2000/547/EC, ECSC, Euratom: Decision of the European Parliament of 6 July 2000 closing the accounts relating to the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the 1998 financial year
Date: 2000-07-06
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: European Union, closing of accounts, financial year, implementation of the budget

16.9.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 234/33

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

of 6 July 2000

closing the accounts relating to the implementation of the general budget of the European Union
for the 1998 financial year

(2000/547/EC, ECSC, Euratom)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

Having regard to the budget of the European Union for the 1998 financial year,

Having regard to the consolidated revenue and expenditure account and balance sheet for the 1998
financial year (1),

Having regard to the annual report concerning the 1998 financial year (C5-0266/1999) (2) and the special
reports of the Court of Auditors and the Institutions' replies,

Having regard to the Statement of Assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and
regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors pursuant to Article 248 of the
EC Treaty (C5-0266/1999) (3),

Having regard to the Council recommendation of 13 March 2000 (C5-0154/2000),

Having regard to its resolution of 13 April 2000 on the postponement of discharge to the Commission in
respect of implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the 1998 financial year,

Having regard to the ECSC Treaty and in particular Article 78g thereof,

Having regard to the EC Treaty and in particular Article 276 thereof,

Having regard to the EAEC Treaty and in particular Article 180b thereof,

Having regard to Rule 93 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

Having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A5-0190/2000),

Whereas:

pursuant to Article 275 of the EC Treaty responsibility for drawing up the revenue and expenditure account
lies with the Commission,

1. Notes that the estimated revenue for the 1998 financial year and the resources finally approved for

payments amounted to:

(a) Revenue

(b) Appropriations for payments

2. Notes the following amounts relating to commitments:

(a) Appropriations available

(b) Commitments entered into

(1) OJ C 350, 3.12.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 349, 3.12.1999.
(3) OJ C 349, 3.12.1999, pp. 168 and 169.

(ECU million)

83 652,2

83 833,7

(ECU million)

91 257,2

88 340,1

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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3. Notes the following consolidated revenue and expenditure account for the 1998 financial year drawn up

by the Commission:

(a) Revenue

(b) Expenditure

Outturn for the financial year

Appropriations carried over from previous year which lapsed

Exchange differences

(c) Balance for the 1998 financial year

This balance reflects the accounting situation only and does not include expendi-
ture actually incurred during the financial year.

4. Notes the following consolidated balance sheet drawn up by the Commission:

ASSETS

(ECU million)

84 529,688

81 637,410

2 892,278

139,888

– 9,069

3 023,097

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

Initial costs

Intangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets

Investments

Long-term assets

Stocks

VII.

Short-term assets

VIII. Cash investments

IX.

X.

Disposable assets

Transitional accounts

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

Own capital

Provisions for risks and liabilities

Long-term liabilities

Short-term liabilities

Transitional accounts

31 December 1998

(ECU)

0,00

5 845 764,72

3 310 191 517,32

1 759 379 676,18

5 220 957 624,15

115 403 333,57

3 398 243 672,09

28 133 056,11

10 369 743 197,83

297 899 722,12

Total

24 505 797 564,09

LIABILITIES

(ECU)

31 December 1998

9 739 965 069,34

1 281 955 805,29

5 445 277 097,45

7 588 124 501,33

450 475 090,68

Total

24 505 797 564,09

5. Recalls that, according to the statements made by the Court of Auditors in the context of

its
abovementioned Statement of Assurance, the figures presented in the consolidated revenue and expendi-
ture account are marred by a number of errors and weaknesses:

(a) the understatement of fixed assets, essentially buildings, by around ECU 540 million;

(b) a net overstatement of debtors in the region of ECU 1 000 million principally resulting from the
overstatement of sums likely to be recovered for unpaid customs duties and agricultural levies;

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(c) an understatement of cash and debtors amounting to at least ECU 600 million because some
amounts held on bank accounts, or paid as advances to third parties which act as agents for the
Commission, have been omitted from the balance sheet;

(d) the inaccurate and inadequate presentation of information on advances and payments on account at

31 December 1998;

(e) the overstatement of commitments still to be settled by some ECU 660 million;

(f) the omission of certain commitments (ECU 352,7 million) and potential liabilities (at least ECU

2 794 million);

6. Approves the closure of the accounts for the implementation of the general budget for the financial year

1998.

7. Instructs its President to forward this Decision to the Commission, the Council, the Court of Justice, the
Court of Auditors and the European Investment Bank and to have it published in the Official Journal of
the European Communities (L series).

The Secretary-General

Julian PRIESTLEY

The President

Nicole FONTAINE