92002E0337

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0337/02

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 February 2002)

Subject: Budget and costs of Convention on the Future of Europe

In the light of recently published information relating to high foreseen costs for the Convention on Europe's future, can the Commission confirm what the budget for this Convention will be? Further can the Commission provide details on the breakdown of this budget, in particular: how much of it will be dedicated to translation services, publications, expenses for the chairman and members of the Convention, and salary for the Convention chairman?

From which part of the European Union budget will this money be allocated?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-0139/02, E-0337/02 and E-0419/02given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2002)

The Parliament, the Council and the Commission have concluded on 28 February 2002 an inter-institutional agreement organising their contribution to the financing of the Convention on the future of Europe. This agreement is based on estimates for the Convention's budget amounting to EUR 4 million for the first budgetary year, running from March to December 2002.

This amount will be transferred from the general budget of the Union to a specific Fund outside the Community general budget, and will be shared as follows:

- EUR 1 million from section I (Parliament);

- EUR 0,4 million from section II (Council);

- EUR 2,6 million from section III (Commission) Part A.

These amounts represent 0,1 % of the administrative expenditure of each institution, excluding pensions.

An amending budget has been adopted on 28 February 2002 by the budgetary authority, creating the necessary lines and transferring the necessary appropriations to allow the implementation of these contributions.

According to the rules agreed by the three institutions, the Convention's budget should be adopted on the proposal of the Secretary-General of the Convention and with the agreement of the Parliament, the Council and the Commission.

In principle, the Convention's budget does not include the costs of travels and accomodation of members of the Convention (other than its Praesidium), covered by the Parliament, Member States and candidate countries where the members come from, the salaries of members of the Convention's Secretariat when they are seconded from Union institutions and some infrastructure costs (including interpretation, translation, buildings and personnel) covered by the three institutions hosting the Convention's meetings.