2014 Annual Report presented in Member States by ECA Members
Each year we present our annual report to the European Parliament and the Council - the EU's joint legislative and budgetary authority - but also to the national authorities in the Member States, who are key partners in the EU accountability chain. Our Members are currently engaged in presenting the results of the 2014 Annual Report in the Member States: click here for a detailed programme of presentations, with dates and venues. Some details about the presentations made by ECA Members in Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Cyprus, Finland and Spain are given below. The presentations will continue through December and will last until March 2016.
Belgium
On 10 November 2015, ECA Member Karel Pinxten presented the 2014 Annual Report to the Belgian Parliament in Brussels, and also delivered it to Mr Siegfried Bracke, Speaker of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. Mr Bracke expressed satisfaction that the presentation was made on the same day the Annual Report was presented in the European Parliament. Interest was shown in co-financing programmes and shared management issues in particular.
Mr Karel Pintxen presents the Annual Report to Mr Siegfried Bracke, President of the Chamber of Representatives in Belgium.
Bulgaria
On the day of publication, ECA Member Iliana Ivanova presented the 2014 Annual Report to the Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament in Brussels. On 18 November Ms Ivanova presented the Annual Report to the European Affairs and Oversight of European Funds Committee and the Budgetary and Finance Committee of the Bulgarian National Assembly. A few days later, ECA President Caldeira joined Ms Ivanova to present the 2014 Annual Report to the Bulgarian National Audit Office on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.
Ms Ivanova presents the Annual Report to the state authorities in Bulgaria.
Mr Caldeira speaking on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Bulgarian National Audit Office.
Austria
On 11 November, ECA Member Oskar Herics presented the 2014 Annual Report to key figures in the Austrian administration and financial control authority. Later in the month Mr Herics presented the report to the Austrian Federal Council at the Austrian Parliament.
Our Annual Report presented in Austria by Mr Oksar Herics.
Finland
ECA Member Ville Itälä presented the 2014 Annual Report to the Finnish government on 13 November. As the new government took office in May of this year, advantage was taken of the opportunity to explain the ECA’s tasks and role in the EU’s institutional framework. A second presentation made one week later to the Finnish Parliament was attended by some twenty parliamentarians and around thirty representatives from the National Audit Office, ministries and authorities responsible for the use of EU funds. Mr Itälä stressed the need for a wholly new approach to EU investment and spending.
ECA Member Ville Itälä presented the AR 2014 to the Finnish National Parliament. The presentation was chaired by the former ECA Member Olavi Ala-Nissilä, currently vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Finnish National Parliament.
Cyprus
ECA Member Lazaros S. Lazarou delivered the 2014 Annual Report to Nicos Anastasiades, President of the Republic of Cyprus, on 16 November. The same day Mr Lazarou presented the report to Giannaki L. Omirou, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus.
The President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, receives the 2014 Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors from Mr. Lazaros Lazarou. Source: Press and Information Office (PIO).
Spain
ECA Member Baudilio Tomé Muguruza presented the 2014 Annual Report to the Spanish Court of Auditors and the regional external audit offices on 19 November. He also delivered the report in person to the Minister of Finance and the Secretary of State for the European Union.
From left to right: Don Javier Medina Guijarro President of the Audit Section of the Spanish Court of Auditors, ECA Secretary General Eduardo Ruiz García, ECA Member Baudilio Tomé Muguruza, Ramón Alvarez de Miranda García President of the Spanish Court of Auditors, Don Pío García Escudero President of the Senate.
The ECA's output is used to hold to account - mainly through the annual discharge procedure - the bodies responsible for managing the EU budget. These are, first and foremost, the European Commission and the other EU institutions and bodies. However, responsibility for around 80% of spending - principally in agriculture and cohesion - is shared with the Member States. EU budgetary spending totalled €142.5 billion in 2014, or around €300 per person throughout the Union. This amount corresponds to around 1% of EU gross national income and approximately 2% of total public spending in the Member States.