Changes from plenary report to adopted text

148. Welcomes the fact that the Digital Signature Portal (DiSP) allows Members to digitally sign documents, which improves efficiency, traceability and transparency to the procedures, notes that, regardless of the possibility to send signed plenary AMs to the plenary services by email or via the EP Transfer portal, signing plenary amendments is still an outdated and burdensome procedure; calls on the Bureau to take the necessary steps for introducing the possibility for Members to sign plenary amendments digitally in the future;

Directorate-General for Security and Safety

149. Recalls that the Directorate-General for Security and Safety (DG SAFE) seeks to anticipate, prevent and mitigate security risks and threats to Parliament and its Members and staff by using a risk-based approach that takes into due consideration the democratic nature of the institution and the values it embodies, in particular openness and transparency; notes that by 31 December 2022, there were 882 members of staff, of which 170 were officials, 22 temporary agents and 690 contract agents;

150. Notes that DG SAFE’s final appropriations amounted to EUR 29 507 334 in 2022, representing 1,4 % of Parliament’s budget; highlights that, of that amount, a total of EUR 28 370 796 was committed; welcomes the high use of appropriations;

151. Welcomes the internalisation of general security services in Luxembourg which entered into force on 1 January 2022; confirms the difficulty of attracting and recruiting specialised staff from all Member States in the security field with the conditions offered under function group I; recalls the particular situation in Luxembourg, where the salary offered in this function group is lower than the national minimum inter-professional wage, forcing Parliament to resort to social compensation;

152. Points to the increased demand for DG SAFE to provide additional and exceptional security and safety services in all places of work for a growing number of large-scale events; recognises the challenge it represents for Parliament’s security services, which have a fixed number of agents, to positively respond to these growing needs;

153. Welcomes the return to normal of the level of visitors following the relaxation of COVID-related restrictions in 2022; is concerned that the lack of space in Brussels to welcome and accredit event and conference participants might pose a risk to Parliament’s security;

154. Stresses the importance of thorough forward planning for projects related to European Parliament Liaison Offices and Europa Experience Centres to be able to carefully estimate expenses for security and safety services and equipment;

Horizontal issues with implications on Parliament’s budget for the 2022 financial year

Harassment

155. Welcomes Parliament’s zero tolerance policy on harassment and the awareness-raising campaigns carried out; stresses that the Code of Appropriate Behaviour for Members of the European Parliament seeks to ensure that Members behave towards everyone working in Parliament with dignity, courtesy and respect and without prejudice or discrimination; recalls that in 2022, 56 MEPs participated in the training session; notes that, since November 2018, when the first sessions were offered, a total of 324 current MEPs (46%) had participated in the training session, plus 56 former Members whose mandate has ended; notes that in 2022, 106 members of staff and APAs had participated in anti-harassment training courses; notes with concern that cases of harassment are still occurring regardless of the activities being carried out to eliminate harassment in the work place;

156. Recalls that in previous discharges the implementation of mandatory anti-harassment training courses for all Members and APAs, as well as staff, including persons in managerial roles in the different Directorates-General and political groups was requested; acknowledges that to help build a better working environment in the European Parliament and avoid any abuse of power, on 10 July 2023, the Bureau further approved a training concept on successful team management as well as harassment prevention; welcomes the Bureau’s efforts to make the anti-harassment training session mandatory for all members as well as Heads of Unit, Directors and Directors-General;

Annual report on contracts awarded

168. Recalls that the Financial Regulation specifies the information to be provided to the budgetary authority and to the public concerning the award of contracts by Parliament; notes that the Financial Regulation requires publication of contracts awarded with a value greater than EUR 15 000, a value that corresponds to the threshold above which a competitive tendering procedure becomes compulsory; notes that, of a total of 194 contracts awarded in 2022, 63 were based on an open procedure, with a value of EUR 359,3 million, and 1 on a restricted procedure, with a value of EUR 460 000; notes that there 126 contracts were awarded by negotiated procedures, with a value of EUR 48 million;

169. Notes that the total amount of contracts awarded decreased in 2022 (194) compared to 2021 (221); notes the substantial reduction of the contracted amounts, which in 2022 reached EUR 410 million, compared to EUR 1 016 million in 2021;

170. Notes the following breakdown of contracts by type awarded in 2022 and 2021, including building contracts:

171. Notes the following breakdown of contracts awarded in 2022 and 2021 by type of procedure used, in terms of number and value:

Political groups (budget item 400)

172. Notes that, in 2022, the appropriations entered under budget item 400, attributed to the political groups and non-attached Members, were used as follows:

173. Welcomes the fact that independent external auditors for the political groups only issued unqualified opinions for the financial year 2022;

174. Recalls that these appropriations are intended to cover activities in connection with the Union’s political activities, and that political groups are responsible to Parliament for their use;

European political parties and European political foundations

175. Notes that, in 2022, the Authority gave European political parties and European political foundations the right to be heard as well as the opportunity for corrective measures in 9 cases; further notes that these were cases relating to reporting requirements, rules concerning revenue and joint activities; highlights that the Authority’s early scrutiny indicates that the immediately relevant corrective measures were implemented by the European political parties and foundations concerned in all these cases; takes note that the Authority will continue to monitor that corrective measures with a long-lasting effect will ensure sustained compliance in the areas concerned; welcomes the fact that no sanctions had to be adopted in 2022;

176. Welcomes the fact that in preparation for the 2024 European elections, the Authority is actively enhancing cooperation networks by exploring further partnerships in defence of democratic integrity;

177. Notes with concern that the Authority reports that it is facing constrained human resources; highlights that this issue is expected to become more pressing due to the evolving challenges in the run-up to the 2024 European elections, including, in particular ,the need to protect democratic integrity against novel forms of foreign interference, as well as the necessary administrative implementation of any new tasks that would arise for the Authority from the ongoing negotiations on a recast of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014;

178. Recalls the key role of a lively and resilient European democracy underpinned by pluralism of political parties at Union level; emphasises therefore that a level playing field has to be ensured and compliance has to be controlled with full respect for procedural rights; welcomes, in this respect, the essential work of the Authority, which independently and in close cooperation with Parliament ensures compliance of European political parties and foundations with the legal framework, provides transparency to citizens and contributes to the integrity of Parliament elections;

179. Notes that, in 2022, the appropriations entered under budget item 402 were used as follows:

180. Notes that, in 2022, the appropriations entered under budget item 403 were used as follows: