2003 budget: EP's estimates

The committee adopted the report by Per STENMARCK (EPP-ED, S) on the estimates of revenue and expenditure of Parliament for the financial year 2003. While pointing out that the ceiling in heading 5 ("Administrative expenditure") of the financial perspective is fixed at EUR 5 382 million and that the additional enlargement-related needs of the institutions will lead to a significant shortfall in heading 5, the committee stressed that the interinstitutional agreement on budgetary discipline provided for appropriate mechanisms to cater for additional needs should the ceiling in heading 5 prove insufficient. In authorising a total allocation of EUR 32.3m for enlargement-related expenditure, therefore, the committee also agreed to a total amount of EUR 1 051.6m for Parliament's 2003 estimates of revenue and expenditure. The report recognised the need for Parliament to be prepared to welcome parliamentarians from the future Member States as from January 2004 and therefore welcomed the Bureau's decision to make provision for admitting up to 147 observers from the current candidate countries from the beginning of 2003. The committee reiterated its support for equality of all languages in the European Parliament and also stressed the importance of Parliament's information policy. It felt that live broadcasting on the Internet of Parliament's plenary sittings and important committee meetings was of essential importance to the institution and therefore asked the EP's Secretary-General to produce a feasibility report by 1 September 2002. As far as staff policy was concerned, the committee asked the Secretary-General to ensure that staff mobility did not lead to an excessive loss of continuity and expertise. The committee also expressed concern at the fact that the Interinstitutional Recruitment Office was not yet fully operational. Lastly, it called on the competent authorities to examine what margin of manoeuvre could be provided in the 2003 calendar in order to optimise the rhythm of parliamentary activities. �