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having regard to the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2004 (1),

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having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Communities for the financial year 2004, Volume III (N6-0027/2005 — C6-0362/2005),

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having regard to the Court of Auditors' annual report for the financial year 2004, accompanied by the replies of the institutions audited (2),

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having regard to the statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors pursuant to Article 248 of the EC Treaty (3),

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having regard to the Council's recommendation of 14 March 2006 (5971/2006 — C6-0092/2006),

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having regard to Articles 272(10), 275 and 276 of the EC Treaty,

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having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (4), and in particular Articles 50, 86, 145, 146 and 147 thereof,

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having regard to the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977 applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (5),

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having regard to Rule 71 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

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having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A6-0114/2006),

1.

Notes that in 2004 the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) administered a budget of EUR 103 000 000 with a utilisation rate of 88,56 % (2003: 98,12 %);

2.

Notes, as stated in paragraph 9.23 of the Court of Auditors' annual report, that the internal control standards were approved in July 2004 but that not all the measures needed to achieve full compliance with them have yet been taken;

3.

Notes in relation to the Court of Auditor's findings at paragraph 9.7 of its annual report concerning the transfer of part of staff emoluments with the application of a weighting coefficient the significant number of cases not supported by adequate evidence of the officials' right to the transfers requested; notes that according to information provided by the EESC corrective measures were taken in 2005;

4.

Recalls the EESC's assurance given in 2004 that there had been no further irregularities whatsoever with regard to the payment of its Members' travel expenses (6); points out that the Court of Auditors nevertheless referred in its annual report on the 2003 financial year, published in November 2004, to three cases in which the travel allowance paid to Members was twice the amount set out in the Committee's own rules; notes that the Belgian prosecution service has opened a formal investigation based on a finding by OLAF of strong prima facie evidence that up to EUR 45 000 in expenses was wrongfully claimed by an EESC Member over a six-year period; is aware that the EESC voted to lift the immunity of the Member concerned and that a judgment of the competent Belgian court is expected before the end of 2006;

5.

Notes that in 2004 the EESC changed its internal rules so as to designate a vice-president to be responsible for budgetary matters and for relations with Parliament;

6.

Welcomes the fact that the EESC has forwarded the annual activity report, including a report by the internal auditor and accompanied by the statement of assurance by the authorising officer by delegation;

7.

Notes the EESC Secretary-General's reservation regarding the assurance of salary calculations through new payroll application (NAP) software during the 2004 financial year, and that this matter is also described in paragraph 9.5 of the Court of Auditor's report;

8.

Points to the following findings arising from the annual activity report:

9.

Notes that in addition to its move to the recently completed Belliard building, the EESC, together with the Committee of the Regions, has a buildings programme comprising four other buildings (Belliard 68, Belliard 96, Trèves and Remorqueur) and will require further office accommodation for future enlargements;

10.

Awaits the results of the Court of Auditors' audit of the acquisition and renovation procedures for all buildings shared by the Committee of the Regions and the EESC, including the Belliard I and II buildings; believes there should be an audit of the Montoyer renovation as well; points out that renting buildings would significantly reduce the risks involved for small institutions and that this solution should be considered as a serious alternative for future building projects; approves the fact that, as a result of the policy on sensitive functions, the head of the infrastructure unit has changed position and that a new recruitment process for this post is ongoing;

11.

Welcomes the fact that the annual activity report includes the results of ex-post controls in accordance with Article 52 of Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (7), which provides as follows:

‘The result of the ex post verifications shall, with other matters, be set out in the annual activity report submitted by the authorising officer by delegation to his institution’;

12.

Believes that in this respect the EESC's example could usefully be followed by other institutions.