The European Parliament yesterday gave its final approval, known as ‘discharge', to the way in which the European Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, managed and implemented the EU budget in 2017. The positive vote follows from the European Court of Auditors' decision to give the EU annual accounts a clean bill of health for the 11th year in a row, finding them true and fair...
Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger, in charge of budget and human resources said, “The European Parliament has once again confirmed that the EU budget has been managed in line with the rules, generating great added value for our citizens. The EU's achievements are numerous and the discharge exercise gives us yet another opportunity to look at them. Looking ahead, the next long-term EU budget for the 2021-2027 is the next big opportunity to show that we are learning from the past. In its proposal, the Commission has put forward ideas how to make sure the EU budget generates an even greater added value for the EU citizens, while being more flexible and simpler. We are now working hand in hand with the European Parliament and the Council towards timely adoption of the various proposals, including the 37 specific spending programmes, so that beneficiaries from across the Union will be able to benefit from EU funding as of January 2021.” More information is available in the press statement here.
