Accountability in the European Union
Encyclopedia
As with all public budgets, the EU's budget is also at risk of maladministration. Every year, the Court of Auditors reports on the management of the budget. The introduction of transparency
and a double-entry book-keeping system is likely to improve budget management.
In order to strengthen the means of fraud prevention, the Commission established the European Anti-Fraud Office
(OLAF - Office Européen de Lutte Anti-Fraude) by EC, ECSC Decision 1999/352. The Office was given responsibility for conducting administrative anti-fraud investigations by having conferred on it a special independent status.
(the relevant Minister from each member state) are mostly public, a webcast on the sessions can be seen on the website of the Council. What goes on behind the scenes will, of course, never be televised.
Also, the standard of plenary sittings of the European Parliament
is to stream
the debates over the Internet. In addition, the public sittings can be observed directly from a separate gallery. Also, nearly all sittings of Parliamentary Committees are observable by the public, except for certain matters such as requests for removal of the parliamentary immunity of a Member of the European Parliament.
In addition, the activities of the European Commission
are subject to transparency
. The monitoring of the Commission has to be performed by a body that is independent of the Commission, such as "European Anti-Fraud Office" (OLAF) that reports to the European Parliament. According to MEP Paul van Buitenen OLAF is not functioning properly as of 2008.
Transparency (humanities)
Transparency, as used in science, engineering, business, the humanities and in a social context more generally, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed...
and a double-entry book-keeping system is likely to improve budget management.
In order to strengthen the means of fraud prevention, the Commission established the European Anti-Fraud Office
OLAF
The European Anti-fraud Office is charged by the European Union with protecting the financial interests of the European Union: Its tasks are to fight fraud affecting the EU budget, as well as corruption and any other irregular activity, including misconduct, within the European Institutions, in an...
(OLAF - Office Européen de Lutte Anti-Fraude) by EC, ECSC Decision 1999/352. The Office was given responsibility for conducting administrative anti-fraud investigations by having conferred on it a special independent status.
Auditing
The Court of Auditors checks that all the Union's revenue has been received and all its expenditure incurred in a lawful and regular manner and that the EU budget has been managed soundly. The Court was established on 22 July 1975 by the Budgetary Treaty of 1975. The Court started operating as an external Community audit body in October 1977.Transparency
At present, the meetings of the Council of MinistersCouncil of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
(the relevant Minister from each member state) are mostly public, a webcast on the sessions can be seen on the website of the Council. What goes on behind the scenes will, of course, never be televised.
Also, the standard of plenary sittings of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
is to stream
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
the debates over the Internet. In addition, the public sittings can be observed directly from a separate gallery. Also, nearly all sittings of Parliamentary Committees are observable by the public, except for certain matters such as requests for removal of the parliamentary immunity of a Member of the European Parliament.
In addition, the activities of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
are subject to transparency
Transparency (humanities)
Transparency, as used in science, engineering, business, the humanities and in a social context more generally, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed...
. The monitoring of the Commission has to be performed by a body that is independent of the Commission, such as "European Anti-Fraud Office" (OLAF) that reports to the European Parliament. According to MEP Paul van Buitenen OLAF is not functioning properly as of 2008.
See also
- Resignation of the Santer Commission
- Marta AndreasenMarta AndreasenMarta Andreasen is an Argentine-born Spanish accountant, employed in January 2002 by the European Commission as Chief Accountant, and notable for raising concerns about flaws in the commission's accounting system which she felt left the commission vulnerable to potential fraud...
- former Chief Accountant of the European Union. She criticizes the European Union accounting system for being open to fraud. - Paul van Buitenen - former auditor in the European Union who denounced fraud and mismanagement within the commission and the abuse of the EU expenses and staff allowance system.
Books on the subject
- Andreas Oldag, Hans-Martin TillackHans-Martin TillackHans-Martin Tillack is a German reporter. Born 1961 in Königs Wusterhausen near Berlin, he grew up in Stuttgart.He studied politology and sociology in Marburg and Berlin, worked for five years as reporter for taz before coming to Stern in 1993 – first in Bonn, from 1999 to 2004 in Brussels, today...
: Raumschiff Brüssel – Wie die Demokratie in Europa scheitert (in German, Spaceship Brussels – How Democracy in Europe fails), Argon Verlag, 2003 (1st ed., hardcover), ISBN 3870245786, ISBN 978-3870245788 / Fischer, Frankfurt 2004 (2nd ed.) ISBN 3596157463, ISBN 978-3596157464
- Paul van Buitenen: Blowing the Whistle: Fraud in the European Commission, Politicos Pub, 2000, ISBN 1902301463, ISBN 978-1902301464