Resolution of the European Parliament containing the comments accompanying the decision concerning discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) for the financial year 2001
Date: 2003-04-08
Institutions: Committee on Budgetary Control, European Parliament
Subjects: ECSC, board of directors, budgetary discharge, financial year, implementation of the budget

16.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 148/103

RESOLUTION

of the European Parliament containing the comments accompanying the decision concerning
discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC) for the financial year 2001

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

— having regard to Articles 78g and 97 of the ECSC Treaty,

— having regard to the Protocol on the financial consequences of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty and
on the Research Fund for coal and steel (1) annexed to the Treaty establishing the European
Community approved in Nice on 26 February 2001,

— having regard to Article 89(7) of the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977 (2) and to Article
147(1) of
to which the Community
institutions are to take all appropriate steps to act on the observations accompanying the discharge
decision,

the Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002 (3), pursuant

— having regard to the ECSC Financial Report

for Economic and Financial Affairs

for the 2001 financial year, published by the
(Financial Operations

Commission's Directorate-General
Service) (4),

— having regard to the report by the European Court of Auditors on the financial statements of the

European Coal and Steel Community as at 31 December 2001 (5),

— having regard to the Court of Auditors' Annual Report and Statement of Assurance concerning the
ECSC for the financial year 2001, together with the Commission's replies (C5-0556/2002) (6),

— having regard to the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission
concerning post-ECSC arrangements adopted on 21 November 2001 in the context of
the
‘trialogue' budgetary procedure (Council of the European Union) (7),

— having regard to the Council Recommendation of 7 March 2003 (C5-0087/2003),

— having regard to the resolutions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of
the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 20 July 1998 and 21 June 1999 (8) concerning
the expiry of the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community,

— having regard to the Decision taken by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member
States, meeting within the Council, of 27 February 2002 on the financial consequences of the
expiry of the ECSC Treaty and on the research fund for coal and steel (9) in order to govern the
administration of the ‘ECSC in liquidation' pending the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice, and
having regard to the statements made in connection therewith by the Commission and the
Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council (10),

— having regard to the Council Decision of 1 February 2003 (11) establishing the measures necessary
for
the Protocol, annexed to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, on the financial consequences of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty and on the Research
Fund for Coal and Steel,

the implementation of

(1) OJ C 80, 10.3.2001, p. 67
(2) OJ L 356, 31.12.1977, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
(4) ISBN 92-894-3735-9.
(5) OJ C 158, 3.7.2002, p. 2.
(6) OJ C 302, 5.12.2002.
(7) SN 4609/01 Rev 1.
(8) OJ C 247, 7.8.1998, p. 5 and OJ C 190, 7.7.1999, p. 1.
(9) OJ L 79, 22.3.2002, p. 42.
(10) OJ L 79, 22.3.2002, p. 60.
(11) OJ L 29, 5.2.2003, p. 22.

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Official Journal of the European Union

16.6.2003

— having regard to the Council Decision of 1 February 2003 (1) laying down multiannual financial
guidelines for managing the assets of the ECSC in liquidation and, on completion of the liquidation,
of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel,

— having regard to the Council Decision of 1 February 2003 (2)

laying down the multiannual

technical guidelines for the research programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel,

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council,

the European
the Economic and Social Committee and the
Parliament,
Committee of the Regions entitled ‘Expiry of the ECSC Treaty – Financial activities after 2002'
(COM(2000)518),

the ECSC Consultative Committee,

— having regard to the follow-up report of 3 February 2003 presented by the Commission in relation
to the Parliament's decision concerning discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of
the ECSC for the 2000 financial year,

— having regard to Rules 93 and 93a of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A5-0068/2003),

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

H.

whereas, in the light of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty, the ECSC has not granted any new loans
(from borrowed funds) since 1997, and whereas, as in the previous year, it did not engage in any
borrowing activity in 2001, although, as at 31 December 2001, loans outstanding amounted to
EUR 1 150 million from borrowed funds and EUR 117 million from own funds,

whereas, in 2001, the ECSC continued to finance research and redeployment of workers with an
additional EUR 77 million for the first and EUR 80 million for the second of these purposes from
its operating budget and with a further commitment of EUR 27 million for the Rechar programme
of social measures in the coal industry,

whereas, since 1 January 1998, the ECSC levy on coal and steel products, which had, until then,
been one of the main resources of the ECSC budget, has been set by the Commission at 0 %,

whereas the ECSC's main sources of funding are now represented by the net balance from the
management of the various reserves and the cancellation of commitments which have not been
implemented,

whereas the ECSC balance sheet, which has been in decline since 1997, shows a fall in 2001 of
EUR 684 million compared with 2000, with loans to credit
institutions and to customers
representing 48,2 % of total assets,

whereas net losses on financial operations fell from EUR 24 million to EUR 12 million, and
whereas interest received fell from EUR 249 million to EUR 215 million and net profit on financial
transactions from EUR 26 million to EUR 19 million, with income relating to the ECSC operating
budget also falling from EUR 75 million to EUR 65 million,

whereas it was possible, as at 23 July 2002, to cover in full from reserves loans still outstanding
which are not covered by guarantees from a Member State, and whereas the amount of those loans
was calculated at EUR 580 million as at 31 December 2001 and was covered in full by the
Guarantee Fund,

whereas, as at 23 July 2002, the liquid assets administered by the ECSC stood at EUR 1,6 billion
and the various reserves at EUR 945 million,

(1) OJ L 29, 5.2.2003, p. 25.
(2) OJ L 29, 5.2.2003, p. 28.

16.6.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 148/105

I.

J.

K.

L.

M.

N.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

the resolution of

the European Council on growth and employment adopted in
whereas
Amsterdam on 16 and 17 June 1997 and the above-mentioned resolution of the European Council
of 21 June 1999 call for the revenues of outstanding reserves to be used for a research fund for
activities related to the coal and steel industries,

whereas the sum remaining after deduction of repayment of outstanding debt should be deemed to
be ‘own resources' in terms of the EU budget which should yield annual interest amounting to
approximately EUR 60 million, to be allocated to research related to the coal and steel industries
(outside the Framework programme for research),

whereas the expiry of the ECSC Treaty on 23 July 2002 entailed the complete disappearance of the
ECSC's legal regime and procedures and the dissolution of the Consultative Committee set up by
that Treaty,

whereas the annual report on the ECSC for the financial year 2001 was adopted by the Court of
Auditors on 6 June 2002,

whereas the Court of Auditors concludes that the financial statements give a true and fair view of
the assets and financial situation of the European Coal and Steel Community as at 31 December
2001 and of the results of its operations for the financial year ending on the same date,

whereas the Court of Auditors notes that, on the whole,
the
transactions are adequately guaranteed and therefore proposes giving a positive Statement of
Assurance.

the legality and regularity of

Welcomes the progress made in connection with the cessation of the activities of the ECSC and, in
particular, the above-mentioned Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member
States, meeting within the Council, of 27 February 2002 on the financial consequences of the
expiry of the ECSC Treaty and on the research fund for coal and steel, which created the requisite
legal basis for the ‘ECSC in liquidation' pending the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice on 1
February 2003;

Urges the Commission to publish, by the end of 2003 and in all the official languages, an overview
of the work undertaken by the ECSC since it was established;

Urges the Commission, further, to carry out, by the end of 2003, an overall assessment of research
originally funded by the ECSC, in particular an assessment of the coal research programme and of
the criteria proposed for the selection of new coal research projects, as has already been done for
the steel sector; regards such assessments as an important basis for the work of the proposed new
Research Fund for Coal and Steel;

Notes that all of the loans outstanding after 23 July 2002 which are not covered by guarantees
from a Member State will be covered in full by the ECSC reserves and acknowledges the strategy
adopted by the Commission of prudent financial management of the ECSC up to the expiry of the
Treaty; notes that the same considerations must apply to the ‘ECSC in liquidation';

Notes the progress in reducing administrative costs reported in the document entitled ‘Expiry of the
ECSC Treaty: Impact on the Administrative Costs at the Commission' (submitted to the Committee
on Budgetary Control by Commissioner Schreyer on 8 March 2001); calls, however,
for this
information and the estimates to be updated and calls on the Commission to inform Parliament at
regular intervals of the outcome of its Annual Policy Strategy with regard to redeployment of staff
members involved in administering the activities of the ECSC and/or of the ‘ECSC in liquidation';

Welcomes the progress made in transferring to the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) the
experience acquired in the context of the ECSC and, in particular, the fact that the Economic and
Social Committee's new Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCIC), which consists of

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Official Journal of the European Union

16.6.2003

7.

8.

9.

members of the ESC and of delegates from the professional organisations representing the coal and
steel sector and related sectors, was established on 24 October 2002 and that it held its inaugural
meeting on 28 November 2002; invites the CCIC to publish the findings of its deliberations on a
regular basis in all the official languages;

Welcomes the successful conclusion of the negotiations with the applicant countries concerning
conditions for their participation in the new Research Fund for Coal and Steel, whereby the
payment of their contributions, which will be determined in accordance with the size of their
mineral resources, will be staggered to take account of their respective economic situations, and
calls on the Commission to give it regular progress reports on the implementation of the decisions
taken as a result of those negotiations;

Calls on the Commission to review all outstanding commitments systematically before the end of
2003 and to cancel any amounts in respect of which it is unlikely that there will be any movement
in the future;

Calls on the Commission to explain forthwith why it has not yet improved the accounts relating to
loans to officials, with particular reference to the presentation of the missing reports promised for
the end of 2001 in its replies to point 22 of the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors
concerning the ECSC for the financial year 2000 (1) and promised afresh, in its answers to points
14 and 15 of the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors concerning the ECSC for the financial
year 2001, for the autumn of 2002;

10. Welcomes the introduction by the Commission of a performance measurement system with a view
to securing comparative data on yields and expects these to be published in future financial reports
relating to the ECSC and to the ‘ECSC in liquidation';

11.

12.

Urges the Commission once again to ensure maximum transparency when disclosing data affecting
the value of the ECSC's assets;

Stresses that it will continue to monitor the effective use of taxpayers' money, especially for the
purpose of research in the areas of coal and steel, even after the liquidation of the ECSC.

(1) OJ C 366, 20.12.2001, p. 1.

16.6.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 148/107

ANNEX

ECSC BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2001 (1)

ASSETS

Balance with central banks

(all figures in EUR)

31 December 2001

31 December 2000

63 130

84 650

Loans/advances to credit institutions

497 195 024

645 009 949

Loans/advances to customers

Securities

Tangible and intangible assets

Other assets

Prepayments and accrued income

1 087 591 599

1 501 804 675

1 613 101 204

1 723 746 372

0

7 092 794

82 534 005

0

5 170 347

96 173 610

Off-balance-sheet commitments

310 674 984

430 881 628

Total assets

3 287 577 756

3 971 989 603

LIABILITIES

31 December 2001

31 December 2000

(all figures in EUR)

LIABILITIES VIS-À-VIS THIRD PARTIES:

Amounts owed to credit institutions

Debts evidenced by certificates

Other liabilities

Accruals and deferred income

604 294 572

981 630 568

836 250 262

1 062 076 396

301 104

78 061 265

7 494 034

91 947 305

Total liabilities vis-à-vis third parties

1 518 907 203

2 143 148 303

ECSC operating budget

PROVISIONS:

Guarantee Fund

Provisions for major exposures

Other provisions

Total provisions

Budget for financing research in the coal and steel sector

RESERVES AND SURPLUS:

Special Reserve

Former Pension Fund

Assets of the Coal and Steel Research Fund

Surplus brought forward

Surplus for the financial year

Total reserves and surplus

530 720 948

835 516 282

580 000 000

6 000 000

150 699 271

736 699 271

240 000 000

118 000 000

40 000 000

92 632 605

2 029 066

8 588 663

565 000 000

17 000 000

158 663 347

740 663 347

0

176 055 284

74 577 321

0

213 454

1 815 612

261 250 334

252 661 671

Total liabilities

3 287 577 756

3 971 989 603

Off-balance-sheet commitments

300 196 287

426 626 265

(1) OJ C 158, 3.7.2002, p. 2.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2001 (1)

(all figures in EUR)

CHARGES

31 December 2001

31 December 2000

Interest payable and similar charges

141 299 615

170 536 669

Commission paid

379 849

439 219

NET LOSSES ON FINANCIAL OPERATIONS

Exchange-rate difference

Losses on bonds and other fixed-income securities

Value adjustments for bonds and other fixed-income securities

268 248

2 248 893

6 760 668

862 006

6 703 555

2 960 265

Value adjustments for shares and other variable-income securities

3 072 877

13 920 110

Total losses on financial operations

12 350 686

24 445 936

Administrative overheads

5 000 000

5 000 000

Value adjustments for land and buildings

Other operating charges

Value adjustments for loans and advances

0

1 711 089

4 743 980

166 180

315 884

12 590 342

Allocation to the Guarantee Fund

15 000 000

12 000 000

Allocation to other provisions for liabilities and charges

2 057 973

17 134 135

Total value adjustments for loans and provisions

21 801 953

41 724 477

Extraordinary charges

31 139

270 668

Legal commitments for the financial year

184 554 560

129 942 347

Allocation to the budget for financing coal and steel research

240 000 000

0

Total charges

607 128 891

372 841 380

Surplus for the financial year

8 588 663

1 815 612

Total

615 717 554

374 656 992

INCOME

Interest receivable and similar income

214 741 377

248 795 316

Commissions received

253 300

93 400

Net profit on financial operations

19 075 670

26 444 507

Withdrawals of value adjustments for loans and advances and
from the provisions for liabilities and commitments

63 955 793

14 155 711

Other operating income

Extraordinary income

83 387

1 879 316

2 122 461

2 427 191

Income relating to the ECSC operating budget

64 523 231

74 618 406

Withdrawal from the provision for financing the ECSC operating
budget

251 205 480

6 000 000

Total income

615 717 554

374 656 992

(1) OJ C 158, 3.7.2002, p. 4.

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ANALYSIS OF THE RESULT FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR

Out-turn of the ECSC operating budget (1)

31 December 2001

31 December 2000

(all figures in EUR)

Expenditure

Administrative expenditure

Legal commitments

Financing of future operating budgets

Total

Revenue

Levy

Fines

Repayment of interest subsidies

Miscellaneous

Financing of future operating budgets

Cancellations of legal commitments

Net balance for the year

Total

Budget out-turn

5 000 000

184 554 560

0

5 000 000

129 942 347

0

189 554 560

134 942 347

—

4 540 000

826 462

1 158 428

77 000 000

57 998 341

48 031 329

—

—

1 955 203

1 035 599

6 000 000

71 627 605

54 323 940

189 554 560

134 942 347

0

0

Analysis of the result for the financial year including non-budgetary operations (2)

(all figures in EUR)

Result

31 December 2001

31 December 2000

Gross operating margin before changes in provisions

— Lending/borrowing operations

— Interest on bank accounts

— Transactions concerning portfolio securities

— Losses on loans and advances

— Exchange-rate difference

— Miscellaneous

Net changes in provisions

— Provision for liabilities and charges

— Provision for major exposures

— Value adjustments in respect of loans and advances

— Provision for financing the operating budget/budgetary

contingencies

— Budget for financing coal and steel research

— Guarantee Fund

Result after changes in provisions

Amount allocated to financing the ECSC operating budget
(= net balance)

Result after deducting the net balance but before allocation
of the surplus

(1) OJ C 158, 3.7.2002, p. 19.
(2) OJ C 158, 3.7.2002, p. 18.

1 485 339

1 919 600

78 473 087

–1 376 363

–268 248

27 257

2 179 046

2 604 998

78 095 255

—

–862 006

1 691 025

Total

80 260 672

83 708 318

1 419 117

11 000 000

44 734 723

–3 134 135

1 000 000

565 369

174 205 480

–14 000 000

–240 000 000

–15 000 000

56 619 992

—

–12 000 000

56 139 552

–48 031 329

–54 323 940

8 588 663

1 815 612