Annexes to COM(2019)334 - Follow-up to the discharge for the 2017 financial year (Summary) - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2019)334 - Follow-up to the discharge for the 2017 financial year (Summary). |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2019)334  |
| date | July 2, 2019 |
EFSI is demand driven but the EFSI Investment Guidelines provide that best efforts shall be made to ensure that at the end of the investment period a wide range of regions will be covered and excessive geographical concentration is avoided. The Commission and the European Investment Bank have implemented several measures to ensure proper geographical balance. These measures are based on the amended EFSI Regulation (EFSI 2.0). They include among others:
More targeted local outreach through enhanced cooperation with National Promotional Banks or Institutions including through the setting up of investment platforms and enhanced cooperation models (e.g. European Investment Fund national Promotional Institutions Equity platform). Facilitation of combination of European Structural and Investment Funds and EFSI,
An enhanced role of the Advisory Hub to facilitate project origination and development in particular in less developed regions and transition regions.
Furthermore, the Commission, the European Investment Bank, and the EFSI Steering Board regularly monitor the geographical distribution of the EFSI supported investments. In order to increase transparency and accountability, the monthly public reporting on operations under EFSI support and the annual implementation reports on EFSI contain information on the geographical distribution.
4.5 Senior official appointments in the EU institutions
The European Parliament calls on the Commission and other EU institutions to review, where necessary, appointment procedures, and take additional measures to improve transparency, fairness and equal opportunity during these procedures. The inter-institutional round table organised in September 2018 was fruitful and allowed representatives of the institutions at political or senior management level to share how they run their procedures. It confirmed that the way in which the different institutions implement the rules is both adequate and fit for purpose and that there is also much in the way of common best practice. All the institutions have the same objective – to recruit, appoint and promote talented individuals, on the basis of skills, qualifications and experience. The Commission will take appropriate follow-up action whilst underlining that like all institutions, it acts autonomously within the powers conferred on it in the Treaties and within the framework of the applicable law. This includes the power to decide on its internal organisation, its rules of procedure and the exercise of its appointing authority powers under the Staff Regulations.
5. Conclusion
The Commission considers the discharge procedure of crucial importance in terms of accountability for the sound financial management of EU finances.
The Commission will do its utmost to contribute to continuous and constructive cooperation with the European Parliament, the Council and the European Court of Auditors in relation to the management of EU funds.
It is committed to implementing the main recommendations and requests made in the discharge procedure. Some have already been fully implemented and others are ongoing.
The next Multiannual Financial Framework provides an important opportunity to take into account lessons learned and inter alia further simplify rules and improve the overall performance framework. An agreement on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework in autumn 2019 will be crucial for the efforts to ensure the timely start of the implementation of EU policies.