At a Glance – Control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank (EIB) – Annual report 2019 – 01-07-2021

On 3 September 2020, the European Commission published its 31st annual report on the fight against fraud affecting EU financial interests, covering the year 2019. In total, 11 726 irregularities were reported to the Commission, 2 % fewer than in 2018. They involved approximately €1.6 billion, 34 % less than in the previous year. Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control has adopted a report on the Commission’s annual report, which is due to be discussed and voted during the July plenary session.

Source : © European Union, 2021 – EP

In June 2018, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal on a European Defence Fund, including a budget allocation of €11.5 billion in constant 2018 prices for the 2021-2027 period. The proposal aimed to streamline and simplify the set-up in place at the time by integrating the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (research window) and the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (as one part of the capability window) into a single Fund. The main aims of the Fund would be to foster the competitiveness and innovativeness of European defence and to contribute to the EU’s strategic autonomy. In this regard, the Fund would inter alia support collaborative industrial projects; co finance the costs of prototype development; encourage the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises; and promote projects in the framework of permanent structured cooperation. Synergies were expected with other EU initiatives in the field of cybersecurity, maritime transport, border management, Horizon Europe, the space programme and the European Peace Facility. In April 2019, after several trilogue meetings, Parliament and Council reached a partial agreement on the Fund, covering the content, but not, among other things, budgetary issues. Parliament adopted its position at first reading in April 2019. A provisional political agreement on the outstanding issues was reached in December 2020. The Council adopted its first-reading position in March 2021 and the Parliament adopted the text at second reading on 29 April. The final act was published in the Official Journal on 12 May.

Source : © European Union, 2021 – EP