Financial regulation applicable to the general budget: rules for the implementation of Regulation 1605/2002/EC, Euratom

The Court has examined, in its Opinion No 12/2002, the proposal within the framework set by the new Financial Regulation. It has structured its analysis around the following objectives: - to ensure that the Implementing Rules do not contain exceptions to the basic principles included in the Financial Regulation (where not specifically provided for in the Financial Regulation); - that all important issues and areas are adequately covered; and - that provisions are practical and workable. The Court has also examined the way in which some major issues raised in its opinion No 2/2001 on the recasting of the Financial Regulation, such as the provisions relating to accounting and the presentation of the financial statements and to expenditure operations, have been considered in the proposal. Specific comments on individual articles, containing proposals for amending the text where appropriate are attached in a two-column table (in addition, relatively minor questions relating to the terminology used have been communicated to the Commission). The simpler and clearer structure adopted for the Financial Regulation, which should contain only basic principles, has resulted in a more logical structure and an increased number of detailed provisions in the proposed Implementing Rules. However, there are still provisions which are inadequate, are incomplete or lack clarity.�