that members who paid contributions to the voluntary pension fund and acquired rights and future entitlements did so in good faith , thus relying on parliament to honour its financial obligations;


### 105. notes that the vast majority of eu political parties’ funding comes from public sources and , therefore , requires the highest level of transparency and accountability; underlines that the authority should provide information covering the registration and financial situation of eu political parties and foundations to the greatest extent possible; welcomes the efforts made by the authority to make a wide array of information accessible to citizens on its website; calls on the authority to make sure that the documents published in its website are user-friendly , complete and updated; ### 105. notes that the vast majority of european political parties’ funding comes from public sources and , therefore , requires the highest level of transparency and accountability; underlines that the authority should provide information covering the registration and financial situation of european political parties and foundations to the greatest extent possible; welcomes the efforts made by the authority to make a wide array of information accessible to citizens on its website; calls on the authority to make sure that the documents published in its website are user-friendly , complete and updated and recognises the announcement of the authority during its hearing to complete a website accessibility benchmarking exercise;


### 106. points out that the authority has limited powers with regard to verifying whether a registered party or foundation is in breach of the eu’s core values and has never triggered the complex values compliance procedure thus far; calls for the strengthening of the current administrative set-up of the authority in order to better monitor its compliance with the relevant rules and the implementation of sanctions , as well as to ensure its complete autonomy and neutrality; ### 106. points out that the authority has limited powers with regard to verifying whether a registered party or foundation is in breach of the union’s core values and has never triggered the complex values compliance procedure thus far; calls for the strengthening of the current administrative set-up of the authority in order to better monitor its compliance with the relevant rules and the implementation of sanctions , as well as to ensure its complete independence and neutrality;


### c. whereas public policy goals such as territorial and social cohesion , sustainable development , and tackling (youth) unemployment , poverty and social exclusion should be the core focus and targets of the eib in its task of contributing to the balanced and steady development of the internal market; ### c. whereas eib's main objective of contributing to the balanced and steady development of the internal market shall also take into account public policy goals such as social cohesion and sustainable development.


### d. whereas the eib is at the forefront of tackling the covid-19 crisis in the european union , notably playing its part with a prompt support programme focused on those clients and sectors most affected by the crisis , followed by the establishment of the pan-european guarantee fund (egf) in 2020; ### d. whereas the eib is at the forefront of tackling the covid-19 crisis in the european union , notably playing its part with a prompt support programme focused on those clients and sectors most affected by the crisis and additionally established a new instrument called pan-european guarantee fund (egf) in 2020 which provides much needed capital for smes;


### f. whereas the global outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic in march 2020 required a significant effort from the eib to offer additional support to businesses and contribute to eu objectives; ### f. whereas the global outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic in march 2020 required a significant effort from the eib to offer additional support to businesses and especially smes which have been hit particularly hard by the effects of the crisis as well as to contribute to eu objectives;


### 25. notes that the process of updating the eib group’s environmental and social policy started in 2020 and has led to the approval in february 2022 of the new environmental and social sustainability framework; welcomes the revised eib environmental and social standards included in the framework , especially those related to labour rights , biodiversity and environmental protection; regrets , however , the lack of a specific tool on human rights due diligence; regrets furthermore that the eib or its intermediaries are not required to disclose details of actual environmental and social risks or impacts linked to operations carried out through partners; ### 25. notes that the process of updating the eib group’s environmental and social policy started in 2020 and has led to the approval in february 2022 of the new environmental and social sustainability framework; welcomes the revised eib environmental and social standards included in the framework , especially those related to labour rights , biodiversity and environmental protection; notes that human rights principles are fully integrated into the bank’s key due diligence procedures and standards and contractual clauses with clients allow for the suspension of disbursements in the case of serious violation of human rights; recalls that the eib is directly bound by the eu charter of fundamental rights; welcomes that eib and their promotors are required to consider human rights as part of the environmental and social impact assessment process;


### 26. regrets that the trans-anatolian natural gas pipeline and trans adriatic pipeline are not aligned with the goals of the paris agreement; takes note of the eib’s explanation that they were appraised under the previous eib energy lending criteria (2013); points out that infrastructure projects of this kind and scale typically have a planned operational life of several decades , yet the eib’s carbon footprint assessment neither considered the projects’ full lifetimes , nor accounted for emissions resulting from the planned increase in volume of gas pumped through the southern gas corridor; ### deleted


### 27. calls on the eib to review its transport lending policy (tlp) and to align it with the eib group climate bank roadmap 2021-2025 and the commission’s sustainable and smart mobility strategy; reiterates the need for the policy to avoid locking in carbon intensive assets and to support modal shifts towards zero-carbon mobility both for freight and passengers at urban and inter-urban levels; ### 27. supports eib’s commitment to reach climate neutrality by 2050 and to align its actions with the eu green deal; welcomes the upcoming revision of the transport lending policy (tlp) which will be in line with the objectives of the paris agreement and is planned to be adopted in june/july2022; stresses that such new requirements must not go to the detriment of access to finance for smes; reiterates the need for the policy to avoid locking in carbon intensive assets and to support modal shifts towards zero-carbon mobility both for freight and passengers at urban and inter-urban levels;


### 37. reiterates its calls for the extension of the right of access to information by the european court of auditors (eca) in respect of eib operations implementing eu policies; regrets the fact that the commission and the eib refer to the definition of the eca’s mandate as laid out in the tfeu in order to prevent the court from accessing information related to eib operations whose sole reason to exist is the implementation of the eu policies; ### 37. reiterates its calls for the extension of the right of access to information by the european court of auditors (eca) in respect of eib operations implementing eu policies; regrets the fact that the commission and the eib refer to the definition of the eca’s mandate as laid out in the tfeu;


### 38. is of the opinion that the action of the eib audit committee is not alternative but complementary to that of the eca; deplores the fact that the tripartite agreement , which was renewed on 11 november 2021 by the eib , the commission and the eca , does not offer a satisfactory solution and that its renewal confirms the situation without any meaningful improvement; ### 38. is of the opinion that the action of the eib audit committee is not alternative but complementary to that of the eca; welcomes the fact that the tripartite agreement , which was renewed on 11 november 2021 by the eib , the commission and the eca , increases the courts access to documents , information and it systems;


### 39. notes that in 2020 , the eib complaint mechanism registered 77 new cases , handled 137 cases and closed 94 cases; calls on the eib to address the findings of the complaint mechanism with concrete actions; ### 39. notes that in 2020 , the eib complaint mechanism registered 77 new cases , handled 137 cases and closed 94 cases; welcomes that the eib's complaint mechanism systematically monitors the implementation of its recommendations and suggestions for improvement by eib services; calls on the eib to address the findings of the complaint mechanism adequately;


### 41. reiterates its call on the eib to run comprehensive analysis of the nature of the financial support affected by alleged misbehaviour and about the geographical distribution of such cases , to facilitate the identification of systemic weaknesses deserving of attention and resources; ### 41. reiterates its call on the eib to run comprehensive analysis of the nature of the financial support affected by alleged misbehaviour and about the geographical distribution of such cases , to facilitate the identification of systemic weaknesses deserving of attention and resources; welcomes in this regard , that ig/in developed several industry leading prevention and detection tools over the last 10 years;


### 44. welcomes the working arrangement with the eppo and calls for its full and diligent implementation , in particular as regards reporting; ### 44. welcomes the working arrangement with the eppo signed in december 2021 and calls for its full and diligent implementation , in particular as regards reporting; highlights in this regard that ig/in started its collaboration with eppo months before the signature of the working arrangement and reported in 2021 a total of 17 cases;


### 47. is very concerned by the decline of transparency at the eib: in 2010 , 96.1 % of all projects were published three weeks before board approval , falling to only 60 % in 2020; ### 47. notes that in 2010 , 96.1 % of all projects were published three weeks before board approval , decreasing to 60 % in 2020; recalls that the eib group transparency policy foresees that a limited number of project summaries may not be published before board approval and , in some cases , not before loan signature in order to protect justified interests like commercial secrets; welcomes that ultimately all projects are subject to publication by the eib;


### 49. is concerned that the new transparency policy has not reflected parliament’s very clear demands for improvements in line with other financial institutions’ best practices and standards; calls on the eib to align its transparency policy with that of the european bank for reconstruction and development on mandatory disclosure for intermediaries of projects with high environmental and human rights risks; ### 49. highlights that the new eib group transparency policy includes a number of improvements which reflect some of the parliament’s previous demands and keeps the policy in line with other financial institutions’ best practices and standards;


### 51. regrets that the eib still does not fully disclose the details of the beneficial ownership of its clients; reiterates its calls for enhanced transparency regarding the eib’s operations through financial intermediaries such as commercial banks and investment funds and for the definition of standard reporting obligations that can provide an adequate level of data and information; asks the eib to use the available tools and to implement the standards promoted by the 5th aml directive to make such data accessible; invites the eib to explore the feasibility of working arrangements and memoranda with the relevant partners to make relevant information available and to eliminate the risk of opacity in the relevant procedures; ### 51. highlights that the disclosure of the details of beneficial ownership of clients can only be carried out within the legislative framework including the general data protection regulation (gdpr); welcomes that the eib’s transparency policy provides obligations on transparency regarding eib’s operations through financial intermediaries such as commercial banks and investment funds and for the definition of standard reporting obligations that can provide an adequate level of data and information; recalls in this regard that article 30 of the aml directive imposes an obligation on member states to collect and store accurate and current information on ultimate beneficial ownership of companies in a national register and to ensure that this information is accessible in all cases; asks the eib to use the available tools and to implement the standards promoted by the 5th aml directive to make such data accessible; invites the eib to explore the feasibility of working arrangements and memoranda with the relevant partners to make relevant information available and to eliminate the risk of opacity in the relevant procedures;


### 54. takes note of the updated codes of conduct of the management committee and the board of directors of august 2021; welcomes the introduction of a longer cooling-off period for the members of the management committee (24 months instead of 12) and for the members of the board of directors (12 months instead of 6); regrets , however , that there is no provision excluding vice-presidents from overseeing operations in their countries of origin and insists that this be addressed in the next revision; ### 54. takes note of the updated codes of conduct of the management committee and the board of directors of august 2021; welcomes the introduction of a longer cooling-off period for the members of the management committee (24 months instead of 12) and for the members of the board of directors (12 months instead of 6); notes , that there is no provision excluding vice-presidents from overseeing operations; understands that this allows for the necessary country-specific expertise in projects; is convinced that the eib will continue to carry out project assessment alongside objective technical , financial and economic indicators making the project's quality the decisive factor in deciding whether or not to grant financing;


### 57. expresses serious concerns at the lack of social dialogue at the eib , in particular to address concerns about harassment allegations and the working environment; urges the eib management to engage in constructive dialogue with staff in order to address their concerns and to foster trust and a culture of accountability; encourages the eib to launch surveys and consultations across its staff; ### 57. recognises that recent efforts have been made by the eib to foster social dialogue at the eib , in particular to address concerns about harassment allegations and the working environment; encourages the eib management to engage in constructive dialogue with staff in order to address their concerns and to foster trust and a culture of accountability; takes note of eib's efforts to include surveys as part of their continuous listening approach in order to foster staff engagement e.g. through their recent health and wellbeing survey;


### 58. notes with concern that only 29.5 % of management positions at the eib were held by women at the end of 2020 (30 % at the end of 2019); reiterates its concern for the persistent lack of diversity and gender balance at senior management level and within the eib group’s governing bodies , as well as the very high share of women in support functions; ### 58. notes a slight decline form 30% to 29.5% in management positions at the eib held by women at the end of 2020; welcomes eib’s efforts to promote diversity and gender balance; notes that the bank increased the percentage of female managers to 30% , the share of women at senior officer level to 35% and the share of women at officer level to 43% by the end of 2021;


### 59. underlines that the board of directors is made up of member states’ representatives and that vice-presidents are nominated by member states; notes that the eib president calls on the member states to ensure diversity when selecting new members and urges the eib to encourage the members states also to consider gender balance when putting forward nominees for vice-presidencies; ### 59. underlines that the board of directors is made up of member states’ representatives and that vice-presidents are nominated by member states; notes that the eib president calls on the member states to ensure diversity when selecting new members and urges the eib to encourage the members states also to consider gender balance when putting forward nominees for vice-presidencies; observes that despite member states nomination competence , the eib president’s regular calls for diversity have led to a significant improvement of the gender balance; highlights in this regard that the bank’s management committee and the board of directors have a respective share of women of 33% and 48%;


### b) actions adopted to enhance the prevention of conflicts of interest , ### b) adaptations related to the prevention of conflicts of interest ,


### c) measures to strengthen transparency following integrity due diligence of clients in order to prevent tax avoidance , fraud and corruption , ### c) measures regarding transparency following integrity due diligence of clients in order to prevent tax avoidance , fraud and corruption ,


### 7. notes the gender balance within the agency’s senior management , with 3 out of 3 (100 %) being men; notes the gender balance within the agency’s administrative board members , with 24 out of 28 (85 ,71 %) being men; further notes the gender balance within the agency’s overall staff , with 135 out of 202 (66 ,83 %) being men; ### 7. notes the gender balance within the agency’s senior management , with 3 out of 3 (100 %) being men; notes with concern the gender unbalance within the agency’s administrative board members , with 24 out of 28 (85 ,71 %) being men; further notes the gender balance within the agency’s overall staff , with 135 out of 202 (66 ,83 %) being men; asks the commission and the member states to take into account the importance of ensuring gender balance when nominating their members to the agency’s administrative board;


### 6. notes from the court’s report that the imi2 joint undertaking experiences long project durations due to the nature of its research and that this situation is an example of varying degrees of achievement of contribution targets set by the joint undertakings’ regulations in relation to horizon 2020 activities , and that this presents the risk that the level of administrative resources needed to manage the joint undertaking’s funds in a timely manner , may not be sufficient , due to an increasing number of projects from multiple multiannual financial framework programmes being implemented simultaneously; ### 6. notes from the court’s report that the imi2 joint undertaking experiences long project durations due to the nature of its research and that this situation is an example of varying degrees of achievement of contribution targets set by the joint undertakings’ regulations in relation to horizon 2020 activities , and that this presents the risk that the level of administrative resources needed to manage the joint undertaking’s funds in a timely manner , may not be sufficient , due to an increasing number of projects from multiple multiannual financial framework programmes being implemented simultaneously; calls on the imi2 joint undertaking for more transparency in the decision making process for its research priorities and for communicating the chosen method in their next annual report;


### 8. notes from the court’s report that the imi2 joint undertaking’s practice of reactivating unused payment appropriations from previous years to the extent of open administrative commitments , results in an accumulation of unused payment appropriations and that , aggravated by the impact of the covid-19 pandemic , it resulted in a low budget implementation rate for the imi2 joint undertaking’s administrative budget of 51 %; notes the imi2 joint undertaking’s reply that rigid budget planning and the amendment mechanism did not allow appropriate adjustments to be made to the fast changing and uncertain global pandemic-driven crisis situation , and that for 2021 it is planning to carry over a lower amount of administrative payment appropriations than the amount of commitments carried forward to 2021 under title 2 infrastructure expenditure , and that it plans to pay the difference out of the current year budget; ### 8. notes from the court’s report that the imi2 joint undertaking’s practice of reactivating unused payment appropriations from previous years to the extent of open administrative commitments , results in an accumulation of unused payment appropriations and that , aggravated by the impact of the covid-19 pandemic , it resulted in a low budget implementation rate for the imi2 joint undertaking’s administrative budget of 51%; notes the imi2 joint undertaking’s reply that rigid budget planning and the amendment mechanism did not allow appropriate adjustments to be made to the fast changing and uncertain global pandemic-driven crisis situation , and that for 2021 it is planning to carry over a lower amount of administrative payment appropriations than the amount of commitments carried forward to 2021 under title 2 infrastructure expenditure , and that it plans to pay the difference out of the current year budget; calls on the imi2 joint undertaking to develop a plan to limit the reactivation of the unused payment appropriations as a way to prevent low budget implementation rate;


### 9. notes with satisfaction that the authority reported that it employs staff of 28 nationalities , of whom the authority reports that 48 ,8 % are women and 51 ,2 % are men; notes that 83 % of senior management are men and 17 % are women , identical to last year; ### 9. notes with satisfaction that the authority reported that it employs staff of 28 nationalities , of whom the authority reports that 48 ,8 % are women and 51 ,2 % are men; notes that 83 % of senior management are men and 17 % are women , identical to last year; reiterates its call to the authority to ensure gender balance at the senior management level in the future;


### – having regard to the study of february 2021 by the greens/efa entitled ‘where does the eu money go? an analysis of the implementation of cap funds in bulgaria , the czech republic , hungary , slovakia and romania’ (study on the implementation of the common agricultural policy (cap)) , ### deleted


### 1. underlines that common agricultural policy (cap) funds make up a significant proportion of the 2021-2027 eu budget and that there is therefore a responsibility to protect them against any type of misuse; ### 1. underlines that common agricultural policy (cap) funds make up a significant proportion of the 2021-2027 eu budget and that there is therefore a heightened responsibility to protect them against any type of misuse;


### 8. asks the commission nevertheless to amend article 167(1)(c) of the financial regulation to include a more explicit definition of ‘professional conflict of interest’ , so as to ensure that eu institutions are able to take mitigating measures in the case of bidders with a financial interest in a policy-related service contract; ### 8. asks the commission nevertheless to amend article 167(1)(c) of the financial regulation to include a more explicit definition of ‘professional conflicting interests’ , so as to ensure that eu institutions are able to take mitigating measures in the case of bidders with a financial interest in a policy-related service contract;


### 15. points out that the study on the implementation of the cap funds revealed that the disbursement of eu agriculture funds is a highly problematic issue in at least five member states and that there is a clear inequality between fund allocations for big and small farmers , with systemic advantages for the big farms , whose managers sometimes have close ties to the ruling political parties in their countries; ### 15. points out that the study1a on the implementation of the cap funds revealed that the disbursement of eu agriculture funds is a highly problematic issue in at least five member states and that there is a clear inequality between fund allocations for big and small farmers , with systemic advantages for the big farms , whose managers sometimes have close ties to the ruling political parties in their countries;


### 17. emphasises the importance and added value of the newly established eppo; appreciates the eppoʼs endeavours to become operational under very challenging circumstances; calls on the commission to assist the eppo in solving the problem of diverging implementation of the pif directive by different member states; underlines that the outcome of the cooperation between the eppo and the member states is also crucial in order to assess the proper functioning of the management and control systems for the purpose of audit arrangements; ### 17. emphasises the importance and added value of the newly established eppo; appreciates the eppoʼs endeavours to become operational under very challenging circumstances; emphasises that a proper transposition of the pif directive is necessary to enable the eppo to conduct effective investigations and prosecutions; recalls that the commission’s report on the transposition of the pif directive concludes that although all member states have transposed the directive , further action is needed to address outstanding compliance issues , which mostly concern definitions of criminal offences and the liability and sanctions for legal persons and natural persons; underlines that the outcome of the cooperation between the eppo and the member states is also crucial for eppo to reach its maximum effectiveness;


### 22. is of the view that none of the abovementioned remedies exclude the use of the ‘rule-of-law conditionality mechanism’ , as defined in the conditionality regulation , in cases where the commission considers that other instruments are not sufficiently effective to protect the eu budget; underlines , moreover , that contrary to the scope of the eppo regulation , which is not in force in five member states , the conditionality regulation applies directly and equally to all member states; ### 22. is of the view that none of the abovementioned remedies exclude the use of the 'rule-of-law conditionality mechanism' as defined in the regulation (eu , euratom) 2020/2092 of the european parliament and of the council of on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the union budget , in cases where the commission considers that other instruments are not sufficiently effective to protect the eu budget; underlines , moreover , that contrary to the scope of the eppo regulation , which is not in force in five member states , the conditionality regulation applies directly and equally to all member states;


### 23. deplores that since 1 january 2021 , the commission has been unable to take any appropriate action to apply the conditionality regulation , which entered into force on that day; strongly regrets that after months of debating , parliament has been forced to take legal action against the commission under article 265 tfeu for failure to apply the conditionality regulation; ### 23. deplores that since 1 january 2021 , the commission has been unable to take any appropriate action to apply the conditionality regulation , which entered into force on that day; repeats parliament’s position that regulation (eu , euratom) 2020/2092 must be applied without exception as of 1 january 2021; welcomes reports that the commission has entered into preliminary proceedings with hungary and poland by sending letters in mid-november 2021; deplores that the commission denies parliament access to these letters and forces parliament to revert to media reports to keep itself informed about the latest developments;


### 28. points out that under the rrf regulation , which forms part of the mff 2021-2027 package , the member states have to ensure the effective prevention , detection and correction of conflicts of interest , corruption and fraud , and avoidance of double funding; stresses that they are also required to explain the relevant arrangements in their recovery and resilience plans and include a summary of the consultation process at national level as well as a presentation of the controls and audit system put in place to ensure that the financial interests of the eu are protected; ### 28. points out that under the rrf regulation , which forms part of the mff 2021-2027 package , the member states have to ensure the effective prevention , detection and correction of conflicts of interest , corruption and fraud , and avoidance of double funding; calls on the commission , that the budget authorities are informed about all situations when funds from off-budget instruments are not paid out due to allegations of misuse , corruption , fraud or breaches of rule of law and when member states do not have sufficient anti-fraud systems in place; stresses that they are also required to explain the relevant arrangements in their recovery and resilience plans and include a summary of the consultation process at national level as well as a presentation of the controls and audit system put in place to ensure that the financial interests of the eu are protected;


### 29. underlines that in order to protect the financial interests of the eu and to detect fraud , corruption and conflicts of interest in particular , it is important to know how eu funds are spent and who truly benefits from eu funds , since the largest beneficiaries often hide behind complex ownership structures; ### 29. underlines that in order to protect the financial interests of the eu , to prevent and detect fraud , corruption and conflicts of interest in particular , it is important to know how eu funds are spent and who truly benefits from eu funds , since the largest beneficiaries often hide behind complex ownership structures;


### 31. reiterates , following the interinstitutional agreement of 16 december 2020 and as expressed already in several resolutions , its call for the member states to implement a single , integrated and interoperable reporting and monitoring system developed by the commission and including a single data-mining and risk-scoring tool to access , store , aggregate and analyse data on those ultimately benefiting directly or indirectly from eu funding; ### 31. reiterates , following the interinstitutional agreement of 16 december 2020 and as expressed already in several resolutions , its call for the member states to implement a single , integrated and interoperable reporting and monitoring system developed by the commission and including but not limited to a single data-mining and risk-scoring tool to access , store , aggregate and analyse data on those ultimately benefiting directly or indirectly from eu funding;


### 32. considers that for the sake of full transparency about the spending of eu funds , it is essential that such a database is developed to the greatest extent possible , in line with applicable data protection rules and the relevant jurisprudence of the court of justice of the european union , and is made accessible to the public in a concise , comprehensive and user-friendly way in order to enhance public scrutiny and trust in eu public spending; ### 32. considers that for the sake of greatest possible transparency about the spending of eu funds , it is essential that such a database is developed to the greatest extent possible , in line with applicable data protection rules and the relevant jurisprudence of the court of justice of the european union , and that relevant and non-sensitive data is made accessible to the public in a concise , comprehensive and user-friendly way in order to enhance public scrutiny and trust in eu public spending;


### 4. notes that in april 2018 , the commission , mandated by council , approved the new iter baseline on behalf of euratom and reaffirmed the commitment to make resources available within the limits of the next multiannual financial framework; ### 4. notes that in april 2018 , the commission , mandated by council , approved the new iter baseline on behalf of euratom and reaffirmed the commitment to make resources available within the limits of the next multiannual financial framework; notes that the current baseline lasting to 2035 is still in place and will be subject to update in november 2021;


### 5. notes that on 31 january 2020 , the uk left the union and euratom; notes that the transition period for negotiating a new partnership agreement with euratom ended on 31 december 2020; notes that the outcome of negotiations on the future relations between the union and the uk may have a significant effect on the post-2020 activities of the joint undertaking and the iter project; calls on the joint undertaking to report to the discharge authority of developments in that regard; ### 5. notes that on 29 december 2020 the uk and euratom signed a nuclear cooperation agreement according to which the uk shall participate as a member of the joint undertaking of iter and the development of fusion energy (f4e) as per the f4e council decision , and its statutes; notes that the uk will access euratom again as an associate member and will keep contributing to f4e and iter;


### 6. is aware of the fact that in addition to the construction phase , the joint undertaking will have to contribute to the iter operational phase after 2035 and to the subsequent iter deactivation and decommissioning phases; notes that the contribution to the deactivation and decommissioning phases were estimated , respectively , at eur 95 540 000 and eur 180 200 000 (at 2001 values); ### 6. is aware of the fact that in addition to the construction phase , the joint undertaking will have to contribute to the iter operational phase after 2035 and to the subsequent iter deactivation and decommissioning phases as part of the eu iter agreement; notes that the contribution to the deactivation and decommissioning phases were estimated , respectively , at eur 95 540 000 and eur 180 200 000 (at 2001 values);


### 7. notes with concern that there remains a risk of further cost increases and delays in the iter project implementation; notes that until march /april 2020 , the joint undertaking was able to maintain the various component delivery dates in line with the schedule to first plasma at end 2025 despite some delays , but that the covid-19 pandemic has caused additional risks which are currently under analysis and for which it is unclear if the schedule to first plasma can be maintained; ### 7. notes with concern that there remains a risk of further cost increases and delays in the iter project implementation; notes that until march /april 2020 , the joint undertaking was able to maintain the various component delivery dates in line with the schedule to first plasma at end 2025 despite some delays , but that the covid-19 pandemic has caused additional risks which are currently under analysis and for which it is unclear if the schedule to first plasma can be maintained; calls on the joint undertaking to report to the discharge authority of the result of updating the baseline which is due in november 2021;


### 10. notes that out of eur 729 708 445 available for commitment appropriations , 100 % was implemented through direct individual commitments (compared to 98 ,4 % in 2018); ### 10. notes that out of eur 729 708 445 available for commitment appropriations , 100 % was implemented through direct individual commitments (compared to 98 ,4 % in 2018) showing an increase of 1.6%;