Social Democratic MEP Carlos Coelho affirms that the functioning of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) is compromised because it has been operating “for more than two years” with one less judge.
Returning to the European Parliament, MEP Carlos Coelho highlighted, in statements to TSFthat “there are processes that will be delayed” at a time when “the European Court of Auditors has been under a lot of pressure to carry out audits and ensure the good use of European taxpayers’ money”, including the application of funds from the Plan Recovery and Resilience.
The deputy considers it “hardly understandable” that the Government has not yet appointed a substitute judge to fill the position that was left vacant “after the tragic and premature death of the Portuguese judge João Figueiredo”, on June 30, 2021, in the court that oversees the collection and use of European Union funds.
Carlos Coelho now asks the commission to rule on the case, formally questioning the community executive “if there are precedents, [ou] if only Portugal is in this situation”.
“It is not understandable that Portugal, which has a lot to gain by participating in the community institutions, allows a situation in which, for two years, it has not filled the vacancy,” laments the deputy, waiting for Brussels to rule on the matter. case.
“I ask the European Commission if it does not have the responsibility, as guardian of the Treaties, to put pressure on the Member States, to invite them to fill vacancies more quickly,” says Carlos Coelho, although he admits that the failure is not the European Commission’s. .
“I have no doubt that the indication of the Government of Portugal fails here. Then there is a hearing process in the European Parliament and confirmation by the Council, but the initiative has to come from the Member States”, underlines Carlos Coelho, for whom “this situation raises serious doubts about Portugal’s ability to effectively fulfill its responsibilities within the European Court of Auditors.”
The members of the Court of Auditors are appointed for a renewable period of six years by the European Council, in consultation with the European Parliament.
Currently the European Court of Auditors is made up of 20 members, five deans and a president. There are 26 judges, nationals of 26 member states of the European Union, missing only one representative designated by Portugal.
TCE members and auditors are distributed across five audit chambers, under the leadership of an elected dean.
“The College, composed of the 27 members [atualmente 26]meets in plenary session about twice a month,” reads the TCE’s official website.
The Court is responsible for audits of EU revenue and expenditure, “to verify that funds are raised and spent correctly, that they produce added value and that they are properly accounted for.” The body is also responsible for “monitoring persons or organizations managing EU funds, in particular through unforeseen controls in the European institutions (especially the Commission), in EU countries and in third countries that receive aid from it “.
Its duties also include reporting “alleged suspicions of fraud, corruption or other illicit activities to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).”
The ECA’s audit work focuses in particular on the European Commission, being “the main institution responsible for implementing the EU budget”, working “in close collaboration with national authorities, as the majority of EU funds (around 80%) are managed jointly by them and the Commission”, states the Court.
Source: TSF
