DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT of 27 October 1993 giving discharge to the Commission in respect of the management of the European Coal and Steel Community for the 1991 financial year (93/624/ECSC)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

- having regard to the following amounts contained in the accounts of the European Coal and Steel Community as at 31 December 1991 (1), the report of the Court of Auditors of 25 June 1992 (2), confirming that the accounts present a true picture of the financial situation of the European Coal and Steel Community at 31 December 1991, and the results of the ECSC operations in the financial year ending on the same date,

1. gives the Commission discharge in respect of the management of the ECSC for the financial year (attaching, by way of information, the figures relating to the implementation of the administrative budget for the 1991 financial year);

2. instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution containing its comments to the Commission, the Council, the Court of Auditors and the ECSC Consultative Committee and to have them published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (L series).

Done at Strasbourg, 27 October 1993.

The Secretary-General The President

Enrico VINCI Dr Egon KLEPSCH

(1) The relevant tables are included after this decision.

(2) OJ No C 215, 21. 8. 1992, p. 28.

Balance sheets at 31 December 1991 and 31 December 1990

"(amounts expressed in ecus)""" ID="2">1 081 028> ID="4">2 455 381"> ID="1">34 036 866> ID="3">36 330 473"> ID="1">803 286 645> ID="3">968 451 679"> ID="1">3 239 875 489> ID="3">2 694 352 165"> ID="2">4 077 199 000> ID="4">3 699 134 317"> ID="1">4 276 210 661> ID="3">4 212 720 400"> ID="1">13 845 058> ID="3">1 818 180"> ID="1">1 754 070> ID="3">1 702 087"> ID="2">4 291 809 789> ID="4">4 216 240 667"> ID="1">1 069 105 622> ID="3">1 007 034 384"> ID="1">244 402 965> ID="3">237 273 716"> ID="2">1 313 508 587> ID="4">1 244 308 100"> ID="2">6 021 801> ID="4">5 991 681"> ID="2">10 722 601> ID="4">6 660 664"> ID="2">335 432 183> ID="4">294 513 076"> ID="2">10 035 774 989> ID="4">9 469 303 886 ">

""" ID="1">0> ID="3">1 946 183"> ID="1">85 978 663> ID="3">90 177 871"> ID="1">2 936 886 431> ID="3">3 210 329 694"> ID="2">3 022 865 094> ID="4">3 302 453 748"> ID="2">4 202 296 133> ID="4">3 462 281 500"> ID="2">107 922 528> ID="4">145 747 865"> ID="2">284 484 893> ID="4">257 939 731"> ID="2">7 084 687> ID="4">5 437 682"> ID="2">1 288 934 244> ID="4">1 176 182 496"> ID="2">8 913 587 579> ID="4">8 350 043 022"> ID="2">385 058 170> ID="4">383 939 347"> ID="1">482 885 000> ID="3">482 885 000"> ID="1">188 980 000> ID="3">188 980 000"> ID="1">56 150 435> ID="3">54 887 556"> ID="2">728 015 435> ID="4">726 752 556"> ID="2">7 773 845> ID="4">7 139 997"> ID="2">166 085> ID="4">485 186"> ID="2">1 173 875> ID="4">943 778"> ID="2">1 122 187 410> ID="4">1 119 260 864"> ID="2">10 035 774 989> ID="4">9 469 303 886">

Profit-and-loss accounts for the years ending 31 December 1991 and 31 December 1990

"(amounts expressed in ecus)""" ID="1">853 945 655> ID="3">706 897 548"> ID="1">16 185 304> ID="3">14 853 731"> ID="2">870 130 959> ID="4">721 751 279"> ID="2">2 419 396> ID="4">2 817 495"> ID="1">0> ID="3">81 272"> ID="1">3 163 224> ID="3">4 236 067"> ID="1">0> ID="3">0"> ID="2">3 163 224> ID="4">4 317 339"> ID="1">5 000 000> ID="3">5 000 000"> ID="1">895 511> ID="3">9 007 495"> ID="1">751 705> ID="3">601 021"> ID="1">1 000 069> ID="3">2 742 950"> ID="1">1 946 642> ID="3">730 885"> ID="2">9 593 927> ID="4">18 082 351"> ID="2">885 307 506> ID="4">746 968 464"> ID="2">444 491> ID="4">32 272"> ID="2">0> ID="4">5 659 172"> ID="2">633 848"> ID="2">454 375 588> ID="4">445 277 280"> ID="2">313 304 101> ID="4">311 851 569"> ID="2">1 654 065 534> ID="4">1 509 788 757"> ID="2">1 173 875> ID="4">943 778"> ID="2">1 655 239 409> ID="4">1 510 732 535 ">

""" ID="1">1 081 577 404> ID="3">927 491 072"> ID="1">12 670 676> ID="3">10 944 940"> ID="2">1 094 248 080> ID="4">938 436 012"> ID="1">23 286> ID="3">0"> ID="1">8 931 669> ID="3">0"> ID="1">20 110 244> ID="3">2 770 868"> ID="2">29 065 199> ID="4">2 770 868"> ID="1">10 676 489> ID="3">10 772 378"> ID="1">324 254> ID="3">0"> ID="2">11 000 743> ID="4">10 772 378"> ID="2">720 849> ID="4">1 785 786"> ID="2">0> ID="4">9 640 148"> ID="2">1 135 034 871> ID="4">963 405 192"> ID="2">633 848> ID="4">0"> ID="2">0> ID="4">5 659 172"> ID="2">207 401 206> ID="4">291 280 321"> ID="2">311 851 569> ID="4">250 387 850"> ID="2">317 915"> ID="2">1 655 239 409> ID="4">1 510 732 535">

Implementation of the ECSC Operating Budget

"(in ecus)""" ID="1">5 000 000> ID="2">5 000 000"> ID="1">435 375 588> ID="2">445 277 280"> ID="1">73 086> ID="2">39 322"> ID="1">459 448 674> ID="2">450 316 602"> ID="1">175 054 804> ID="2">178 494 591"> ID="1">-> ID="2">6 893 489"> ID="1">18 348> ID="2">92 813"> ID="1">32 311 852> ID="2">105 795 816"> ID="1">16 202> ID="2">3 612"> ID="1">91 351 569> ID="2">44 387 850"> ID="1">220 500 000> ID="2">206 000 000"> ID="1">519 252 775> ID="2">541 668 171"> ID="1">59 804 101> ID="2">91 351 569">

"(in ecus)""" ID="1">254 673 875> ID="2">221 443 778"> ID="1">59 804 101> ID="2">91 351 569"> ID="1">314 477 976> ID="2">312 795 347"> ID="1">59 804 101> ID="2">91 351 569"> ID="1">253 500 000> ID="2">220 500 000"> ID="1">1 173 875> ID="2">943 778">

RESOLUTION on the report of the Court of Auditors on the accounts of the European Coal and Steel Community at 31 December 1991, and on the report (annexed to the annual ECSC report for the 1991 financial year) of the Court of Auditors on the management of the accounts and the financial management of the ECSC

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

- having regard to the ECSC financial report for the 1991 financial year (1), submitted by the Commission, and in particular the balance sheet and profit and loss accounts of the ECSC at 31 December 1991,

- having regard to the report of the Court of Auditors on the accounts of the ECSC at 31 December 1991 (2) and the Annex containing the report on the management of the accounts and the financial management of the European Coal and Steel Community (C3-0130/93),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A3-0258/93),

A. whereas the Court of Auditors has found that the financial statements of the ECSC at 31 December 1991 give a true and fair view of the results of its operations for the year then ended,

B. whereas the coal and steel sectors in the Community are once more undergoing a period of severe crisis, emphasising the importance of the role the ECSC has to play,

C. whereas the ECSC Treaty is due to expire in 2002, and suitable provision must urgently and definitively be made for the continuation, in some form, of the activities undertaken under its auspices thereafter,

D. whereas, until such time as a definitive contrary decision is reached, the ECSC Treaty continues to be fully in effect,

E. whereas, following Parliament's decision of 22 April 1993 to postpone the granting of discharge for the management of the ECSC budget in 1991 (3), the Commission has provided Parliament with additional information which allows discharge to be granted subject to the following resolution:

Financial statements

1. Notes that the ratios calculated by the Commission for the reserves and the ratios calculated by the Court of Auditors for the Guarantee Fund and own resources have fallen slightly; notes however that they remain at the upper end of the recommended ranges and that therefore the balance sheet of the ECSC may be considered sound;

2. Welcomes the increase in lending activity in 1991, and notes that the ECSC's balance sheet ratios remain such that further increases in total lending can take place without jeopardizing its creditworthiness;

3. Calls on the Commission to examine its use of the global loan instrument, and in particular the role of the financial intermediaries, with a view to eliminating the inequalities it produces in the treatment of actual and potential ECSC borrowers in different parts of the Community;

ECSC administrative expenditure

4. Calls upon the Commission to produce a formal estimate, to be annexed to the ECSC operating budget, of the true costs of the administration of the ECSC; notes that, at present, the EEC general budget subsidizes the ECSC budget to a significant extent;

Security of lendings

5. Notes that the ECSC had a good record in terms of recovery of its lendings; welcomes the generally prudent approach of the Commission to the security taken to cover its loans;

6. Urges the Commission to take all possible steps to ensure that, in the case of privatization or any other change of ownership of a borrower, the security held to cover loans remains substantially undiminished; stresses that the Commission must not allow political pressure to undermine its prudent stance;

7. Finds, following examination of information received subsequent to postponement of discharge, that the loans classified 'at risk' as at 31 December 1991 by the Commission do not constitute a significant danger to the strength of the ECSC balance sheet, and that the Commission's management of such loans can be considered satisfactory; believes however that the ongoing economic difficulties of the coal and steel sectors have increased the potential risk to the balance sheet of the ECSC and that it is more than ever of paramount importance that the Commission take a firm line in holding guarantors of loans to their obligations;

8. Emphasises, given the financial difficulties which may be experienced by some ECSC debtors in the current economic climate, that decisions of an essentially political nature affecting Community finances must be made by a democratically accountable body; reaffirms therefore that any decision not corresponding to strict banking criteria must be referred to the budgetary authority;

Property policy

9. Considers that the Commission breached Community rules in spending the profit from the sale of the property at 61, rue des Belles Feuilles in Paris, without reference to the budgetary authority; reminds the Commission that a share of this amount belonged to the EEC taxpayer, who was thus bypassed;

10. Questions the Commission's accounting practices, according to which none of the amounts spent or assets acquired in Paris formally appear in the ECSC balance sheet, other than as a nominal entry of ECU 1;

11. Expresses the view that the Commission's handling of the property transactions in Paris did not represent sound financial management; believes that the property purchases made did not represent the best or most appropriate investment of the money available;

12. Regrets the lack of political acumen displayed by the Commission in its property investment policy in Paris; seeks formal assurances that such episodes will not recur;

13. Emphasises that the Commission has undertaken not to carry out further property transactions without first obtaining the assent of the budgetary authority, and that the Commission's internal procedures for such transactions have also been improved;

Bagnoli

14. Calls on the Commission to recover all interest rate subsidies wrongly paid over to the Bagnoli project, and to monitor carefully the repayment of outstanding loans, and to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control of the results;

General

15. Calls on the Commission to exercise its full rights and powers under the ECSC Treaty, which remains for the time being fully in force, to take a lead role in the restructuring of the European coal and steel sectors, and to ensure that national policies do not result in distortion of fair competition between enterprises in different Member States;

16. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Court of Auditors and the ECSC Consultative Committee.

(1) OJ No C 215, 21. 8. 1992, p. 3.

(2) OJ No C 215, 21. 8. 1992, p. 28.

(3) OJ No C 150, 31. 5. 1993, p. 275.