COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS BUDGET DISCHARGE MATCHED WITH STRONG CRITICISMS.

The European Parliaments Committee on Budgetary Control has decided to propose a budgetary discharge to the EU Committee of the Regions for 2002, but matched with strong criticisms. The discharge to the CoR for 2001 was only granted in January of this year owing to "serious concerns", including over the reimbursement of travel expenses to certain members and management of certain tendering procedures. OLAF the Anti-Fraud Office had turned in a very critical report. With its adoption of the report by Gabriele Stauner (EPP-ED, Germany) on March 29, the European Parliament Committee stated that the reforms being carried out by the CoR were on the right track but the...