HC Deb 07 July 1989 vol 156 c306W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the additional powers which the proposed financial regulation (10449/88) proposes to give to the European Commission.

Mr. Peter Brooke

[holding answer 19 June 1989]: The Commission's proposed reform of the financial regulation incorporates revisions which allow the Commission to

  1. (i) decide all transfers of differentiated payment appropriations in the Commission's section of the budget;
  2. (ii) decide transfers between chapters 29 (export refunds in connection with food aid) and 92 (food aid) of part IIIB of the budget;
  3. (iii) implement all of the Community's rights and obligations in ecu;
  4. (iv) prescribe implementing rules to impose penalties, in the form of interest payments, following advances and other payments from the Community Budget which fall to be repaid; and take decisions on the reuse of such advances;
  5. (v) reuse the proceeds of the sale of buildings;
  6. (vi) decide, under implementing rules and after consulting all other institutions, on various monetary amounts connected with contracts (amounts hitherto specified in the financial regulation);
  7. (vii) prescribe implementing rules for the use of electronic management and accounting systems;
  8. (viii) prescribe implementing rules applicable to the accounting officer and assistant accounting officers;
  9. (ix) prescribe implementing rules relating to the award of contracts, the keeping of inventories, the system of accounts and imprest accounting, all in connection with Community staff serving outside the Community.