Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats
S&D Euro MPs today urged all political groups to grant discharge to the 24 specialised EU agencies established across Europe.
The vote on the discharge is scheduled for tomorrow in the European Parliament in Brussels.
Said S&D spokesman for budgetary control, Jens Geier: "The EPP rapporteur Monica Macovei wants to postpone the discharge to the European Environment Agency, the European Medicines Agency and the European Food and Safety Agency. She argues that they need to make more savings and resolve alleged conflicts of interest.
"In our view postponing discharge is a disproportionate political reaction, since Ms Macovei does not even take the agencies' reactions into account. Additionally she criticises procedures that are beyond the agencies' powers to change."
Said S&D Group negotiator Edit Herczog: "All agencies require scrutiny just as any other EU body but this should be proportionate.
"Where it is warranted, we must pinpoint specific issues which need addressing in individual bodies, but not by taking a generalised negative view which risks undermining the reputation and work of all agencies.
"We also believe that the people in the agencies take their tasks seriously and have responded to questions and challenges issued by the Parliament in its role as discharge authority.
"These agencies play a key role in delivering the goals and results of EU policies. They help make our food safer, our environment cleaner and flights safer and more secure. This is a clear benefit to all EU citizens."
Every year, the European Parliament is called to approve the execution of the EU institutions' budgets, including those of the European agencies. Euro MPs base their decision on reports made by the European Court of Auditors.
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S&D Euro MPs call for granting discharge to all EU agencies. Said S&D spokesman for budgetary control, Jens Geier: ‘The EPP rapporteur Monica Macovei wants to postpone the discharge to the European Environment Agency, the European Medicines Agency and the European Food and Safety Agency. She argues that they need to make more savings and resolve alleged conflicts of interest’
S&D Euro MPs call for granting discharge to all EU agencies. Said S&D Group negotiator Edit Herczog: ‘All agencies require scrutiny just as any other EU body but this should be proportionate. Where it is warranted, we must pinpoint specific issues which need addressing in individual bodies, but not by taking a generalised negative view which risks undermining the reputation and work of all agencies’
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