2000 discharge: EC general budget, European Parliament

PURPOSE : to present the balance sheet and analysis of the financial management of the European Communities for the financial year 2000 (European Parliament). CONTENT : this document reveals that the appropriations in the Parliament's budget including the Supplementary and Amending Budget 2/2000 was EUR 979.924.397, the amount of 99,28%. These appropriations have been effectively paid from the amount of EUR 885.733.891 that is an automatic carryover of 8,95%. These appropriations transferred from the 1999 to the 2000 financial year amount to EUR 103.330.879 of which 91% has been spent. The implementation of the 2000 budget has been marked by a series of transfer appropriations between budget lines in order to ensure the working of the Institution. It should be noted that there is an increase in mission expenses and travel costs, notably outwith the 3 working areas of the Parliament for the joint parliamentary delegations on the grounds of an increased number of delegations and the increase in participation of the Members of the European Parliament which has been higher than in previous years (EUR +165.000). Furthermore, the budgetary Chapter 13 "Missions and Travel") has seen, in total, a change in the order of 2%. In addition, a decrease in 2000 can be noted in the costs for travel and entertaining in comparison with 1999. In the sector of assets, Supplementary and Amending Budget 2/2000 has amended the appropriations of the chapter. The main changes relate to the advance payments of certain Parliament buildings made on 15 July 200 and 15 January 2001. The SAB enabled the strengthening of appropriations of Article 206 of the European Parliament's budget 'Procurement of property assets' from an amount of EUR 15 million in order to speed-up the financing of buildings and to lighten the financial and budgetary burden of subsequent financial years. In this context, several transfer appropriations were made in order to proceed with the estimated advance payments. The Parliament's budget is also marked by the reduction of appropriations relating to the institution's administrative expenditure: certain appropriations from Chapter 23 "Current administrative costs" which have been reduced due to projects not being implemented throughout the year (e.g. refinancing of the Louise WEISS building in Strasbourg, also unforeseen savings in the voice telephony communications sector). In addition, one also notes the reduction in the cost of political group meetings within the Parliament and reductions in some publication costs. Lastly, from 2000, the Ombudsman's budget is separate from that of the European Parliament's budget and therefore becomes a section of the Union's budget in its own right (section VIII).�