1998 discharge: 6th, 7th and 8th European Development Funds EDF

The European Parliament adopted its resolution to postpone the decision concerning discharge to the Commission in respect of the financial management of EDFs 6, 7 and 8 for the 1998 financial year. Parliament's rapporteur was Ms. Heide RÜHLE (Green/EFA, D). Parliament requests the Commission to draw up by 15 May 2000 an Action Plan with dates, where appropriate, incorporating the following elements: - a confirmation by the Commission of the procedures by which it will inform Parliament, OLAF and the Court of Auditors of fraud and irregularities in development aid programmes; - a breakdown of the corrective measures to be requested from beneficiary governments when found to be responsible for fraud and irregularities, including measures to strengthen national and EU control systems; - a statement of the monies which, according to the measures agreed by the Commission, have been or remain to be reimbursed by national authorities following the result of audits; - a commitment to a policy of zero tolerance of fraud and irregularity in the use of counterpart funds by beneficiary governments; - a full list of the administrative and/or disciplinary enquiries relating to delegation staff which need to be carried out in the light of audits of structural adjustment programmes, and other development assistance; - an outline of the measures which it will take to revise the policy framework for structural adjustment, in coordination with the donors, in order to ensure that the responsibilities given to beneficiary governments are matched with adequate independent controls of the counterpart funds at their disposal (to include strengthening of controls carried out both by national bodies and by the Commission); - the full measures to be taken to strengthen the internal audit and evaluation functions which deal with external aid; - a full response to the conclusions contained in the opinion of the Development Committee on the 1998 discharge; - rapid implementation of a standard model contract for services and supplies and an appraisal of all technical assistance, as requested repeatedly by the Court of Auditors; - a commitment to a benchmarking exercise with audit and evaluation systems of aid delivered by Member States and to propose a fail-safe system whereby key findings are systematically and immediately flagged to senior management.�