Debate on budget priorities planned

Date: 09/11/1995

THE European Commission will hold a policy debate in January to determine its budgetary and staffing priorities for the following 12 months.

The innovation is part of the second phase of moves towards tighter internal financial management that Personnel Commissioner Erkki Liikanen and Anti-Fraud Commissioner Anita Gradin intend to introduce in the coming months.

Liikanen pledged this week that, in future, the full cost of any Commission proposal will be spelt out in financial statements which will be made available to MEPs and to EU governments. “The Commission must be able to prove to taxpayers that Community funds will give high value for money,” he said.

This will involve establishing the full costs, including administrative expenditure, of EU policies when decisions are taken, monitoring all stages of their implementation and taking these into account when considering whether to renew programmes or not.

The Commission is also aiming to upgrade budget and administrative posts within the institution to make them more attractive and considered as essential experience for promotion. This will involve specialised recruitment competitions and expansion of in-house training.

Liikanen said: “The role of the budgetary and financial units in each directorate-general will be strengthened. They will report to the highest level and will scrutinise all initiatives with financial implications.”