Resolution on the accounts of the ECSC at 31 December 1997 and on the report of the Court of Auditors on the ECSC, together with the Commission's replies
Date: 1999-05-04
Institutions: Committee on Budgetary Control, European Parliament
Subjects: Community budget, ECSC, Middle East

C 279/138

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

1.10.1999

Tuesday 4 May 1999

OUTTURN

Implementation of the ECSC operating budget

(all figures in ecus)

31.12.1997

31.12.1996

EXPENDITURE
Administrative expenditure
Legal commitments
Financing of future operational budgets

Total

REVENUE
Levy
Fines
Interest subsidies
Miscellaneous
Cancellation of legal commitments
Surplus from previous budget
Net balance for the year

Total

BUDGET OUTTURN

5 000 000
180 869 553
274 000 000

459 869 553

101 640 567
0
4 168 145
0
195 235 395
49 131 189
109 694 257

459 869 553

0

5 000 000
201 176 900
0

206 176 900

95 872 589
0
4 336 252
9 397
89 966 808
14 623 043
50 500 000

255 308 089

49 131 189

RESULT FOR FINANCIAL YEAR

(all figures in ecus)

31.12.1997

31.12.1996

Result from non-budgetary operations after deducting the
net balance allocated to the operating budget
Outturn of the budget

Total

Allocation to provision for operating budget
Allocation to the Guarantee Fund

RESULT BEFORE ALLOCATION

33 476 493
0

33 576 493

0
–31 256 356

2 320 137

45 110 521
49 131 189

94 241 710

–73 131 189
–19 000 000

2 110 521

II.

Resolution on the financial statements of the European Coal and Steel Community at 31 December
1997  and  on  the  1997  annual  report  of  the  Court  of  Auditors  on  the  ECSC,  together  with  the
Commission’s replies

The European Parliament,

−  having  regard  to  the  ECSC  financial  statements  for  the  1997  financial  year,  submitted  by  the
Commission (1),  and  in  particular  the  balance  sheet  and  profit  and  loss  accounts  of  the  ECSC  at
31 December 1997,

−  having  regard  to  the  report  of  the  Court  of  Auditors  on  the  financial  statements  of  the  ECSC  at
31 December 1997 (2) and the 1997 annual report of the Court of Auditors on the ECSC, together with
the Commission’s replies (C4-0055/99) (3),

−  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A4-0132/99),

(1)  OJ C 255, 13.8.1998, p. 3.
(2)  OJ C 255, 13.8.1998, p. 28.
(3)  OJ C 352, 18.11.1998, p. 1.

1.10.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 279/139

Tuesday 4 May 1999

A.  whereas the Court of Auditors concludes that the financial statements of the ECSC at 31 December
1997 give an accurate picture of the assets, of the financial situation and of the results of its operations
for the financial year ending on the same date,

B.  whereas the Court of Auditors states that the legality and regularity of the transactions, on the whole,

are adequately guaranteed and proposes a positive statement of assurance,

C.  whereas in the run up to the expiry of the Treaty of Paris in the year 2002 as the activities of the ECSC
are steadily being wound down, its solvency ratio reached 28,3 % at the end of 1997, a step closer to
its stated target of 100% in 2002, partly due to an increase in the Guarantee Fund and a decrease in the
volume of outstanding loans,

D.  whereas preparations are under way to ensure that upon expiry of the Treaty in 2002, the revenue from
outstanding reserves will be used for a research fund for sectors related to the coal and steel industries,

1.
Notes the comments of the Court of Auditors and the reply of the Commission and is pleased that the
report of the former contains no criticism and that a positive statement of assurance has been proposed;

2.
Observes that as the ECSC approaches its 50 year milestone of 2002, the Commission continues to
manage it in a financially prudent manner, retains experienced staff and devotes adequate resources to
ensure that quality control is maintained until the end;

3.
Notes the statement of the Court of Auditors that the solvency ratio of the ECSC should be monitored
up to and beyond the expiry date of the Treaty of Paris, thereby ensuring that remaining borrowings can be
serviced;

4.
Understands  that  the  strategy  for  disposing  of  ECSC  buildings  around  the  world  is  being
implemented, with the completion of the transfer of the Washington building in 1997 and calls for the
transfer of buildings in Canberra, Lisbon, Windhoek and Milan to be concluded shortly;

5.
Considers  that  issues  which  were  of  concern  in  past  years  such  as  lending  to  Eurotunnel,  ECSC
finance to the Danish ‘Great Belt’, compliance with conditions laid down for interest-rate subsidies aimed
at  job  creation  and  the  effectiveness  of  reporting  and  monitoring  arrangements  connected  with  global
loans, have been addressed in the interim period.

(f)  A4-0163/99

I.

Decision  giving  discharge  to  the  Administrative  Board  of  the  European  Foundation  for  the
Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in respect of the implementation of its budget for
the 1997 financial year

The European Parliament,

−  having regard to the EC Treaty and in particular Article 206 thereof,

−  having regard to the report of the Court of Auditors on the financial statements and management of the
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin Foundation)
for the financial year 1997, and the Foundation’s reply thereto (C4-0054/99) (1),

−  having regard to the Council Recommendation of 11 February 1999 (5913/99 − C4-0149/99),

−  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A4-0163/99),

A.  whereas  the  Court  of  Auditors  finds  that  the  financial  statements  for  the  financial  year  ended  31
December 1997 are reliable and the underlying transactions are, as a whole, legal and regular,

(1)  OJ C 406, 28.12.1998, p. 12.