### 101. concludes that the eu is currently on the losing side , far from fulfilling its aspiration of becoming a global leader in ai; maintains that there is still a small window of opportunity to change this situation , even though it will close very soon; states that the special committee therefore proposes to swiftly implement the following eu roadmap for ai; ### deleted


### 102. specifies that as the eu does not have the legislative power to address all the points listed in the eu roadmap for ai , the special committee recommends that a political process be launched with the aim of pulling all member states in the right direction and drastically improving the performance of those that are lagging furthest behind; refers in this regard to the eu 2000 lisbon agenda , which , despite the criticism , played a part in guiding the eu’s policy orientation over 20 years and in keeping up the pressure on member states to reform; ### deleted


### 103. calls on the commission to propose only legislative acts in the form of regulations for new digital laws in areas such as ai , as the digital single market needs to undergo a process of genuine harmonisation; is convinced that due to rapid technological development , digital legislation should always be swiftly adaptable , principle-based and future-proof , while adopting a risk-based approach; stresses , furthermore , the importance of legal certainty and , consequently , the need for robust , practical and unambiguous applicability criteria , definitions and obligations in all legal texts; ### 103. calls on the commission to propose only legislative acts in the form of regulations for new digital laws regulating ai , as the digital single market needs to undergo a process of genuine harmonisation; is convinced that due to rapid technological development , digital legislation should always be swiftly adaptable , principle-based and future-proof; stresses , furthermore , the importance of a high degree of legal certainty and , consequently , the need for robust , practical and unambiguous applicability criteria , definitions and obligations in all legal texts regarding the sale , use or development of ai technologies;


### 142. supports strongly the establishment of an ai lighthouse under the horizon europe framework , which would be the continent’s pioneering centre of excellence for ai research and development; notes , however , that the eu and the member states should commit to a long-term and much more substantial investment plan in the region of eur 1 billion per year over the next 10 years; adds that the ai lighthouse would be an excellent place to create regulatory sandboxes , meaning time- and space-limited areas for experimenting with , testing and finessing specific ai applications that carry some risk but also have high potential for public good; ### deleted


### 143. points out that the designation of european digital innovation hubs (edihs) under the digital europe programme is another important step in building up an ai ecosystem of excellence based on university-industry clusters; criticises , however , the fact that the hubs are dotted across the continent and that the interplay with other digital hubs designated by the european institute of innovation & technology (eit) and under the horizon europe framework remains unclear; suggests , consequently , that more coordination is needed , as is the establishment of a cooperating overall cluster of decentralised ai hubs based on an eu-wide framework for legal expertise , data , funding , and incentives; ### 143. points out that the designation of european digital innovation hubs (edihs) under the digital europe programme is another important step in building up an ai ecosystem of excellence based on university-industry clusters; criticises , however , that the interplay with other digital hubs designated by the european institute of innovation & technology (eit) and under the horizon europe framework remains unclear; suggests , consequently , that more coordination is needed , as is the establishment of a cooperating overall cluster of decentralised ai hubs based on an eu-wide framework for legal expertise , data , funding , and incentives;


### 144. proposes to scale up and align existing mission such as ellis , platforms such as claire and flagship projects such as humane ai and ai4eu with the goal of promoting ambitious , collaborative and eu-wide research and development goals as well as projects; explains that a single ai mission with clear milestones and regular evaluation would attract the most talented researchers , bringing them together to address the biggest scientific questions in ai; ### deleted


### i. ai and law enforcement ### deleted


### 146. calls on member states to deliver on the tallinn declaration on egovernment and put mechanisms in place to provide borderless , interoperable , personalised , user-friendly , and end-to-end digital public services based on ai to all individuals and businesses at all levels of public administration; is of the opinion that the objective should be to increase the number of people that use egovernment services , with a focus on ai , to up to 80 % of all eu citizens over the next five years; ### 146. calls on member states to deliver on the tallinn declaration on egovernment and put mechanisms in place to provide borderless , interoperable , personalised , user-friendly , and end-to-end digital public services based on ai to all individuals and businesses at all levels of public administration; is of the opinion that the objective should be to increase the number of people that use ai-based egovernment services to up to 80 % of all eu citizens over the next five years;


### 148. is convinced that the eu should implement an ambitious digital industrial strategy with a focus on ai , that attempts to reduce the eu’s dependence on non-european hardware , software and services while establishing sound ethical , technological and security standards for those elements that are not produced in the eu or where the purchasing of imports makes more sense from an economic point of view; declares that this approach does not aim to make the eu protectionist , but to strengthen its role as a champion of international cooperation and trade; ### 148. is convinced that the eu should place ai and the data economy at the centre of an ambitious industrial strategy , with the aim to empower innovative companies and entrepreneurs to compete for the best technological and business model innovations in europe and the world;


### 149. proposes to offer an alternative to the buy-out vision of many ai start-ups by ensuring that government support is provided at all stages of their development; underlines in this regard that the eu should amplify its efforts at offering smes and start-ups development paths and services , especially by promoting the use of digital tools , developing ai transition plans and further expanding the exchange of best practices; urges the commission and the member states to provide better counselling and more concrete support through networks , digital hubs , ai trainers , business mentoring and site visits; ### 149. highlights that the most important conditions for successful ai startups are access to private capital and skilled employees , the ability to procure high quality data sets to train algorithms , as well as the ability to scale across member state borders; stresses further that a very effective public policy tool to support a start-up economy is an effective competition law enforcement to prevent abuses of dominant market power and to counter barriers to market entry; stresses that the inability to afford sizeable legal teams also often poses an entry barrier into complex regulatory environments for start-ups and entrepreneurs; urges the commission and the member states to provide better counselling and more concrete support through networks , digital hubs , business mentoring and legal clinics;


### 150. points out that the eu should forge a strong international core value-based technology alliance , working together with like-minded partners in order to overcome regulatory divergence in the fields of privacy rights , data flows or competition rules and to remedy strategic vulnerabilities by building on each other’s assets and pooling resources in areas where it is mutually beneficial to do so; ### 150. points out that the eu should forge a strong international value-based technology alliance , working together with like-minded partners in order to benefit from best practices in the fields of privacy rights , data flows or competition rules and to remedy strategic vulnerabilities by building on each other’s assets and pooling resources in areas where it is mutually beneficial to do so;


### 151. considers it to be of paramount importance for the safety and security of citizens that law enforcement agencies are well advanced in ai development , making full use of the potential of digital technologies to prevent and investigate serious crimes through real-time facial recognition in select locations; underlines that diligently developed algorithms for crime prevention and investigation , based on highly qualitative data , may provide a higher level of efficiency , neutrality and legal certainty than human law enforcement agents , and should thus be promoted; ### deleted


### 151. considers it to be of paramount importance for the safety and security of citizens that law enforcement agencies are well advanced in ai development , making full use of the potential of digital technologies to prevent and investigate serious crimes through real-time facial recognition in select locations; underlines that diligently developed algorithms for crime prevention and investigation , based on highly qualitative data , may provide a higher level of efficiency , neutrality and legal certainty than human law enforcement agents , and should thus be promoted; ### 151. calls on the commission , to implement , through legislative and non-legislative means , and if necessary through infringement proceedings , a ban on any processing of biometric data , including facial images , for law enforcement purposes that leads to mass surveillance in publicly accessible spaces; calls further on the commission to stop funding biometric research or deployment or programmes that are likely to result in indiscriminate mass surveillance in public spaces;


### 152. asks member states to confer competences in the field of cybersecurity to the european level in order to enable the eu to better pool resources , more efficiently coordinate and streamline national cybersecurity policies , further increase cybersecurity capacity building and awareness raising , and swiftly provide cybersecurity knowledge and technical assistance to smes as well as to other more traditional sectors; ### 152. asks member states to enhance cooperation at the european level in order to better pool resources , more efficiently coordinate and streamline the integration of ai relevant provisions in national cybersecurity policies;


### 153. urges member states to pursue an active policy of european cyber diplomacy by denouncing and attributing foreign-supported ai-powered cyberattacks , while leveraging the full toolbox of eu diplomacy; advises that this should include diplomatic responses , the termination of financial aid and sanctions against those countries or proxies that engage in malicious cyber activities or that sponsor cybercrimes; believes that the eu , in close cooperation with nato , should consider using ai to execute cyber counter-strikes against repeat offenders; ### 153. urges member states to pursue an active policy of european cyber diplomacy by denouncing and attributing foreign-supported ai-powered cyberattacks , while leveraging the full toolbox of eu diplomacy; advises that this should include diplomatic responses , the termination of financial aid and sanctions against those countries or proxies that engage in malicious cyber activities or that sponsor cybercrimes; recognises that , to a certain degree , cyber defence is more effective if it also contains some offensive means and measures , provided that their use is compliant with international law;


### 154. notes that exclusive military and national security uses of ai should be exempt from civilian ai legislation , since overregulation in the field of security and defence could pre-emptively restrict the eu’s capacity to innovate and deploy ai technologies , placing it at a disadvantage to its adversaries that do not have such constraints; ### 154. notes that ai-based technologies are an important component of military equipment and strategy; stresses that such military uses shall be treated strictly distinct from civilian uses; stresses the fact that most weapon systems directly include ai features , or indirectly run on the basis of systems which use ai for assessing the theatre of operations , enemy and allied capabilities , target selection , etc. recalls the international norms and principles such as proportionality in force which have to be respected when developing and using new military technology , in particular international humanitarian law;


### 155. believes that the ongoing digital transformation , where ai plays the key role , has triggered a global tech race that will determine the future political and economic power status of the european union; urgently stresses that the eu is so far falling further and further behind in this race with the result that current technological standards are being actively developed and determined outside of europe , presenting an existential threat to our democracy and prosperity; concludes that in order to remain both competitive and a global power , the eu needs to become a global leader in ai; ### 155. believes that ai technologies play a key role in the ongoing digital transformation; urgently stresses that too often current technological standards are developed without sufficient eu contributions; concludes that the eu needs to become a global standard-setter in ai;


### 156. highlights that ai , while often portrayed as an unpredictable threat , is in reality a powerful digital tool that is already a game changer in core fields that bring benefits for the good of society , including in our aspirations to combat climate change , provide innovate healthcare , revolutionise employment , strengthen our security and democratic systems and boost our competitiveness on a global scale; stresses that these benefits should guide and inform regulation and public communication on ai; ### deleted


### 157. highlights further that the eu , with its regulatory and market powers , has the potential to shape the international debate on ai and to push for common standards for the ethics-driven , sustainable and trustworthy development and use of this technology , fully in line with european principles and values; highlights , however , that the window of opportunity for consolidating such a distinctive european approach to ai on the international stage is closing fast , which is why the eu needs to join forces and agree on a joint ai strategy , including a balanced regulatory framework , very soon; ### 157. highlights that the eu has the potential to shape the international debate on ai and to push for common standards for the ethics-driven , sustainable and trustworthy development and use of this technology , fully in line with european principles and values;


### 158. stresses that currently , the eu does not meet any of the preconditions that would allow us to fully capture the potential of ai , especially compared to the ai frontrunners china and the us; finds that a lack of legal certainty , access to and sharing of high-quality data , harmonised rules and standards , funding , research , skills and infrastructure for core technologies , as well as high regulatory burdens , have led to a situation in which the eu’s competitiveness is constantly decreasing; is convinced that only by executing a bold and comprehensive eu roadmap for ai will the eu manage to catch up; states that parliament needs an ad hoc digital committee with legislative powers in order to be able to respond effectively to these horizontal challenges , ; notes that as long as this committee is not established , clear competences among existing committees need to be defined in order to enable them to follow up effectively on all specific parts of this roadmap; ### 158. finds that a lack of legal certainty , access to and sharing of high-quality data , harmonised rules and standards , funding , research , skills and infrastructure for core technologies are hampering the eu ai sector’s competitiveness in the global market; notes that in the european parliament , clear competences for digital and ai legislative initiatives should be clarified among existing committees , in order to be able to follow the future legislative agenda in this field;


### 159. concludes that it is the eu’s responsibility to quickly set up a favourable regulatory environment for ai that provides for swift digital law-making , effective governance and balanced ethical standards , while at the same time preventing overregulation and giving enough leeway for innovation; urges that the adequate development and training of ai will require better access to high-quality data , common standards and incentives for voluntary data sharing; calls on its committees on legal affairs (juri) , internal market and consumer protection (imco) , industry , research and energy (itre) , civil liberties , justice and home affairs (libe) , and constitutional affairs (afco) to ensure that these goals are met; ### deleted


### 160. concludes that our digital ambitions in fields such as ai can only be achieved through a fully integrated and fully harmonised digital single market that promotes cross-border exchange and that guarantees that the same rules and standards apply to all ai researchers and companies across the eu; stresses in this regard that the eu also needs to target abuses of market power in order to level the playing field; calls on the economic and monetary affairs (econ) , imco and juri committees to guarantee this; ### 160. concludes that advances in the eu’s ambitions in fields such as ai require a much stronger degree of integration and harmonisation in the digital single market , to promote cross-border exchange and guarantee that the same rules apply to ai researchers and companies across the eu; stresses in this regard that the eu institutions also needs to pay more attention to abuses of market power in order to level the playing field;


### 161. concludes that ai systems require robust infrastructure and connectivity; stresses that digital green infrastructure which is in line with the green deal will target all sectors , including agriculture , electricity , housing , transport , businesses , value chains and the circular economy; stresses that ai will not , however , be functional without strong deployment of broadband , fibre , edge nodes and 5g , or if key emerging technologies such as quantum computing are not made a priority; calls on the environment , public health and food safety (envi) , agriculture and rural development (agri) , regional development (regi) , transport and tourism (tran) , itre , econ and imco committees to follow up on these points; ### 161. concludes that necessary steps must be taken to ensure the digital transition promotes and does not hamper the green transition and that ai systems require robust infrastructure and connectivity; calls on the commission and member states to ensure cross-sector digital green infrastructures in line with the green deal; calls on the commission to take action and make all private and publicly owned datasets essential to the green deal freely available , accessible , standardised and interoperable;


### 162. concludes that in order to promote innovation in ai , it is necessary to provide eu citizens with the means to acquire digital skills; stresses that in order to increase digital literacy and resilience and to combat the digital divide among citizens in the digital age , digital and ai education needs to start at an early stage and remain available at all levels of employment; finds that initiatives to establish ai ecosystems of excellence , to increase the pool of ai talent in the eu and to combat brain drain are of vital importance; calls on the culture and education (cult) , employment and social affairs (empl) and itre committee to focus their resources on these fields; ### 162. concludes that in order to promote the adoption of innovation in ai and to increase the acceptance of ai-based applications , it is necessary to provide eu citizens with the means to acquire digital skills; stresses that in order to increase digital literacy and resilience and to combat the digital divide among citizens in the digital age , digital and stem-based education needs to start at an early stage and remain available at all levels of employment; finds that initiatives to increase the pool of ai talent in the eu and to combat brain drain are of vital importance;


### 163. concludes that in order to build trust in ai among citizens , public services and their administrative structures need to lead by example; stresses that the eu needs to accelerate the uptake of ai in egovernance in order to facilitate the secure use of ai in public administrations and to strengthen democratic structures as well as the eu’s core ethical principles; stresses furthermore that ai in the healthcare sector , if provided with the means to securely access patients’ data , will revolutionise healthcare systems; calls on the envi , itre , juri and libe committees to monitor and accelerate these developments; ### 163. concludes that in order to build trust in ai among citizens , public services and their administrative structures need to lead by example in adopting responsible ai applications , based on the eu’s core ethical principles , which cater to citizens’ needs and respond to their concerns;


### 164. concludes that the eu’s ai strategy should not overlook military and security considerations that arise with the global deployment of ai technologies; stresses that international cooperation with like-minded partners needs to be increased in order to safeguard our ethical principles and values but also to protect our continent against new technological threats; finds that our entire security system is affected by the digital transformation; urges the eu , therefore , to come up with new policy responses and tactics; calls on the foreign affairs (afet) , international trade (inta) and libe committees , and the subcommittee on security and defence (sede) to develop effective responses; ### 164. concludes that the eu’s ai strategy should not overlook military and security considerations that arise with the global deployment of ai technologies; stresses that international cooperation with like-minded partners needs to be increased in order to safeguard our ethical principles and values;


### 11. welcomes the fact that the proportion of women in managerial posts (40% in 2021) has continued to remain at a high level; notes as well that despite a slight decrease in 2021 , the occupancy rate of women in management posts has shown a clear upward trend since 2018 (41% in 2020 , 39% in 2019 and 37.5% in 2018). ### 11. welcomes the fact that the proportion of women in managerial posts (40% in 2021) has continued to remain at a high level; notes as well that despite a slight decrease in 2021 , the occupancy rate of women in management posts has shown a clear upward trend since 2018 (41% in 2020 , 39% in 2019 and 37.5% in 2018); notes , however , the still existing imbalanced situation in terms of women’s representation among the judges of both the court of justice and the general court; exhorts , once again , the members of the council to address this situation by actively promoting gender parity in the appointment of judges , in line with the principles enshrined in article 8 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union and article 23 of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union , and with the commitments taken under regulations (eu , euratom) 2015/24221a and (eu , euratom) 2019/6291b of the european parliament and of the council.


### 11. notes that the multiannual financial framework heading 7 ‘european public administration’ accounts for eur 10.7 billion or 5 ,9% of the union budget in 2021 , of which parliament accounts for eur 2.1 billion or 19 ,4%; notes that the court examined a sample of 60 transactions of this multiannual financial framework heading and found that 15 contained errors (25%) , out of which the court has quantified 5 errors and estimated on that basis that the level of error of the union’s spending on administration in 2021 is below the materiality threshold; ### 11. notes that the multiannual financial framework heading 7 ‘european public administration’ accounts for eur 10.7 billion or 5 ,9% of the union budget in 2021 , of which parliament accounts for eur 2.1 billion or 19 ,4%; notes that the court examined a sample of 60 transactions of this multiannual financial framework heading and found that 15 contained errors (25%) , out of which the court has quantified 5 errors and estimated on that basis that the level of error of the union’s spending on administration in 2021 is below the materiality threshold; calls on the court to widen its sample of transactions examined to define the origin of high share of transactions which contain errors , although below the materiality threshold;


### 13. observes that the position of parliament’s administration is that article 175(1) and article 163(1) of the financial regulation defining the use of negotiated procurement procedures for high-value contracts only apply to direct management , while political groups manage the funds allocated to them according to the principles of indirect management in analogical application of article 62(1)(c) of the financial regulation; welcomes , however , that parliament accepted the court’s recommendation to revise its guidelines on the application of the rules on public procurement by the political groups to better align them with the financial regulation; notes the commitment of parliament’s administration to continue to support the political groups for the appropriations to be used in accordance with the applicable rules; ### 13. observes that the position of parliament’s administration is that article 175(1) and article 163(1) of the financial regulation defining the use of negotiated procurement procedures for high-value contracts only apply to direct management , while political groups manage the funds allocated to them according to the principles of indirect management in analogical application of article 62(1)(c) of the financial regulation; welcomes , however , that parliament accepted the court’s recommendation to revise its guidelines on the application of the rules on public procurement by the political groups to better align them with the financial regulation; notes the commitment of parliament’s administration to continue to support the political groups for the appropriations to be used in accordance with the applicable rules; calls on the secretary general to report back to the budgetary control committee when new guidelines on the application of the rules on public procurement by the political groups will be revised;


### 14. notes that , in particular , the court further examined a payment of eur 74.9 million related to the purchase of the scholl building on rue wiertz , the purchase of which was financed from funds that were not used during the covid-19 crisis and carried over from 2020; notes that , when seeking offers , parliament used award criteria that weighted 50% of points for both price and quality of the proposed building; notes that parliament received two offers and awarded the contract to the tenderer proposing the scholl building , significantly closer to parliament’s main site but 30% more expensive per square metre than the building proposed by the other tenderer; notes that the court considered that parliament’s award criteria significantly reduced the importance of price as a basis for the purchase decision , making it unlikely that any other offer could have been accepted; ### 14. notes that , in particular , the court further examined a payment of eur 74.9 million related to the purchase of the scholl building on rue wiertz , the purchase of which was financed from funds that were not used during the covid-19 crisis and carried over from 2020; notes that , when seeking offers , parliament used award criteria that weighted 50% of points for both price and quality of the proposed building; notes that parliament received two offers and awarded the contract to the tenderer proposing the scholl building , significantly closer to parliament’s main site but 30% more expensive per square metre than the building proposed by the other tenderer; notes with concern that the court considered that parliament’s award criteria significantly reduced the importance of price as a basis for the purchase decision , making it unlikely that any other offer could have been accepted; stresses the importance in guaranteeing a level playing field to all tenderers and a potential reputational risk the parliament could suffer in case of any procurement related irregularities;


### 19. notes that the 2021 follow-up process resulted in the closure of 47 of the 99 open actions and for which the agreed due dates for implementation had expired; regrets that some of the 52 remaining actions were recommended several years ago but remain unimplemented and highlights that 23 of them address significant risk; expects the different directorates-general to ensure that the remaining actions are closed without any further delay and that the agreed actions will be implemented in accordance with the due dates set in the internal auditor’s annual report; calls on the secretary-general to report to the discharge authority on the closure of the remaining actions; ### 19. notes that the 2021 follow-up process resulted in the closure of 47 of the 99 open actions and for which the agreed due dates for implementation had expired; stresses the fact that some of the 52 remaining actions were recommended several years ago but remain unimplemented and highlights that 23 of them address significant risk; expects the different directorates-general to ensure that the remaining actions are closed without any further delay and that the agreed actions will be implemented in accordance with the due dates set in the internal auditor’s annual report; calls on the secretary-general to report to the discharge authority twice per year on the status of the remaining actions;


### 20. acknowledges that , in accordance with article 118(9) of the financial regulation , “the reports and findings of the internal auditor , as well as the report of the union institution concerned , shall be accessible to the public after validation by the internal auditor of the action taken for their implementation”; calls on the internal auditor to regularly report to the committee on budgetary control on the annual audit activities carried out; ### 20. acknowledges that , in accordance with article 118(9) of the financial regulation , “the reports and findings of the internal auditor , as well as the report of the union institution concerned , shall be accessible to the public after validation by the internal auditor of the action taken for their implementation”; notes that in practice the reports and findings are only published once all recommendations have been implemented; regrets that this results in a de facto delay of publication for several years; also regrets that members may only read them in the secure reading room for as long as recommended measures have not been implemented; calls on the bureau to allow members to have immediate and full access to the internal audit reports; further calls on the bureau to make each internal audit report available to the public one year after its finalisation , once the internal auditor has validated the actions taken to implement the previous year’s recommendations; recalls that a validation of recommendations does not require all recommendations to be fully implemented; calls on the internal auditor to regularly report to the committee on budgetary control on the annual audit activities carried out;


### 33. recalls that article 4 of the president’s decision of 1 june 2021 on security measures to limit the spread of covid-19 provided for temperature checks on any person entering parliament’s buildings; notes that , for that purpose , parliament purchased different models of body temperature detectors for a total amount of eur 595 459.63 (382 515 ,63 in 2020 and eur 212 944 in 2021); observes that of the equipment purchased in 2021 , 40 temperature detection units installed in the metal detectors were not used as of the 14 march 2022 and 4 cameras are now kept in storage; recalls that no provision was introduced to prevent people who had been denied entry from simply trying again moments later; observes that there is no data on the number of persons having been denied access to parliament’s premises during the period of validity of the measure; regrets the conclusion that it is thus not possible to assess the effectiveness of the body temperature checks or the purchase of the equipment; ### 33. recalls that article 4 of the president’s decision of 1 june 2021 on security measures to limit the spread of covid-19 provided for temperature checks on any person entering parliament’s buildings; notes that , for that purpose , parliament purchased different models of body temperature detectors for a total amount of eur 595 459 ,63 (382 515 ,63 in 2020 and eur 212 944 in 2021); observes that of the equipment purchased in 2021 , 40 temperature detection units installed in the metal detectors were not used as of the 14 march 2022 and 4 cameras are now kept in storage; recalls that no provision was introduced to prevent people who had been denied entry from simply trying again moments later; observes that there is no data on the number of persons having been denied access to parliament’s premises during the period of validity of the measure; regrets the conclusion that it is thus not possible to assess the effectiveness of the body temperature checks or the purchase of the equipment and stresses the fact that no public money should ever be dispersed in a way that would not allow for a check on the regularity of spending nor the effectiveness of its use;


### 55. regrets that the applicable rules currently prohibit apas to accompany members on official parliament delegations and committee missions; points out that the technical support that apas provide during missions is of key importance to the participating members , in particular when they are involved in the organisation or play a specific role; is concerned that this situation compels members to resort to financing apas’ travel with the general expenditure allowance and obliges apas to use their annual leave , thus jeopardising their insurance coverage , which represents a serious reputational risk for parliament; regrets that neither the bureau nor the conference of presidents have followed up on the long-standing request to allow apas , under certain conditions yet to be determined , to accompany members on official parliament delegations and missions , as reiterated by several discharge resolutions; urges the bureau and the conference of presidents to respond positively to this demand; ### 55. regrets that the applicable rules currently prohibit apas to accompany members on official parliament delegations and committee missions; points out that the technical support that apas provide during missions is of key importance to the participating members , in particular when they are involved in the organisation or play a specific role; is concerned that this situation in practice leads to members to resort to financing apas’ travel with the general expenditure allowance and obliges apas to use their annual leave , thus jeopardising their insurance coverage , urges the bureau and the conference of presidents to change the current rules to allow apas , under certain conditions yet to be determined , to accompany members on official parliament delegations and missions and by doing so remedy a situation where existing rules are not followed , posing a risk to apas and a serious reputational risk for parliament;


### 56. welcomes the fact that the bureau’s last revision of the rules for visitors’ groups introduced the possibility for members to designate professionals to hold the financial responsibility , which has brought about a decrease of apas as heads of visitors’ groups to 28%; reiterates that apas should not be compelled to take on such financial responsibility , which can amount to substantial sums of money in some cases; insists , therefore , to the bureau that apas be eliminated from the list of permitted heads of groups , leaving only a member of the sponsored group or a professional , such as paying agents or travel agencies , to take up the role; ### 56. welcomes the fact that the bureau’s last revision of the rules for visitors’ groups introduced the possibility for members to designate professionals to hold the financial responsibility , which has brought about a decrease of apas as heads of visitors’ groups to 28%; reiterates that apas should not be compelled to take on such financial responsibility , which can amount to substantial sums of money in some cases; insists , therefore , to the bureau that apas be fully excluded from the list of permitted heads of groups , leaving only a member of the sponsored group or a professional , such as paying agents or travel agencies , to take up the role;


### 57. recalls that members may offer a traineeship to nationals of third countries , provided that they ensure that trainees comply with visa requirements of the country of designation; notes that third-country workers coming to belgium for a traineeship in brussels longer than 90 days must apply for a prior authorisation with the competent regional public service , i.e. brussels economy and employment; is alarmed that parliament’s competent service agreed with the latter that the relevant member’s office would submit the candidate’s dossier which in practice means that an apa is appointed responsible before the public authorities , including the provision of their personal data and being legally accountable; calls on parliament’s administration to find a different solution that will not endanger the privacy and legal security of the apas or be a risk to the security of parliament; ### 57. recalls that members may offer apa’s position or a traineeship to nationals of third countries , provided that they ensure that they comply with visa requirements of the country of designation; notes that third-country workers coming to belgium for a traineeship in brussels longer than 90 days must apply for a prior authorisation with the competent regional public service , i.e. brussels economy and employment; is alarmed that parliament’s competent service agreed with the latter that the relevant member’s office would submit the candidate’s dossier which in practice means that an apa from the member’s office is appointed responsible before the public authorities , including the provision of their personal data and being legally accountable; calls on parliament’s administration to find a different solution that will not endanger the privacy and legal security of the apas or be a risk to the security of parliament;


### 61. stresses that transparency , accountability , and integrity are essential ethics principles within the union institutions and particularly parliament as house of the european democracy; recalls that unethical behaviours must be prevented , persecuted and condemned for significantly damage the credibility and legitimacy of the union and constitute a serious threat to democracy and public trust; recalls the court’s conclusions and recommendations in its special report 13/2019 on the ethnical frameworks of union institutions , as well as parliament’s resolution of 16 september 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the union institutions by setting up an independentunion ethics body; ### 61. stresses that transparency , accountability , and integrity are essential ethics principles within the union institutions and particularly parliament as house of the european democracy; notes that weak ethics rules and a lack of enforcement have the potential to compromise the integrity of the institution; recalls that all must be done to prevent unethical behaviours and in case it appeared it must be persecuted and condemned for significant damage to the credibility and legitimacy of the union and constitute a serious threat to democracy and public trust; recalls the court’s conclusions and recommendations in its special report 13/2019 on the ethnical frameworks of union institutions , parliament’s resolution of 16 september 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the union institutions by setting up an independent union ethics body as well as parliament’s resolution of 15 december 2022 on suspicions of corruption from qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the european institutions1a;


### 62. calls for a thorough overhaul of parliament’s ethical framework that integrates lessons learned and strengthens the current rules to ensure that there are stronger deterrents to address effectively current and future threats and interferences , whether they affect members or staff; stresses that illegal activities funded by paid lobbying constitutes a profound attack on democracy and should be met with zero tolerance and heightened vigilance; calls in particular for a revision of the rules of procedure and the members’ code of conduct , as well as for an urgent upgrade of the current european parliament’s advisory committee on the conduct of members , in order to ensure that members act without any undue influence from interest representatives by means of a strict regulation of paid activities during the mandate , gifts or travel invitations , future employment expectations , and of undue use of information or contacts; ### 62. calls for a thorough overhaul of parliament’s ethical framework that integrates lessons learned and strengthens the current rules to ensure that there are stronger deterrents to address effectively current and future threats and interferences , whether they affect members or staff; stresses that illegal activities funded by paid lobbying constitutes a profound attack on democracy and must be met with zero tolerance and heightened vigilance; calls in particular for a revision of the rules of procedure and the members’ code of conduct , as well as for an urgent upgrade of the current european parliament’s advisory committee on the conduct of members , in order to ensure that members act without any undue influence from interest representatives by means of a strict regulation of paid activities during the mandate , gifts or travel invitations , future employment expectations , and of undue use of information or contacts;


### 63. notes that the advisory committee on the conduct of members investigated two cases of alleged breaches of the code of conduct in 2021 , in one of which the president decided to impose a penalty on the concerned members in july 2021; notes that parliament’s administration verified one case of a possible conflict of interest under the implementing measures for the statute of members due to the recruitment of a family relative identified in 2021 , which in turn eventually led to the initiation in 2022 of a recovery procedure of the misused parliamentary assistance expenditure;) ### 63. notes that the advisory committee on the conduct of members investigated two cases of alleged breaches of the code of conduct in 2021 , in one of which the president decided to impose a penalty in the form of a reprimand on the concerned members in july 2021; notes that parliament’s administration verified one case of a possible conflict of interest under the implementing measures for the statute of members due to the recruitment of a family relative identified in 2021 , which in turn eventually led to the initiation in 2022 of a recovery procedure of the misused parliamentary assistance expenditure;


### 64. notes that in 2021 the european anti-fraud office (olaf investigated 18 cases and the european prosecutor’s office (eppo) investigated 3 cases involving parliament on issues related to members’ financial and social entitlements , the financing of political structures; notes that , out of 18 olaf investigations , 4 led to a report with financial recommendations , 1 led to a final report with disciplinary recommendations , 5 led to a decision to dismiss the case , and 8 are still ongoing in 2022; notes also that olaf investigated 5 cases involving parliament’s staff , out of which 2 were closed in 2021 without any recommendation and 3 were not concluded; notes that none of the eppo investigations were concluded in 2021; asks the administration whether the recommendations made by olaf have been implemented and the amounts at risk have been recovered (particularly the eur 1 837 000 found to be paid irregularly) , as well as to provide a summary , without any sensitive data , of the typology of cases investigated in order to be able to draw conclusions and make improvements; ### 64. notes that in 2021 the european anti-fraud office (olaf) investigated 18 cases and the european prosecutor’s office (eppo) investigated 3 cases involving parliament on issues related to members’ financial and social entitlements , the financing of political structures; notes that , out of 18 olaf investigations , 4 led to a report with financial recommendations , 1 led to a final report with disciplinary recommendations , 5 led to a decision to dismiss the case , and 8 are still ongoing in 2022; notes also that olaf investigated 5 cases involving parliament’s staff , out of which 2 were closed in 2021 without any recommendation and 3 were not concluded; notes that none of the eppo investigations were concluded in 2021; asks the administration whether the recommendations made by olaf have been fully implemented and the amounts at risk have been recovered (particularly the eur 1 837 000 found to be paid irregularly) , as well as to provide a summary , without any sensitive data , of the typology of cases investigated in order to be able to draw conclusions and make improvements;


### 65. notes the ongoing project to make plenary voting records available in a dedicated space where users will have access to clear and reader-friendly documents and believes that parliament should go further and create a coherent website combining the whole multitude of interconnected websites related to the legislative work , i.e. legislative observatory , members' profiles , the plenary website , etc. for the sake of transparency and public scrutiny; ### 65. notes the ongoing project to make plenary voting records available in a dedicated space where users will have access to clear and reader-friendly documents and believes that parliament should go further and create a coherent website combining the whole multitude of interconnected websites related to the legislative work , i.e. legislative observatory , members' profiles , the plenary website , etc. for the sake of transparency and public scrutiny; calls on parliament’s services to also make available all amendments and roll-call voting records at committee level and to include them in the new layout1a;


### 67. regrets that six harassment cases against members were opened in 2021 and that four cases were pending from 2020; notes that no harassment was found in the four cases closed in 2021; regrets that in 2021 there was one new harassment complaint coming from a member of staff and notes that there was one ongoing case and three cases closed; ### 67. notes that six harassment cases against members were opened in 2021 and that four cases were pending from 2020; notes that no harassment was found in the four cases closed in 2021; notes that in 2021 there was one new harassment complaint coming from a member of staff and notes that there was one ongoing case and three cases closed; regrets that the investigation of some harassment cases extended over more than a year causing unnecessary harm to members , staff and assistants; reminds parliament’s administration that it has a legal responsibility to investigate cases brought before it with due rigour , speed and discretion; calls on the bureau to prescribe time limits for the handling of harassment complaints;


### 68. welcomes parliament’s zero-tolerance policy on harassment and the awareness-raising campaigns carried out; is concerned , however , that on 28 october 2022 only 245 sitting members (36 ,3%) had completed the training on respect and dignity in the workplace; recalls that parliament has requested on several occasions the implementation of mandatory anti-harassment training courses for all members; stresses the importance of early intervention , together with training and awareness-raising actions and notes the initiative taken by the administration to set up internal mediators as a step towards early conflict resolution; ### 68. welcomes parliament’s zero-tolerance policy on harassment and the awareness-raising campaigns carried out; is concerned , however , that on 28 october 2022 only 245 sitting members (36 ,3%) had completed the training on respect and dignity in the workplace; recalls that parliament has requested on several occasions the implementation of mandatory anti-harassment training courses for all members; stresses the importance of early intervention , together with training and awareness-raising actions and notes the initiative taken by the administration to set up internal mediators as a step towards early conflict resolution; which should also include the provision of information to both parties on their rights;


### 69. notes that the ‘advisory committee on harassment and its prevention at the workplace’ is composed of three members designated by the appointing authority (including the chair) , two staff committee members and one expert advisor from the medical service; notes that the ‘advisory committee dealing with harassment complaints concerning members’ is composed of three quaestors (including the chair) , the chair of the first committee , two apa committee members , one staff committee member (only for cases concerning a member of staff) , and two expert advisors , namely from the legal and the medical services respectively; is concerned by the lack of independent experts on harassment issues in both committees , as well as the absence of the legal service in the first case; calls for a secretary-general decision reviewing the composition of both advisory committees and stipulating mandatory training on harassment prevention and equal opportunities for all their members; ### 69. notes that the ‘advisory committee on harassment and its prevention at the workplace’ is composed of three members designated by the appointing authority (including the chair) , two staff committee members and one expert advisor from the medical service; notes that the ‘advisory committee dealing with harassment complaints concerning members’ is composed of three quaestors (including the chair) , the chair of the first committee , two apa committee members , one staff committee member (only for cases concerning a member of staff) , and two expert advisors , namely from the legal and the medical services respectively; is concerned by the lack of independent experts on harassment issues in both committees , as well as the absence of the legal service in the first case; recalls that the chair of the latter committee has the competence to convene meetings and his or her vote will be the casting vote in case of a tie; is concerned that the fact that the chair of this committee is a member of parliament leads to conflicts of interests if the member under investigation is from the same political group as the chair; calls for a secretary-general decision reviewing the composition of both advisory committees and stipulating mandatory training on harassment prevention and equal opportunities for all their members;


### 70. notes that there was one case of whistleblowing in 2021 and that the whistle-blower had contacted olaf before addressing the contact point; notes that parliament’s administration received a number of anonymous allegations of fraud and misconduct that were all followed up either internally or by olaf , and calls on parliament’s administration for a summary of the nature of the eventual cases opened and the measures taken by the administration; ### 70. notes that there was one case of whistleblowing in 2021 and that the whistle-blower had contacted olaf before addressing the contact point; calls on the secretary general to clarify contradictory data provided on the number of whistleblower cases reported in 2021 and 2022 respectively; is deeply concerned that there seems to have been no formal referral to olaf by parliament in this case and reminds the administration of their duty to immediately report alleged cases of fraud to olaf; notes that parliament’s administration received a number of anonymous allegations of fraud and misconduct that were all followed up either internally or by olaf , and calls on parliament’s administration for a summary of the nature of the eventual cases opened and the measures taken by the administration;


### 71. recalls that parliament has a whistleblower contact point within the cabinet of the secretary-general to which irregularities can be reported and who provides advice and facilitates the application of article 22c of the staff regulations and of the relevant implementing provisions; calls on the bureau to require relevant background checks and training for whistleblower contact points; ### 71. is deeply concerned by the fact that a poll among parliament’s staff by the european court of auditors from 2019 found that almost 80% of respondents have little or no knowledge about ways to report unethical behaviour1a; recalls that parliament has a whistleblower contact point within the cabinet of the secretary-general to which irregularities can be reported and who provides advice and facilitates the application of article 22c of the staff regulations and of the relevant implementing provisions; calls on the administration to urgently launch an awareness campaign on the existence of this contact point; calls on the bureau to require relevant background checks and training for whistleblower contact points;


### 72. reiterates that apas are in a particularly vulnerable position in whistleblowing cases due to their particular employment situation; therefore calls on the secretary-general to modify the internal rules on whistleblowing adopted on 4 december 2015 to align them to directive (eu) 2019/1937 of the european parliament and of the council2 , as well as to provide whistleblower apas with a similar protection to that of victims of harassment , in particular with regard to provisional measures during the administrative investigation and protection measures concerning anonymity , pay until the end of the contract , transfer of post and protection from retaliation; ### 72. reiterates that apas are in a particularly vulnerable position to report fraud and request whistleblower protection due to their particular employment situation; recalls that the one case of whistleblowing in 2021 was the first case of whistleblowing since 2016 when all concerned apas who blew a whistle subsequently lost their job; therefore calls on the secretary-general to modify the internal rules on whistleblowing adopted on 4 december 2015 to align them to directive (eu) 2019/1937 of the european parliament and of the council1a , as well as to provide whistleblower apas with a protection at least up to the standard of that of victims of harassment , in particular with regard to provisional measures during the administrative investigation and protection measures concerning anonymity , pay until the end of the contract , transfer of post and protection from retaliation and assistance to take legal action for damages suffered; stresses that the reform should also include extending the mandate of the ‘advisory committee dealing with harassment complaints concerning members’ to complaints from whistleblowers and altering the composition of the committee in a way that ensures that a sufficient number of independent experts on whistleblowing will also sit on the panel; calls on mandatory whistleblowing training for meps and for any superior , both within the administration and political groups , that would receive potential whistleblowing reports2a;


### 80. notes that eight members decided , on their own initiative , to observe elections in third countries where parliament had decided not to send an election observation delegation or had not been invited; notes that in all eight cases the members were in breach of the implementing provisions of the european parliament’s democracy support and election coordination group and that they could not and were not selected to participate in an official election observation delegation until the end of 2021; ### 80. is concerned by the fact that eight members decided , on their own initiative , to observe elections in third countries , namely kazachstan and ecuador , where parliament had decided not to send an election observation delegation or had not been invited; notes that in all eight cases the members were in breach of the implementing provisions of the european parliament’s democracy support and election coordination group and that they could not and were not selected to participate in an official election observation delegation until the end of 2021;


### 82. welcomes the fact that the digital signature portal (disp) allows members to digitally sign documents , which improves efficiency , traceability and transparency to the procedures , and regrets that , in contrast to disp , signing plenary amendments is still an outdated and burdensome procedure of signing them by hand and sending them in scanned form; ### 82. welcomes the fact that the digital signature portal (disp) allows members to digitally sign documents , which improves efficiency , traceability and transparency to the procedures , and regrets that , in contrast to disp , signing plenary amendments is still an outdated and burdensome procedure of signing them by hand and sending them in scanned form; calls on the bureau to take the necessary steps for introducing the possibility for members to sign plenary amendments digitally in the future;


### 89. notes the purchase of the treves ii building approved by the bureau on 18 october 2021 , purchased with the intention of allowing the interconnectivity of parliament’s central buildings in brussels , and notes that it will be at the disposal of parliament as from 1 january 2025; is concerned by the poor energy-performance of the building , of which the energy performance certificate indicates an annual primary energy consumption equivalent to class e , and notes that the last renovation of the building dates back to 2000; calls on parliament’s administration to make the necessary adaptations to the applicable energy efficiency regulations in order to improve the building’s energy-performance; ### 89. notes the purchase of the treves ii building approved by the bureau on 18 october 2021 , purchased with the intention of allowing the interconnectivity of parliament’s central buildings in brussels , and notes that it will be at the disposal of parliament as from 1 january 2025; is concerned by the poor energy-performance of the building , of which the energy performance certificate indicates an annual primary energy consumption equivalent to class e , and notes that the last renovation of the building dates back to 2000; calls on bureau to approve the necessary renovations to improve the energy-performance of the building in line with applicable energy efficiency regulations before the building is put to the use by the parliament;


### 95. notes that the east wing of the adenauer building in luxembourg was completed in 2020 and the large-scale relocation of offices from the schuman building started in 2021; notes that works to build the west wing started in 2021 and draws attention to the low occupancy rate of the buildings; ### 95. notes that the east wing of the adenauer building in luxembourg was completed in 2020 and the large-scale relocation of offices from the schuman building started in 2021; notes that works to build the west wing started in 2021 and expresses its deep concern over the fact that the parliament’s biggest and most expensive investment in buildings in recent years today stands under-used due to a very low occupancy rate of the buildings;


### 108. understands that the core business of the service cars is the transport of members , including the journey between brussels and strasbourg; points out , however , the waste of resources resulting from the fact that on average 15% of the seats available in the service fleet were been occupied for that journey in 2021; reiterates its call on parliament’s administration to widen the user group while making sure that members’ seats are secured , i.e. establishing a reserve list and coherent deadlines to confirm the journey; ### 108. understands that the core business of the service cars is the transport of members , including the journey between brussels and strasbourg; points out , however , the waste of resources resulting from the fact that on average 15% of the seats available in the service fleet were been occupied for that journey in 2021; reiterates its call on parliament’s administration to widen the user group and allowing parliament’s staff to travel to and from strasbourg with the service fleet without the presence of a member , while making sure that members’ seats are secured , i.e. establishing a reserve list and coherent deadlines to confirm the journey;


### 109. welcomes the fact that the brussels site has 138 parking spaces reserved for electric vehicles , each with a charging station , plus 12 units for parliament’s delivery vans; notes that following the latest environmental permit , issued by the local authorities in april 2021 for the spinelli building , a sprinkler system is necessary for this large underground car park equipped with charging stations and it will be installed in 2022 , which will allow for the installation of 20 additional charging stations; ### 109. welcomes the fact that the brussels site has 138 parking spaces reserved for electric vehicles , each with a charging station , plus 12 units for parliament’s delivery vans; notes that following the latest environmental permit , issued by the local authorities in april 2021 for the spinelli building , a sprinkler system is necessary for this large underground car park equipped with charging stations and it will be installed in 2022 , which will allow for the installation of 20 additional charging stations; encourages parliament to continue with an ambitious expansion of the electrical charging infrastructure for all types of vehicles;


### 113. suggests the creation of a bureau ad-hoc working group to carry out a thorough overhaul of the implementing measures for the statute for members of the european parliament (imms) while striking a balance between the freedom of the exercise of the mandate , the reputational risks to parliament and managerial ethics; strongly recommends that a comprehensive consultation of members is carried out before the end of the current mandate to provide this working group with first-hand information from experienced members on the practical application of the rules governing parliament and the ability to identify inconsistencies such as the fact that the members’ attendance on fridays is not registered in brussels during plenary weeks or even if a parliament’s committee official mission is carried out on thursdays; ### 113. suggests the bureau carries out a thorough overhaul of the implementing measures for the statute for members of the european parliament (imms) while striking a balance between the freedom of the exercise of the mandate , the reputational risks to parliament and managerial ethics; strongly recommends that a comprehensive consultation of members is carried out before the end of the current mandate to provide the bureau with first-hand information from experienced members on the practical application of the rules governing parliament and the ability to identify inconsistencies such as the fact that the members’ attendance on fridays is not registered in brussels during plenary weeks or even if a parliament’s committee official mission is carried out on thursdays;


### 114. recalls that in previous discharge resolutions parliament requested a reform of the general expenditure allowance (gea) to make the expenditure of this lump sum more transparent and accountable; notes the announcement at the bureau meeting of 7 march 2022 of the setting up of a bureau ad-hoc working group on the gea , which is tasked with evaluating the operation of the bureau decision of 2 july 2018; observes that the bureau , at is meeting of 17 october 2022 , adopted a set of amendments to the imms clarifying the rules applicable to the entitlement and use of the gea and measures aimed at increasing transparency but believes that this reform does not meet the demands expressed in parliament’s resolution of 26 march 2019 on the 2017 discharge and in subsequent resolutions; ### 114. recalls that in previous discharge resolutions parliament requested a reform of the general expenditure allowance (gea) to make the expenditure of this lump sum more transparent and accountable; notes the announcement at the bureau meeting of 7 march 2022 of the setting up of a bureau ad-hoc working group on the gea , which is tasked with evaluating the operation of the bureau decision of 2 july 2018; observes that the bureau , at is meeting of 17 october 2022 , adopted a set of amendments to the imms clarifying the rules applicable to the entitlement and use of the gea and measures aimed at increasing transparency but believes that this reform does not meet the demands expressed in parliament’s resolution of 26 march 2019 on the 2017 discharge and in subsequent resolutions; calls on the bureau to immediately revise the its decision of 17 october 2022 and bring it in line with what the majority of the members of the house have demanded on numerous occasions;


### 116. is concerned that the actuarial deficit of the voluntary pension fund (vpf) on 31 december 2021 amounted to eur 379 million (compared to eur 371.3 million on 31 december 2020); is concerned that the complete exhaustion is expected by the end of 2024 or 2025 at the latest and that in the meantime the vpf continues to sell assets in order to meet its pension obligations , which probably means that the remaining capital is being reduced; notes that in its judgment of 15 september 2021 in cases t-720/19 to t-725/19 , ashworth and others v parliament3 , the court of justice of the european union (cjeu) concluded that already acquired rights were not impacted by the contested bureau decision of 10 december 2018 and confirmed the bureau's competence to adopt decisions aiming at improving the sustainability of the fund provided that they respect the principle of proportionality; notes that an appeal was lodged before the cjeu against its judgment of the 15 september 2021 and that parliament’s bureau will examine the implications for future proposals for options to improve the sustainability of the fund while reducing parliament`s liability; ### 116. is concerned that the actuarial deficit of the voluntary pension fund (vpf) on 31 december 2021 amounted to eur 379 million (compared to eur 371.3 million on 31 december 2020); is concerned that the complete exhaustion is expected by the end of 2024 or 2025 at the latest and that in the meantime the vpf continues to sell assets in order to meet its pension obligations , which probably means that the remaining capital is being reduced; calls on the bureau to provide the discharge authority with a detailed cost estimate projection for the fund for the coming years; notes that in its judgment of 15 september 2021 in cases t-720/19 to t-725/19 , ashworth and others v parliament1a , the court of justice of the european union (cjeu) concluded that already acquired rights were not impacted by the contested bureau decision of 10 december 2018 and confirmed the bureau's competence to adopt decisions aiming at improving the sustainability of the fund provided that they respect the principle of proportionality; notes that an appeal was lodged before the cjeu against its judgment of the 15 september 2021 and that parliament’s bureau will examine the implications for future proposals for options to improve the sustainability of the fund while reducing parliament`s liability; asks the administration and the bureau to guarantee that no taxpayer money is used for any future bail-out;


### 123. recalls that these appropriations are intended to cover activities in connection with the union’s political activities , and that political groups are responsible to parliament for their use; is deeply concerned that these appropriations could be used to convey messages contrary to fundamental rights and freedoms or union values; recalls in particular that parliament condemns historical revisionism and calls for a common culture of remembrance that rejects the crimes of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes of the past; calls on parliament’s administration to carefully scrutinise , even retroactively , any publication funded by political groups that do not comply with those values; ### 123. recalls that these appropriations are intended to cover activities in connection with the union’s political activities , and that political groups are responsible to parliament for their use; notes that olaf has found irregularities in relation to the diverting of money from budget item 400 for national parties’ purposes and events; calls for a more stringent control on the use of budget item 400; is deeply concerned that these appropriations could be used to convey messages contrary to fundamental rights and freedoms or union values; recalls in particular that parliament condemns historical revisionism and calls for a common culture of remembrance that rejects the crimes of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes of the past; calls on parliament’s administration to carefully scrutinise , even retroactively , any publication funded by political groups that do not comply with those values1a;


### 3. welcomes the eeas’s efforts to ensure gender balance also in higher grades in headquarters and eu delegations; ### 3. welcomes the eeas’s efforts to ensure gender balance also in higher grades in headquarters and eu delegations; however , calls for effective gender training strategies in the eeas; highlights the importance of investing in resources and expertise towards developing training and education strategies focused on applying a gender equality approach to international policies and programs to achieve genuine change of culture within the eeas; specifies that special attention should be devoted to integrating gender mainstreaming mechanisms , addressing gender budgeting , gender impact assessments and tackling gender-based violence; suggests that a comprehensive training program is adopted for the adequate implementation of gap iii in all levels of the eeas;


### 4. deplores the remaining lack of diversity , gender and geographical imbalances within the eeas staff; reiterates the importance of ensuring an intersectional distribution , greater diversity , and gender equality , as well as promoting a balance of staff in terms of gender and geographical origin within different categories and grades , particularly at senior management levels; calls on the eeas to significantly improve the representation of women and marginalised groups across all levels and calls on all member states to nominate more women and candidates from marginalised groups to seconded positions in the eeas; draws attention to the remaining overrepresentation of some member states’ diplomats among the heads of delegation and calls for further efforts to address those imbalances; encourages the eeas to create and share guidelines on best practices on the conducting of recruitment procedures in order to ensure diversity , openness , fairness and transparency; ### 4. deplores the remaining lack of diversity , gender and geographical imbalances within the eeas staff; reiterates the importance of ensuring an intersectional distribution , greater diversity , and gender equality , as well as promoting a balance of staff in terms of gender and geographical origin within different categories and grades , particularly at senior management levels; calls on the eeas to lead by example , as set out in the gender action plan iii , and to significantly improve the representation of women and marginalised groups across all levels with the goal to establish gender parity in leadership and management positions , gender-responsive leadership and gender-sensitive recruitment processes as soon as possible; calls on the eeas to ensure the adequate implementation of unscr 1325 and related resolutions; calls on all member states to nominate more women and candidates from marginalised groups to seconded positions in the eeas; draws attention to the remaining overrepresentation of some member states’ diplomats among the heads of delegation and calls for further efforts to address those imbalances; encourages the eeas to create and share guidelines on best practices on the conducting of recruitment procedures in order to ensure diversity , openness , fairness and transparency;


### 5. encourages eu delegations to engage with local actors , civil society organisations and social partners in third countries to stimulate social dialogue. ### 5. encourages eu delegations to promote and engage with local actors , civil society organisations and social partners in third countries to stimulate social dialogue; asks the eu delegations to closely monitor the state of democracy in the different countries and to provide logistical and technological support to human rights and indigenous peoples defenders , in particular women.


### 1. draws attention to the steadily worsening context in which the union’s development and humanitarian aid policies are conducted , characterised in particular by the covid pandemic , the relentless aggravation of the impacts of climate change and the mounting repercussions of russia’s war in ukraine; notes the ever-growing gap between the funds needed and those available to respond to the deepening hunger , debt and other crises and to halt the ongoing movement further away from the un’s sustainable development goals (sdgs) instead of towards them; ### 1. draws attention to the steadily worsening context in which the union’s development and humanitarian aid policies are conducted , characterised in particular by the covid pandemic , the relentless aggravation of the impacts of climate change , biodiversity loss , increasing food insecurity and the mounting repercussions of russia’s war in ukraine; notes the ever-growing gap between the funds needed and those available to respond to the deepening climate , hunger , debt , humanitarian and other crises and to halt the ongoing movement further away from the un’s sustainable development goals (sdgs) instead of towards them;


### 2. deplores the absence of the move “from billions to trillions” in financing for development recognised as necessary when the sdgs were adopted in 2015; notes the urgency of mobilising much more of the world’s privately held resources , through investment promotion and more effective taxation , but also of scaling up public financing for development , in accordance with international commitments on levels the union remains far from; ### 2. deplores the absence of the move to fill the oda financing gap recognised as necessary when the sdgs were adopted in 2015; notes the urgency of mobilising additional financial resources to fill the oda gap , through sustainable investment to the benefit of climate , the environment and local economies of partner countries in the global south and more effective taxation of foreign investors , but also of scaling up public financing for development , in accordance with international commitments on levels the union remains far from;


### 3. welcomes the member states’ recent decision to assign eur 600 million of de-committed edf funds to other actions in acp countries; notes that most of these funds will now be used for measures to help mitigate the global food crisis; invites the member states to from now on consistently abstain from receiving repayment of de-committed edf funds , given the extreme needs for funds to cover urgent needs in acp countries and bearing in mind the union’s and its member states financing for development commitments. ### 3. welcomes the member states’ recent decision to assign eur 600 million of de-committed edf funds to other actions in acp countries; notes that most of these funds will now be used for measures to help mitigate the global food crisis; insists that these funds must ensure further support to local small-scale farming as well as agroeocological practices and sustainable fisheries methods as they allow food sovereignty of local communities , making them less dependent on the fluctuations in the global food and agriculture market; invites the member states to from now on consistently abstain from receiving repayment of de-committed edf funds , given the extreme needs for funds to cover urgent needs in acp countries and bearing in mind the union’s and its member states financing for development commitments as well as the obligations set in the treaty on policy coherence for development (pcd).


### 6. recalls that iter officially expects a first operational test in 2025 and to achieve full fusion power by 2035; observes , however , that this baseline was adopted in 2016 , and that , since then , construction and manufacturing delays , and the pandemic , have made the 2025 date increasingly unlikely; underlines , in addition , that , according to the court’s report , there is a risk of further delay due to problems welding the vacuum vessel sections that form the steel chamber in which the fusion experiments will take place; ### 6. recalls that iter officially expects a first operational test in 2025 and to achieve full fusion power by 2035; observes , however , that this baseline was adopted in 2016 , and that , since then , construction and manufacturing delays , and the pandemic , have made the 2025 date increasingly unlikely; underlines , in addition , that , according to the court’s report , there is a risk of further delay due to a combination of different construction starting from problems welding the vacuum vessel sections that form the steel chamber in which the fusion experiments will take place to the problem of corrosion causing cracks up to 2.2 millimetres deep on the thermal shield panels.this affects all 23 kilometres of cooling pipes welded to the component surface. due to the fact that the crack issue in the cooling pipes could be systemic , affecting all thermal shield components of tokamak , the new direction of iter activates a repair strategy for the tokamak's thermal shield panels and vacuum vessel sectors.


### 7. notes , that the iter council , in the first quarter of 2023 , plans to adopt a new iter baseline , setting out the calendar for certain achievements , which will significantly push back the dates when it expects to accomplish key milestones and consequently impact the estimate at completion; ### 7. notes , that the duration and cost of the repairs cannot , at this stage , be precisely estimated but the iter council , at the end of of 2023 , plans to adopt a new iter baseline , setting out the calendar for certain achievements , which will significantly push back the dates when it expects to accomplish key milestones and consequently impact the estimate at completion;


### 8. notes that , as regards nuclear safety requirements , the french nuclear safety authority (nsa) has the ultimate authority to approve any further changes in designs affecting the nuclear safety requirements , and that , in this context , at the beginning of 2021 , the joint undertaking formally applied for the nsa approval of the new welding design and technology related to the assembly of the components of the tokamak pit; underlines , however , that only in january 2022 , did the nsa request the joint undertaking for additional information to finalise its analysis: notes that , while nsa’s approval is part of the iter-io’s normal assembly process , it may , however , result in an additional delay of several months and consequently impact the estimate at completion; ### 8. notes that , as regards nuclear safety requirements , the french nuclear safety authority (nsa) has the ultimate authority to approve any further changes in designs affecting the nuclear safety requirements , and that , in this context , at the beginning of 2021 , the joint undertaking formally applied for the nsa approval of the new welding design and technology related to the assembly of the components of the tokamak pit; underlines , however , that only in january 2022 , did the nsa request the joint undertaking for additional information to finalise its analysis analysis and concluded in its letter of february 2022 that the installation's radiological shielding devices did not demonstrate control of the limitation of exposure to ionizing radiation , a major issue for a nuclear fusion facility; notes that , while nsa’s approval is part of the iter-io’s normal assembly process , its unaddressed safety concerns it may , however , result in an additional delay of several months and consequently impact the estimate at completion;


### 28. regrets that the court keeps a reputation of being a historically male-dominated institution; remarks with concern that 13 member states have never sent a woman to the court; calls on the president of the court to encourage the national authorities entrusted with the presentation of the candidates to present candidates of different genders with the aim of achieving a reasonable gender balance across the members of the court; ### 28. regrets that the court keeps a reputation of being a historically male-dominated institution; remarks with concern that 13 member states have never sent a woman to the court; reiterates its call for improved gender balance and encourages the national authorities entrusted with the presentation of the candidates to present candidates of different genders with the aim of achieving a reasonable gender balance across the members of the court;


### 32. remarks that the geographical balance within the staff of the court is still suboptimal , and notes that the court has started to promote calls for expressions of interest in digital newspapers and job sites in member states that are underrepresented at the court and via contact with the relevant cabinets of the court for the member states targeted; encourages the court to reach out to national authorities via the permanent representations of the member states to the union , to use social media more intensively to publicise its recruitment procedures and to participate in career fairs and similar events in underrepresented member states to promote the court as an employer; endorses the relation with european academia network initiative as a tool to attract talent to the union institutions based in luxembourg through common projects targeting universities; ### 32. remarks that the geographical balance within the staff of the court is still suboptimal , which reflects that the court is having difficulties in attracting people to work (and live) in luxembourg due to , among other things , the high cost of living; and notes that the court has started to promote calls for expressions of interest in digital newspapers and job sites in member states that are underrepresented at the court and via contact with the relevant cabinets of the court for the member states targeted; notes the court’s proactive approach in raising the issue of non-competitive salaries and aiming at finding solutions; encourages the court to reach out to national authorities via the permanent representations of the member states to the union , to use social media more intensively to publicise its recruitment procedures and to participate in career fairs and similar events in underrepresented member states to promote the court as an employer; endorses the relation with european academia network initiative as a tool to attract talent to the union institutions based in luxembourg through common projects targeting universities;


### 47. consistently reaffirms , concerning the court’s ethics committee and the procedure for its appointment , that the court’s internal procedures for the nomination to its ethics committee should not maintain the exclusive prerogative of the president to propose eligible candidates; recalls the court’s special report 13/2019 on the ethical frameworks of the audited eu institutions , pointing out how the composition of ethical committees may have an impact on the perceived objectivity and independence , and reiterates its calls on the court to reconsider the rules for appointment and composition of the ethics committee; once again asks the court’s ethics committee to report on the main findings of the internal audit report on ethics , already requested in 2020 and 2019; ### 47. notes , concerning the court’s ethics committee and the procedure for its appointment , that the court’s internal procedures for the nomination to its ethics committee entitle the president to propose candidates to the college and that the decision to nominate belongs to the college; ; recalls the court’s special report 13/2019 on the ethical frameworks of the audited eu institutions , pointing out how the composition of ethical committees may have an impact on the perceived objectivity and independence , and reiterates its calls on the court to reconsider the rules for appointment and composition of the ethics committee; once again asks the court’s ethics committee to report on the main findings of the internal audit report on ethics , already requested in 2020 and 2019;


### 26. invites the administration to draw attention to the code of conduct for members , which sets out that members shall act solely in the public interest and conduct their work with disinterest , integrity , openness , diligence , honesty , accountability and respect for the parliament's reputation; highlights that the code of conduct defines conflicts of interest and how members should address them and it includes rules on , professional activities of former members; ### 26. invites the administration to draw attention to the code of conduct for members , which sets out that members shall act solely in the public interest and conduct their work with disinterest , integrity , openness , diligence , honesty , accountability and respect for the parliament's reputation; highlights that the code of conduct defines conflicts of interest and how members should address them and it includes rules on , professional activities of former members; calls on parliament to ensure full compliance with the code of conduct , including to proactively and systematically ask former members to inform parliament of their professional activity after termination of office , and to regularly inform the discharge authority of members’ compliance with the code of conduct;


### 27. is of the opinion that the protection of whistleblowers is a key element of democracy; recalls that , among others , accredited parliamentary assistants (apa) may find themselves in a particular situation due to their contract of employment; calls on secretary-general to take that specificity into account when apas act as whistleblowers , and to extend the contract protection options granted by parliament for apas victim of harassment to apas who act as whistleblowers; ### 27. is of the opinion that the protection of whistleblowers is a key element of democracy; recalls that , among others , accredited parliamentary assistants (apa) may find themselves in a particular situation due to their contract of employment; calls on secretary-general to take that specificity into account when apas act as whistleblowers , and to extend the contract protection options granted by parliament for apas victim of harassment to apas who act as whistleblowers; asks the secretary-general to find a solution for the fact that apa's salaries can exclusively go to belgian bank accounts which runs counter to the idea of a single monetary and payments union; furthermore highlights the fact that current rules on the termination of contract for apas do not foresee the possibility of a termination by “mutual consent” , which would be a way to recognise the special political relation between members and assistants , where both parties can acknowledge the mutual trust is no longer persisting , and benefit from a common solution.


### 28. calls on parliament to take stalk of the recently adopted directive (eu) 2019/193711 on the protection of persons who report breaches of union law , and to update its internal rules implementing article 22c of the staff regulations; ### 28. calls on parliament to fully adapt its own internal rules in the staff regulations to the recently adopted directive (eu)2019/1937[1]on the protection of persons who report breaches of union law , including by setting up secure channels for reporting; further requests that parliament guarantees the same level of protection to whistle-blowers as it does to victims of harassment , including the establishment of an advisory committee dealing with the protection of whistle-blowers; requests that the secretary-general institute mandatory training for line managers who could potentially receive a whistle-blower report and to raise awareness among parliamentary staff on their whistleblower protections;


### 32. is worried about the number of members of staff on long-term sick leave and is concerned that some of those cases may relate to exhaustion and disturbed work-life balance; calls on the administration to be proactive towards the concerned staff , to carefully evaluate the staff workload and to ensure a balanced distribution of tasks; asks for a report on measures taken in response to long-term sick leave by 30 june 2020; ### 32. is worried about the number of members of staff on long-term sick leave and is concerned that some of those cases may relate to exhaustion and disturbed work-life balance; calls on the administration and political groups’ management to be proactive towards the concerned staff , to carefully evaluate the staff workload and to ensure a balanced distribution of tasks; asks for a report on measures taken in response to long-term sick leave by 30 june 2020;


### 33. within a context of increased expectations towards staff , insists on the importance of a constructive dialogue with the staff committee and trade unions; counts on continuing the constructive dialogue with those bodies , particularly on matters related to working conditions such as mobility , working environment and flexitime; ### 33. within a context of increased expectations towards staff , insists on the importance of a constructive dialogue with the staff committee , trade unions and in the case of political groups with their staff representatives; counts on continuing the constructive dialogue with those bodies , particularly on matters related to working conditions such as mobility , working environment and flexitime;


### 36. recalls that rule 11 of the rules of procedure has introduced an obligation for rapporteurs , shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs to publish information on meetings held with interested representatives , in the context of their reports; notes with appreciation that , since the start of the new legislature , the necessary infrastructure is available on parliament’s website to allow members to publish scheduled meetings with interested representatives; ### 36. welcomes that rule 11 of the rules of procedure has introduced an obligation for rapporteurs , shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs to publish information on meetings held with interested representatives , in the context of their reports to make parliament more open , transparent , and accountable to citizens notes with appreciation that , since the start of the new legislature , the necessary infrastructure is available on parliament’s website to allow members to publish scheduled meetings with interested representatives; encourages any effort that would improve this tool; suggests to make it more user-friendly and entries more comparable , including by connecting it to the transparency register and legislative observatory , providing access for the automatic processing of the data , providing an option to link the meeting to membership in a delegation , to indicate that the meeting took place at staff-level , to link the entries on the parliament's website to the member's own website and by lifting the obligation to link each meeting to membership in a committee; further calls on parliament to improve its communication towards members about the obligation for rapporteurs , shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs to publish such meetings;


### 40. notes that this additional expenditure goes against the principle of sound financial management and against the principle of budgetary discipline; acknowledges that a single seat can only be achieved by a unanimous treaty change; stresses that moving parliament’s official vehicles to strasbourg could be more efficient by transporting accredited parliamentary assistants (apas); ### 40. regrets that this additional expenditure goes against the principle of sound financial management and against the principle of budgetary discipline;


### 46. acknowledges , in addition , the significant improvement in parliament’s use of social media , as well as actions related to raising awareness of union actions; notes also that significant efforts were invested in a comprehensive visitors’ strategy and , with a particular focus on youth , the implementation of the ambassador school programme; ### 46. acknowledges , in addition , the significant improvement in parliament’s use of social media , and further encourages the use of free open-source self-hosted social network platforms having special regards to users’ data protection; further acknowledges actions related to raising awareness of union actions; notes also that significant efforts were invested in a comprehensive visitors’ strategy and , with a particular focus on youth , the implementation of the ambassador school programme;


### 49. recalls that 2018 marked the first full year of operation for the house of european history; notes that the house of european history welcomed 164 158 visitors; welcomes the co-financing agreement with the commission , ensuring a yearly contribution to the exploitation costs; ### 49. recalls that 2018 marked the first full year of operation for the house of european history; notes that the house of european history welcomed 164 158 visitors; welcomes the co-financing agreement with the commission , ensuring a yearly contribution to the exploitation costs; remains deeply concerned by reports on working conditions in the european house of history under the previous contractor and urgently requests the secretary-general to inform parliament's committee on budgetary control on the situation of european house of history employees under the new contractor; also asks the secretary-general to publish figures on the total costs of the contractor and the amount spent on the wage of the european house of history employees;


### 52. insists on the importance of effective communication in member states while ensuring cost-efficiency; invites all decision-making parties involved to strive for added value , particularly with regard to running costs; ### 52. insists on the importance of effective communication in member states while ensuring cost-effectiveness; invites all decision-making parties involved to strive for added value , particularly with regard to running costs;


### 62. welcomes the fact that promoting equal opportunities remains a key component of parliament's human resource management policy; takes note that the gender equality roadmap continues to be implemented through concrete actions: targets for women heads of unit was set at 40% , women directors at 35% and women directors-general at 30% by the end of 2019; ### 62. reminds to the fact that promoting equal opportunities is a key component of parliament's human resource management policy; takes note that the gender equality roadmap continues to be implemented through concrete actions: targets for women heads of unit was set at 40% , women directors at 35% and women directors-general at 30%by the end of 2019; regrets however that the gender equality roadmap is not fully implemented , especially concerning the representation of women in senior management positions (40%) by 2020;


### 63. regrets that the number of women holding posts at the level of director-general remained stable at 2 in absolute numbers , far below the target , during the period 2017 to 2018; notes with satisfaction that the number of women at director level reached 34% at the end of 2018 and 37% in the course of 2019 and at heads of unit level increased to 38% at the end of 2018 and 39% at the end of 2019; recognises the need for a step by step approach , but underlines that the situation will only be satisfactory once the gender balance at management level reflects the gender balance of the eligible population for those posts; notes that there are member states that do not hold any director and/or general-director position and recommends addressing this situation with a view to achieving a geographical balance; ### 63. regrets that the number of women holding posts at the level of director-general remained stable at 2 in absolute numbers , far below the target , during the period 2017 to 2018; notes with satisfaction that the number of women at director level reached 34% at the end of 2018 and 37% in the course of 2019 and at heads of unit level increased to 38% at the end of 2018 and 39% at the end of 2019; recognises the need for a step by step approach , but underlines that the situation will only be satisfactory once the gender balance at management level reflects the gender balance of the eligible population for those posts;