Press Release: The 2007 budgetary discharge

Siim Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud, European Parliament plenary, Strasbourg, 21 April 2009.

MEPs voted on the 23 April 2009 to postpone approving the EU Council of Ministers' spending for 2007. A majority 571 against 41 of MEPs (with 21 abstentions) of Parliament's plenary said Council's administrative spending had in fact become increasingly operational, and that Parliament should therefore have scrutiny over the Council budget. Yet the Council has consistently refused to give the committee the facts.

All the other EU Institutions and agencies got their approval, Discharge to the European Commission, which, with the Member States, is responsible for spending the bulk of the EU budget on various policies, was given by 415 votes in favour and 72 against, with 11 abstentions.

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 23.4.09: Factsheet: Discharge 2007 (following the vote by the European Parliament in plenary) http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/misc/107346.pdf

European Parliament: Press Release, 23.4.09: MEPs vote to postpone approving the Council of Ministers 2007 budget http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/035-54166-111-04-17-905-20090422IPR54165-21-04-2009-2009-false/default_en.htm

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