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(2004/C 88 E/0655)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3221/03

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 October 2003)

Subject:   Financial Regulations and DG Development and Humanitarian Aid

Under the new Commission Financial Regulations there is a time limit on payments of 45 days ‘from the date when an admissible payment request is registered’.

Could the Commission give details of when this requirement has not been met by DG Development and Humanitarian Aid? Has any audit been carried out in this DG since the new Financial Regulations came into force on 1 January 2003? If so, would the Commission give details of the reports with regard to the time scale of payments made? What are the procedures in place in DG Development and Humanitarian Aid to ensure that payments are made within the limit of 45 days?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2004)

Currently, the rules on payment deadlines are laid down in Article 106 of the Implementing Rules of the Financial Regulation (1). The general rule is 45 days from the date on which an admissible payment request is registered; or 30 days for payments relating to service or supply contracts, except where the contract provides otherwise.

In accordance with Article 106 (4) of the Implementing Rules, a decision to suspend the deadline for payment can be taken when the supporting documents which are produced do not justify the payment request or when the Commission has doubts about the eligibility of the payment request. In those situations, the payment period will begin to run again when a properly formulated payment request is registered. The Commission believes that this provision is essential to ensure that ineligible payments are avoided and to guarantee sound financial management.

Directorate General (DG) Development (DEV) makes every effort to process payments, following the rules established in the new Financial Regulation, within the shortest possible time period. Guidelines, establishing a timetable of maximum delays at each level of the internal financial circuit, have been sent to all operational units concerning the respect of payment delays. A financial indicator for payments, taking data from the Commission accounting system, has been used to monitor payment delays. The average payment delay for DG DEV (delay between the date of registry of the invoice and the bank value date) for the year 2003 is 44 days for the A budget lines (administrative expenditure) and 22 days for the Β budget lines (operational expenditure). Taking into account both types of budget lines, the average payment delay for DG DEV for the year 2003 is 32,13 days. Payments made by DG Administration and Personnel (ADMIN) for two A lines (missions; meetings with experts) are not included.

The only report produced by DG DEV concerning the time scale of payments made in 2003 is the ‘Reporting on financial indicators’ produced for Management information purposes. The report on financial indicators provides an important feedback on financial performance to Management, to the Authorising Officers by Sub-Delegation (AOSDs) and to the Financial Cell of the DG.

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(1)  Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities, OJ L 357, 31.12.2002.

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