The European Parliament put the European Commission under pressure today in a vote on the discharge of the Commission budget which MEPs combined with 30 demands for more transparency on the use of EU funds and better controls on how the money is being spent. The European Commission must shoulder more responsibility for the use of EU funds in Member States, MEPs said. "The passing-the-buck blame game between the European Commission and Member States about who is responsible for the misuse of EU money must stop", EPP Group Member and Shadow Rapporteur, Markus Pieper, said.

A core demand by Parliament is an annual report on irregularities, financial checks and correction methods, based on individual Member States. A colour-coded ranking should bring more transparency to the system. Pieper continued: "Whether and to what extent the European Commission delivers on this demand will be a crucial point in future discharge procedures."

Parliament will no longer content itself with references to the responsibility of Member States. Pieper said: "The European Commission is the guardian of the Treaties and must take more responsibility." This applies especially to cohesion policy, where, according to the EU's Court of Auditors, 62% of errors should have been found by the Member State in question. "We demand proposals to adjust the structural fund regulations no later than the mid-term review of the financial framework 2014-2020. The European Commission must better monitor the work of national audit authorities and put them under European supervision if necessary."

Pieper criticised the Socialist Group Rapporteur, Jens Geier. Contrary to his recommendation, many demands could only be ensured by majorities in the plenary vote. Parliament now calls on the European Commission to prove the added value of European funding programmes. Socialist MEPs also refused an analysis of civil servants' salaries as well as criticism of the inadequate job rotation of high-ranking EU officials. The European Parliament will also take a closer look at the working methods of Eurostat and Eurobarometer against the votes of the S&D Group.

For further information:

Markus PIEPER MEP, tel.: +33 (0)3 88 175305

Lasse Böhm, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, tel.: +32 484 656897

Note to Editors

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 270 Members and 3 Croatian Observer Members.