Budgetary Control Committee approves Court of Auditors candidates

Ten candidate members of the EU Court of Auditors were approved by the Budgetary Control Committee on Tuesday, after five hours of hearings. The next step is Parliament's plenary vote, which is necessary to appoint the new members.

"All the votes were favourable. The candidates were very well prepared. They were very interested in the work of the Budgetary Control Committee. We are satisfied", said Inés Ayala Sender (S&D, ES), the committee member responsible for the hearings.

The European Court of Auditors has member from each EU Member State. On 6 May, nine mandates will expire. In addition, the Irish post has been vacant since Máire Geoghegan-Quinn resigned to become a European Commissioner. The committee thus heard seven new candidates and three current members seeking renewed mandates.

• The ten candidates were approved as follows:

• Szabolcs Fazakas, Hungary - 13 votes in favour, 9 against and 2 abstentions

• Rasa Budbergytė, Lithuania - 21 votes in favour, 1 against and 2 abstentions

• Louis Galea, Malta - 21 votes in favour, 2 against and 1 abstentions

• Augustyn Bronisław Kubik, Poland - 22 votes in favour, 0 against and 2 abstentions

• Ladislav Balko, Slovakia - 22 votes in favour, 0 against and 2 abstentions

• Eoin O'Shea, Ireland - 21 votes in favour, 0 against and 3 abstentions

• Milan Martin Cvikl, Slovenia - 21 votes in favour, 1 against and 2 abstentions

• Jan Kinšt, Czech Republic (renewal) - 22 votes in favour, 0 against and 2 abstentions

• Kersti Kaljulaid, Estonia (renewal) - 22 votes in favour, 0 against and 2 abstentions

• Igors Ludboržs, Latvia (renewal) - 21 votes in favour, 0 against and 3 abstentions

Although it is the Council of Ministers that formally decides on the appointments, co-operation with the European Parliament, and particularly its Budgetary Control Committee, is crucial for members of the Court of Auditors. During the hearings, the candidates said that they would withdraw their candidatures if they are not approved by Parliament.

The Irish candidate would serve for the remaining two years of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn's mandate. The other nine candidates would be appointed for six years.

As the Court of Auditors' role is to check that EU funds are correctly spent and accounted for, it works closely with the Budgetary Control Committee, which also scrutinises EU spending and assesses whether the EU institutions should be granted discharges for their budget management.

The plenary votes are scheduled for 25 March in Brussels.

Inthe chair: Luigi DE MAGISTRIS (ALDE, IT)

15 and 16.03.2010