EU accounts: European Parliament stands firm on national statements of assurance - Watson

2.38.09pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th Apr 2007

The European Parliament today granted discharge to the European Commission for its management of the EU budget in 2005 but underlined that if the Court of Auditors (which only gives one global assurance on the entire budget) is to be able to give a positive evaluation, Member States must sign their own national declarations on correct use of EU funds.

Graham Watson MEP, Leader of the Liberal and Democrat group (ALDE) in the European Parliament, is insisting on the responsibility of Member States concerning the control of Community funds, recalling the commitment made with Council in signing the Financial Perspectives. Commenting he said:

"I am a strong believer in the value of these national declarations because Member States must account for their use of both CAP and Structural Funds in the same way as the European Commission."

The parliamentary report considers that such national declarations are necessary to obtain a positive statement of assurance from the Court of Auditors. "2008 will be the 10th anniversary of the fall of the Commission on grounds of bad financial management, following a refusal by this Parliament to grant it discharge," recalled Watson. "Yet the Court of Auditors has once more, for the 12th consecutive year, refused to give a positive statement. This cannot continue any longer," he warned.