B4-0818/97

Resolution on the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 1997

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolutions of

. 28 March 1996 on the guidelines for the 1997 budget procedure - Section III - Commission ((OJ C 117, 22.4.1996, p. 64.)),

. 24 October 1996 on the draft general budget of the European Communities for the financial year 1997 - Section III - Commission ((OJ C 347, 18.11.1996, p. 125.)),

. 12 December 1996 on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 1997 - Section III - Commission - as modified by the Council ((OJ C 20, 20.1.1997, p. 101.)),

A. having regard to the information given in the report on implementation of the budget of the European Union as at 31 May 1997 (SEC(97)1296) and to the implementation figures for all budget lines as at 31 August 1997,

B. having regard to the Commission statement in response to the questionnaire from Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control on implementation of the European Union budget for the financial year 1997,

1. Notes the progress recorded as regards overall implementation of the current budget, which is in line with the trend observed in the last two financial years;

2. Deplores the fact that milk quotas allotted to certain Member States have been exceeded - a process which is continuing in spite of the levy imposed on the producers concerned; calls on the Commission to submit proposals for restructuring the sector;

3. Notes that the likely underutilization of agricultural appropriations in 1997 has its origins inter alia in certain sectors (milk, sugar) which contributed to the availability of those appropriations in 1996 too; notes that this is true in particular of arable crops, in respect of which appropriations have been underutilized, in this and the last financial year, for the same reasons (world prices holding up well and less buying-in); repeats its call on the Commission to improve the quality of budgetary forecasts for heading 1; welcomes, in this connection, the procedure used for the financial year 1998 whereby the Commission is submitting a letter of amendment to the budgetary authority in order to base heading 1 appropriations on estimates which are as up to date as possible;

4. Notes the continuing improvement in overall take-up of appropriations within the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund in terms of both commitment appropriations and, in particular, payments;

5. Notes with concern the zero rate of utilization for commitment appropriations for all Objective 6 items (B2-1004, B2-1102, B2-1203 and B2-1305); calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to look into the reasons for this situation, which also arose in 1996, and to ensure that these appropriations can be taken up;

6. Regrets the slow-down in implementation of certain Community initiatives in terms of both commitment appropriations and payment appropriations (LEADER II, RESIDER II, RETEX and, in particular, REGIS II); invites the Commission to take all necessary measures to optimize take-up of these appropriations;

7. Notes the progressive reduction in outstanding commitments entered into during the previous Structural Fund planning period; attaches importance to ensuring that the similar trend concerning outstanding commitments for the period 1994-1999, which has emerged in 1997, can be maintained;

8. Points out that, when the 1997 budget was adopted, emphasis was placed inter alia on the development of the trans-European networks (transport, energy and telecommunications); notes in this respect Commission assertions concerning full implementation of the appropriations by the end of 1997;

9. Restates its criticism of the very belated utilization of the commitment appropriations for Item B2-5100 (Disease eradication and monitoring programmes); notes the observations by the Commission, in the revenue and expenditure account and balance sheet for 1996, on the conditions for implementation of those appropriations; calls on it to step up its evaluation and control efforts;

10. Attaches great importance to full utilization of appropriations earmarked for Item B2-1600, aimed at monitoring the sustainable use of the Structural Funds, in accordance with the relevant remarks in the budget; reminds the Commission of its obligation to present a consolidated report about the use of these appropriations in time for the 1997 discharge procedure;

11. Regrets the very low and even zero rate of implementation against a series of items created in the 1997 budget (B3-4013, Third system and employment; B3-4109, Measures for combating violence against children, adolescents and women; and B3-4307, Measures to improve the quality of life of persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease); calls on the Commission to speed up utilization of the appropriations in question;

12. Deplores the virtually permanent underutilization of the financial resources allocated for the vineyard registry operation under Article B2- 511, Inspection in agriculture; calls on the Commission to ensure, in cooperation with the Member States concerned, that these appropriations are utilized to achieve the objective laid down;

13. Regrets the underutilization of appropriations for the PHARE programme and in heading B7-502, Transfrontier cooperation in the field of structural operations, which are particularly significant at a time when the financial implications of Union enlargement are under discussion;

14. Notes the projected availability of ECU 150 m in commitment appropriations for the PHARE programme for the end of the current financial year, and the Commission's undertaking to take corresponding compensation measures in 1999; calls on the Commission to make sure, in cooperation with the recipient countries, that implementation of the new policy approaches adopted in March 1997 can enable new projects to be set in train as soon as possible;

15. Regrets the underutilization, projected for 1997, of commitment appropriations for the TACIS programme, which represents a setback since 1996; views the Commission's cursory explanations in this connection as inadequate, in particular in the light of the measures introduced in 1996 to enhance the programme's efficiency, such as the new evaluation unit; calls for optimum utilization of the relevant appropriations, with regard in particular to the area of nuclear safety, in cooperation with the international community;

16. Is concerned at:

(a) the very low rate of utilization, as at the end of August 1997, of the payment appropriations allocated to Articles:

. B7-541: Measures for the reconstruction of the Republics formerly part of Yugoslavia (6.14%)

. B7-545: Europe for Sarajevo (4.15%)

(b) the non-utilization of appropriations allocated to Article B7-543: Measures for the rehabilitation of the Republics formerly part of Yugoslavia (0%);

notes the Commission's intention to give priority to reconstruction measures rather than rehabilitation measures; believes that there must be an increase in the staff assigned to management of these appropriations; calls on the Commission, taking account of the local political situation, to ensure optimum utilization of the relevant financial resources, including the ECU 14 m in payment appropriations for the reconstruction of Sarajevo which were carried forward to 1997;

17. Welcomes the high rate of implementation of the MEDA programme commitment appropriations and expects the current negotiations on funding agreements under the MEDA programme (Article B7-410) to result in a narrowing of the sizeable disparity between commitments entered into and payments made;

18. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.