EP onderzoekt kandidaat voor de Europese Rekenkamer (en)

Iliana Ivanova i is a candidate for the Court of Auditors

Who watches the watchers? The European Court of Auditors might audit the EU's finances, but it is up to the European Parliament to vet potential candidates for the Court. On Monday 4 May, the EP's budgetary control committee interviewed a nominee member, Bulgarian Christian-Democrat Iliana Ivanova, before deciding to endorse her. The appointment is due to be voted on in plenary on 13 June.

Iliana Ivanova is a candidate for replacing her Bulgarian colleague Nadejda Sandolova, whose mandate in the Court expires on 31 December 2012.

The Committee had initially scheduled another vote on the nomination of Romanian candidate Mircea Vasile Popescu, but the Romanian authorities decided in May 2012 to withdraw it.

Hearings in the EP

As with candidates for the European Commission, the EP interviews candidates for the Court of Auditors, ahead of their appointment by the Council, which takes the final decision. The nominees are first questioned at special hearings by the budgetary control committee, which then votes on each nomination separately in a secret ballot. The decision of the committee is then submitted to a vote in plenary.

If the Parliament votes against supporting a candidate, it will then ask the Council to withdraw the nomination and submit a new one. However, the Council is not bound by MEPs' opinion and its decision is final.

Role of the Court of Auditors

The European Court of Auditors audits the EU's finances, both on the revenue and the expenditure side. It contributes to improving the EU's financial management and acts as the independent guardian of European citizens' financial interests. It also assists the European Parliament, and its budgetary control committee in particular, in overseeing the implementation of the EU budget by submitting its annual report and regular special reports. These reports largely provide the basis for the Parliament's decision whether or not to approve the way the Commission handled the EU budget each year by granting (or not) the budget discharge.

The Court of Auditors is composed of 27 members, one from each member state. The term of office is for six years, but it is renewable. They must be chosen from among present or past members of national external audit bodies or be specially qualified specialists.