On the 2022 discharge: General budget of the EU - European Parliament

The Committee on Legal Affairs gives its opinion on the 2022 discharge of Parliament's budget, asking the Committee on Budgetary Control to include its suggestions in the discharge resolution.¶ It stresses that decisions by Parliament's governing bodies on budget, administration and staff affect the whole administration, and that their financial statements and budgetary impact must be clear.¶ It welcomes the Bureau's ad-hoc working group overhauling the rules for Members' expenses (IMMS) to increase transparency and accountability, and the Bureau's amendments to the voluntary pension scheme.¶¶ It is concerned about allegations of misuse of parliamentary assistance expenses and calls for systematic investigation of all cases, and welcomes Bureau consultation with the committee on measures touching the Members' Statute.¶¶

Position. The Committee on Legal Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the motion for a resolution on the 2022 discharge. It proposes welcoming the IMMS overhaul and pension amendments, stressing sound financial management, and calling for investigation of misuse of assistance expenses.¶¶¶

Key points

1. The Committee on Legal Affairs asks the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the motion for a resolution on the 2022 discharge.¶
2. It points out that budgetary, administrative and staff decisions by Parliament's governing bodies have a cross-cutting impact on the administration, affecting the implementation phase.¶
3. It stresses the importance of the financial statements and budgetary impact of proposals by Parliament's governing bodies to guarantee good administration.¶
4. It welcomes the creation of a Bureau ad-hoc Working Group to overhaul the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (IMMS).¶
5. The IMMS amendment aims to increase transparency, accountability and sound financial management of funds for Members, while respecting the independence of the mandate and avoiding unnecessary administrative burdens.¶
6. It notes that the Voluntary Pension Fund's actuarial deficit was EUR 379 million on 31 December 2021, compared with EUR 371.4 million on 31 December 2020.¶
7. It welcomes the Bureau's amendments to Article 76 of the IMMS on the Additional (Voluntary) Pension Scheme, in force since 1 July 2023, to reduce future pension obligations and the actuarial deficit.¶
8. It is concerned about the high number of allegations of misuse and misappropriation of parliamentary assistance expenses.¶
9. It calls on Parliament and its administration to apply the Statute of Members and its implementing measures correctly and to systematically investigate and follow up all cases of misuse and misappropriation.¶
10. It welcomes any Bureau initiative to consult the Committee on Legal Affairs about measures touching the Members' Statute, to reach adjustment goals efficiently.¶

Who is affected

• Parliament's governing bodies, whose decisions on budget, administration and staff affect the whole administration.¶
• Members of the European Parliament, affected by the IMMS overhaul and the voluntary pension scheme changes.¶¶
• Parliament and its administration, asked to apply the Statute of Members correctly and investigate misuse of assistance expenses.¶
• The Committee on Legal Affairs, to be consulted by the Bureau on measures touching the Members' Statute.¶

Figures and deadlines

• EUR 379 million: actuarial deficit of the Voluntary Pension Fund on 31 December 2021.¶
• EUR 371.4 million: actuarial deficit of the Voluntary Pension Fund on 31 December 2020.¶
• 1 July 2023: entry into force of the Bureau's amendments to Article 76 of the IMMS.¶
• EUR 362.7 million to estimated EUR 139 million: reduction in future pension obligations.¶
• EUR 310 million to estimated EUR 86 million: reduction in the Fund's actuarial deficit.¶
• 21 November 2022: date of the President's announcement on the Bureau ad-hoc Working Group.¶