European Parliament resolution on the estimates of revenue and expenditure of Parliament for the financial year 2006 (2005/2012(BUD))
Date: 2005-05-12
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Community budget, European Parliament, budget estimate, budgetary expenditure, budgetary resources, financial year

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10.

Calls on all countries to open their archives pertaining to World War II;

11.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the parliaments of
the Member States, the governments and parliaments of the accession and candidate countries, the govern-
ments and parliaments of the countries associated with the European Union, the governments and parlia-
ments of the Members of the Council of Europe, and the United States Congress.

P6_TA(2005)0181

Parliament's estimates for 2006

European Parliament resolution on the estimates of revenue and expenditure of Parliament for the
financial year 2006 (2005/2012(BUD))

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Article 272(2) of the EC Treaty,

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial

Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (1),

— having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the
Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (2),

— having regard to its resolution of 9 March 2005 on the guidelines for Sections II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII(A)
and VIII(B) and on the European Parliament's preliminary draft estimates (Section I) for the 2006
budgetary procedure (3),

— having regard to the Secretary-General's report to the Bureau on the preliminary draft estimates of

Parliament for the financial year 2006,

— having regard to the preliminary draft estimates drawn up by the Bureau on 11 April 2005 pursuant to

Rules 22(6) and 73 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to Rule 73 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A6-0106/2005),

A. whereas the ceiling in heading 5 (Administrative expenditure) of the financial perspective has, as a
result of a technical adjustment, been fixed at EUR 6 528 million for the 2006 budget (4); whereas this
technical adjustment represents an increase of EUR 45 million at 2006 prices over the amount forecast
in the 2004 report by the Secretaries-General,

B. whereas 2006 is the last financial year of the current financial perspective,

C. whereas the 2004 enlargement has to be consolidated and the next enlargement prepared for,

D. D whereas the 2006 estimates are based on the following key parameters: 40 working weeks, including
four constituency weeks, 12 ordinary part-sessions and six additional part-sessions, a 2,3 % salary
adjustment, and a 7 % standard abatement for non-enlargement posts,

(1) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1. Agreement as amended by Decision 2003/429/EC (OJ L 147, 14.6.2003, p. 25).
(3) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0067.
(4) Calculated net of staff contributions to the pension scheme (EUR 180 million at 2006 prices).

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E. whereas a number of proposals currently being prepared by the Bureau, and their financial con-

sequences, will not be available for examination until first reading of the budget in autumn,

Thursday 12 May 2005

Political priorities

Consolidating the 2004 enlargement and preparing for the next enlargement

Is of the opinion that finalising the consolidation of the 2004 enlargement and the preparations for

1.
the next enlargement constitute an important challenge in Parliament's budget for 2006;

Is concerned about the high number of the as yet unfilled enlargement posts created in the 2004 and
2.
2005 budgets, of which probably only 78 % will be filled by the end of 2005; finds the delays in enlarge-
ment-related recruitment procedures regrettable; requests its Secretary-General to submit a report by 1 July
2005 on the recruitment situation; expects its Secretary-General to include specific proposals to deal with
the vacancies in the linguistic sector;

3.
Notes the proposal to allocate EUR 13 800 000 to be entered against the proposed budget items for
pre-enlargement preparations for Romania and Bulgaria (observers, staff, interpreters and conference tech-
nicians, equipment, operating expenditure and information) and expects the amount to be fine-tuned at first
reading;

4.
Notes the proposal to create 135 enlargement-related posts: 113 posts in Parliament's Secretariat
(73 A*5/AD5 posts, 4 A*7/AD7 posts, 14 B*3/AST3 posts and 22 C*1/AST1 posts) and 22 posts in the
political groups (10 A*5/AD5 posts, 4 B*3/AST3 posts and 8 C*1/AST1 posts) and, subject to more detailed
justifications for the proposed posts, will enter the necessary appropriations at first reading;

Efficient and rational use of appropriations

Stresses, once again, the importance of applying the principles of sound financial management and

5.
budgetary rigour to Parliament's administrative expenditure;

Calls for redeployment of posts and reallocation of resources to increase efficiency; considers that the

6.
level of occupancy of posts in general should be improved;

7.
Considers that Parliament's participation in interinstitutional cooperation, as regards both expenditure
and potential savings, should be clearly identified in budgetary documentation; expects the relevant expen-
diture and revenues resulting from loans or rents or provision of services to be clearly indicated in Parlia-
ment's budget;

8.
Points to the impact of the increase in staff receiving pension payments in the years to come; looks to
the Commission Administration for proposals preventing the burden on the ordinary operating budget from
becoming excessive, for instance by means of a pension fund;

Towards more comprehensive budgeting

9. Welcomes the objective of creating a common interinstitutional approach to budget presentation; calls,
however, for a more far-reaching reform of budget presentation to make the budget more comprehensive
and clear; notes the proposals for the revised nomenclature, and requests the Administration to provide a
comparison between the previous and the proposed nomenclature with details at item level and reasons for
the proposed changes; recalls the provisions of the Financial Regulation and its internal rules regarding
transfers;

Bringing Parliament closer to citizens

10.
Notes that proposals to enhance Parliament's information and communication policy are currently
under preparation; looks forward to the Bureau's proposals as regards Parliament's overall communication
strategy and on the role of the Information Offices;

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11.
Is awaiting the Bureau's proposals on strengthening the role of Information Offices with a view to
better reaching citizens; expects appropriations to be provided for the new Information Offices in Romania
and Bulgaria; considers that information provided to each Member State should take national differences
into account; expects detailed information on the appropriate human resources to be allocated to the
Information Offices, including a press officer per office, together with a timetable for their recruitment;

12.
Looks forward to proposals to improve the visitors service; is prepared to take the necessary action
to ensure that the costs reimbursed to visitor groups are better aligned to the differences in real costs, the
visitors programme is provided in all official EU languages and the quality of the programme offered to
visitors improved;

Is of the opinion that the Europarl website is an important tool for Parliament's information policy

13.
and that it should be made more user-friendly;

Quality and efficiency of Parliament's work

Notes the proposals by the Secretary-General to consolidate the ‘Raising the Game’ reform of Parlia-
14.
ment's Administration so as to improve services for Members; calls for the proposals to be put into practise,
especially those for assisting Members in their legislative work, including the setting-up of project teams;
stresses that expertise should also be available to Members at relatively short notice;

15.
Urges improvements in language support for parliamentary work; calls for an expansion in trans-
lation capacity so that Members can work on documents in their own languages; calls for greater availability
of interpreters for political groups and their working parties, and calls on the Administration to take the
necessary measures with regard to premises and staff; proposes a coordinated approach involving the other
institutions in order to be able to exploit any synergetic effects;

Insists that it should act within its own prerogatives; expresses, therefore, its reservations concerning
16.
the development of actions related to the transposition and implementation of legislation, falling within the
competence of the Commission; points out that citizens and media should have easy access to an improved
‘Legislative Observatory’ on Parliament's website;

Personnel policy and requests for non-enlargement-related posts

Considers it essential to improve, simplify and speed up staff recruitment procedures to avoid making
17.
them exceedingly long; notes with concern that there are 750 unfilled posts in Parliament's Secretariat and
that a further 150 posts are occupied by auxiliary or contract staff;

Notes that no new posts are being requested at this stage for non-enlargement needs in Parliament's

18.
Secretariat and expects any requests at first reading to be duly substantiated;

19.
Notes that proposals concerning new posts, upgrading of permanent posts, upgrading of temporary
posts, conversion of posts and possible ad personam promotions in Parliament's Secretariat have been
deferred until first reading; considers that unfortunate; notes the proposal on upgrading of 48 posts in the
political groups: 4 A*12 to A*13, 2 A*11 to A*12, 2 A*10 to A*11, 2 A*6 to A*9, 2 A*8 to A*9, 1 A*5 to
A*6, 7 B*10 to B*11, 1 B*8 to B*9, 5 B*7 to B*8, 3 B*6 to B*7, 2 B*5 to B*6, 2 B*3 to B*4, 12 C*6 to C*7,
2 C*2 to C*3, 1 C*1 to C*2;

20.
Stresses the need to create a truly merit-based promotion system for staff to provide accelerated
promotion opportunities for the best-performing officials; invites the Secretary-General to submit the pro-
gress report requested on the current situation, including specific proposals, by 1 July 2005; is also awaiting
the results of the examination conducted by the Secretary-General and the directors-general into the func-
tioning of the promotion system;

21.
Notes the accelerated shift from auxiliary staff to contract staff; requests the Secretary-General to
submit a report by 1 July 2005 on the situation of auxiliary, freelance and contract staff in Parliament's
Secretariat and the political groups, including the budgetary effect of this change for all institutions; expects

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Parliament's Administration to indicate clearly the reasons for this accelerated shift and the implications of
this modification to Parliament's establishment plan and the status of staff,
including for the language
teachers;

Underscores the importance of personal assistants for Members' work; is looking forward to the
22.
forthcoming reports by the Bureau working group on Members' Assistants; and, on financial transparency
grounds too, supports the introduction of a Statute for Assistants;

Other issues

23.

Calls for strict enforcement of the new rules on smoking on Parliament's premises;

Reiterates its request to receive updated information on progress with regard to the Eco-Management

24.
and Audit Scheme by 1 July 2005;

25.

Requests further information on the proposed increase in mission expenditure for staff in 2006;

Global level of Parliament's budget

Notes that the Secretary-General's preliminary draft estimates proposal

is to set the level of the
26.
budget, at this stage, at 20 % of heading 5 (Administrative expenditure) of the financial perspective, which
corresponds to EUR 1 341600 000 and represents an increase of 5,5 % over the 2005 budget; reserves its
final position on the total amount for Section I until Parliament's first reading;

27.
Reiterates its position on the importance of determining the level of Parliament's budget on the basis
of justified, real needs to avoid cancellation of appropriations at the end of 2006; notes the proposal to
enter a margin of EUR 90 456 885 in the contingency reserve until the new priorities have been formulated;
considers that a more realistic margin for new priorities and unforeseen expenditure should be set aside in
the contingency reserve at first reading;

28.
Recalls that Parliament's policy of purchasing its main buildings has led to significant savings; calls
for an updated plan on building policy for acquisition of property in the short and medium term, including
options to purchase premises for Information Offices and Europe Houses; points out that a number of
uncertainties exist in relation with immovable property projects in Brussels and Luxembourg, which may
have a significant impact on the budget;

29.

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

*

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P6_TA(2005)0182

Doha Development Agenda

European Parliament resolution on the assessment of the Doha Round following the WTO General
Council Decision of 1 August 2004 (2004/2138(INI))

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the WTO General Council Decision of 1 August 2004 on the Doha Work Programme,

— having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parlia-
ment and the European Economic and Social Committee of 26 November 2003 ‘Reviving the Doha
Development Agenda Negotiations — the EU Perspective’,