Court of Auditors report on financial assistance provided to countries in difficulties

28.1.2016

Question for written answer E-000777-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Elisa Ferreira (S&D)

The European Court of Auditors has just published a special report entitled ‘Financial assistance provided to countries in difficulties’. This detailed technical report is highly critical of the Commission, which is jointly responsible for the design and monitoring of assistance programmes.

Many of the criticisms made by the Court of Auditors confirm the conclusions already reached by Parliament in its report of 28 February 2014 on the operations of the Troika in the euro area programme countries.

The Commission has given a vague and generic response to the Court’s criticisms.

1. What specific measures is the Commission implementing in order to remedy the shortcomings detected? Is it prepared, within the framework of its institutional responsibilities, to present the changes made to Parliament and give firm commitments to modify the procedures criticised by both the Court of Auditors and Parliament?

2. What changes is the Commission making to the assistance programmes still underway, notably in Greece, in order to correct the serious errors described?

3. Can the Commission guarantee that the action it takes to exercise its responsibilities in the context of economic governance rules is not and will not involve errors and procedures similar to those that have been criticised?