Report | Doc. 11912 | 14 May 2009
Expenditure of the Parliamentary Assembly for the financial year 2010
(Former) Committee on Economic Affairs and Development
A. Draft opinion
(open)Appended to this opinion are:
i. a table of the requests for 2010, presented according to the results-based budgeting (RBB) method, the simplification of which led the secretariat of the Assembly to present the budget under a single activity area: functioning of the Assembly;
ii. a brief explanation of the main items of expenditure;
iii. a table setting out the Assembly’s work programme according to the RBB method.
Appendix 1 – Vote III of the ordinary budget – Expenditure of the Assembly
(open)
Vote III of the ordinary budget – Expenditure of the Assembly Titre III du budget ordinaire – Dépenses relatives à l’Assemblée |
Appropriations for 2010 Crédits demandés au budget de 2010 € |
---|---|
Head 0310 – Functioning of the Assembly Chapitre 0310 – Fonctionnement de l’Assemblée |
|
Dépenses de personnel/Staff expenditure Sub-heads/Articles |
|
0000001 – Remuneration of staff recruited on established posts Rémunération du personnel recruté dans le cadre des emplois permanents |
8 469 300 |
0000003 – Remuneration and accessory charges of temporary staff Rémunération et charges accessoires du personnel temporaire |
680 100 |
0000046 – Remuneration of staff on position Rémunération du personnel sur fonction à durée déterminée |
415 100 |
0000005 – Salary, allowances and social charges of the Secretary General of the Assembly Rémunération, indemnités et charges sociales du Secrétaire général de l’Assemblée |
257 100 |
0000007 – Overtime – statutory and other allowances Heures supplémentaires – indemnités statutaires et autres |
p.m. |
0000013 – Secondment of national civil servants to the Assembly Fonctionnaires nationaux mis à disposition de l’Assemblée |
p.m. |
0000016 – Recruitment, arrival and departure expenses – Home leave Frais de recrutement à l’arrivée et au départ – congé dans le pays d’origine |
31 300 |
Total Staff expenditure Total dépenses de personnel |
9 852 900 |
Supplies, services and other operational expenditure Dépenses de matériel et autres dépenses de fonctionnement Sub-heads/Articles |
|
0000054 – Equipment Equipement |
12 900 |
0000080 – Official journeys Frais de missions |
290 000 |
0000095 – Representational expenditure, other official expenditure and travelling expenses of members of the Assembly Dépenses de représentation, frais de fonction et déplacement des membres de l’Assemblée |
350 000 |
0000115 – Interpretation Interprétation |
1 771 300 |
0000116 – Translation Traduction |
514 800 |
0000124 – Publishing and printing Publications et impressions |
410 100 |
0000125 – Outsourced production of documents Production externalisée de documents |
33 000 |
0000129 – Consultation of experts Consultation d’experts |
131 600 |
0000162 – Expenditure pertaining to the Private Office of the President of the Assembly/ Dépenses du Cabinet du Président de l’Assemblée |
60 000 |
0000163 – Official expenses of the President of the Assembly Frais de fonction du Président de l’Assemblée |
90 000 |
0000166 – Expenses for inviting guests of the Parliamentary Assembly Dépenses d’accueil des invités de l’Assemblée parlementaire |
p.m. |
0000171 – Organisation of ad hoc conferences Organisation de conférences ad hoc |
125 000 |
0000204 – Modernisation of the Assembly’s equipment Modernisation de l’équipement de l’Assemblée |
p.m. |
0000205 – European prizes Prix européens |
83 000 |
0000206 – Operating and maintenance costs of the electronic voting system Coûts de maintenance et d’exploitation du vote électronique |
41 800 |
0000250 – Co-operation and monitoring programme Programme de coopération et du suivi des engagements |
694 300 |
0000370 – Allocation to Assembly’s political groups Dotation des groupes politiques de l’Assemblée |
726 800 |
0000392 – Other expenditure not specifically provided for in this vote Autres dépenses non spécialement prévues au présent titre |
100 000 |
Total supplies, services and other operational expenditure Total dépenses de matériel et autres dépenses de fonctionnement |
5 434 600 |
Total Vote III Total du titre III |
15 287 500 |
Election of judges Election des juges |
Appropriations for 2010 Crédits demandés au budget de 2010 € |
---|---|
Head 0310 – Functioning of the Assembly Chapitre 0310 – Fonctionnement de l’Assemblée |
|
0000046 – Remuneration of staff on position Rémunération du personnel sur fonction à durée déterminée |
54 000 |
Allocation to the special account «0186» PA Vote III Dotation au compte spécial «0186» AP titre III |
|
0000299 – Operational expenditure Dépenses opérationnelles |
20 000 |
Appendix 2 – Staff expenditure
(open)Vote III – Expenditure of the Assembly
This appropriation corresponds to the basic salaries, allowances (non-recurring and periodic) and social cover of the permanent staff of the secretariat of the Assembly (87 posts, including 1 specially appointed official) and of temporary staff (including 7 positions).
The Assembly currently has 10 committees, 9 of which have 84 members (with 84 alternates, except for the Monitoring Committee), while the 10th has 27 members (with no alternates). On 1 January 2009 the secretariat comprised 87 permanent posts, 7 positions and 1 specially appointed official, breaking down as follows:
Permanent posts:
1 specially appointed official |
||
1 A7 |
1 B6 |
1 C4 |
2 A6 |
4 B5 |
|
11 A5 |
16 B4 |
|
10 A4 |
13 B3 |
|
21 A2/A3 |
7 B2 |
Positions:
4 A1/2 |
1 B3 |
(1 B4/B5) |
2 B2 |
At present, the secretariat of the Assembly is organised so that the 10 Assembly committees have 52 staff members working for them (30 A-grade and 20 B-grade) and 2 staff on fixed-term positions (including 1 B4 assigned to an A-grade post).
The remaining 42 staff members (37 permanent posts and 5 fixed-term positions) work for the Bureau of the Assembly, the Private Office of the President of the Assembly, the Table Office, the Interparliamentary Co-operation and Election Observation Units, the Parliamentary Assistance Unit, the Administration, Human Resources and Finance Unit, the Communication Unit, the Information Technology Unit or the Research and Documentation Unit.
Previous years’ experience shows that the tasks of the seven positions are not linked with the implementation of a programme but correspond to permanent work financed by the general budget of the Assembly. Therefore, to conform with reality, the seven positions should be transformed into permanent posts.
Moreover, since the Assembly is responsible for electing the judges of the European Court of Human Rights with respect to each High Contracting Party, it wishes to set up a new unit within its secretariat to take charge of the entire election procedure, including communications with the High Contracting Parties. Part of the functions linked to this procedure are currently performed by the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs. The transfer of these responsibilities would also require the transfer of a B4/B5 post to the Assembly secretariat or the creation of a position at the same grade.
Supplies, services and other operational expenditure
Since 1975, following a decision by the Committee of Ministers, these allocations have been voted in the form of a single appropriation, which continues to be divided into sub-heads. If the Assembly wished to change the relative amounts in the package at a later date, either because of an overall reduction or for any other reason dictated by the implementation of the budget, such a change would be carried out by the Secretary General at the Assembly’s request and in accordance with Article 31 of the Financial Regulations.
To sum up, the draft budget for 2010 amounts to €15 287 500 in real terms (not including inflation and salary adjustments for 2010). The cost of a B4/B5 post, estimated at €54 000, linked to the procedure for the election of judges and a €20 000 allocation to special account “0186”, to meet the travel and subsistence expenses of candidates participating in the sub-committee’s interviews, should be added to this amount.
The appropriations can be analysed as follows:
Permanent and temporary staff: |
9 852 900 € |
Unit for the election of judges |
54 000 € |
Interpretation: |
1 771 300 € |
||
Translation: |
514 800 € |
||
Printing of documents: |
443 100 € |
||
Allocation to the political groups: |
726 800 € |
||
Sub-total |
13 308 900 € |
||
Activities: |
1 978 600 € |
Allocation to special account |
20 000 € |
Total |
15 287 500 € |
74 000 € |
---|
Despite the reduction in its appropriations, in 2010 the Assembly will continue its monitoring procedures, its election observation missions in member states, its interparliamentary co-operation programme and the part of the programme concerned with training parliamentary officials of Council of Europe member states and of other parliamentary institutions. The objective of these programmes is to reinforce co-operation with the national parliaments, to enhance the visibility of the Assembly’s activities and respond to issues and problems identified in various Assembly reports, including those issued by its Monitoring Committee.
The Assembly has a particular role to play here. This is because it is the only purely European parliamentary institution in which national delegations representing the 47 member states of the Council of Europe regularly come together (for twenty days per year during the part-sessions in Strasbourg, plus seventy to eighty days’ work between sessions on the occasion of the meetings of the committees and sub-committees, not to mention other meetings, such as Bureau meetings or those of the Standing Committee). The Assembly is the only organisation, apart from the European Parliament, that offers such a frequency and density of activity by members of national parliaments within a single international body.
The Assembly committees will continue to organise a number of thematic hearings and conferences (two or three major conferences). The Assembly will also continue to co-operate closely with the other European parliamentary assemblies (the European Parliament, those of the OSCE and the CIS, etc.), or international parliamentary assemblies (the Pan-African Parliament, the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, the Latin American Parliament,etc.).
In addition, pursuant to Resolution 1420 (2005) on prospects for peace in the Middle East and the decision of the Assembly Bureau on 18 March 2005, the Sub-Committee on the Middle East will continue its co-operation with the Knesset and the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Lastly, the allocation to the political groups is based on a lump sum for secretarial assistance to each of the existing groups and an additional per capita amount, which varies according to membership.
Appendix 3 – Functioning of the Assembly
(open)
Functioning of the Assembly |
|||
---|---|---|---|
Intervention logic |
Performance indicators |
Sources of verification |
Assumptions |
Activity area objective Ensure the smooth functioning of the session and of the Assembly’s various bodies. |
|||
Expected result 1 The part-sessions are efficiently organised and run, and satisfy Assembly members’ expectations. |
At least 50% of registered speakers are given the floor. Adopted texts are transmitted to the bodies concerned. |
List of speakers. Compilation of adopted texts. Minutes of the Bureau of the Assembly. Statement made by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly to the Ministers’ Deputies. |
Support from secretaries of national delegations |
Expected result 2 Committee meetings, seminars and conferences take place in accordance with members’ decisions. |
Committee meetings are planned. Meeting agendas, documents and reports are ready in good time. |
Agendas, synopses and minutes of committee meetings. Proceedings of seminars and conferences. |
Availability of members |
Expected result 3 Interparliamentary co-operation, observation of elections and assistance for national parliaments, is managed taking due account of political developments. |
Co-operation activities are brought into line with wishes and needs expressed. Election observation missions are organised in accordance with the decisions of the Bureau of the Assembly. |
List of activities. Reports on election observation missions. |
Support from parliaments and political groups |
Expected result 4 Raising of the Assembly’s external profile |
Media coverage of Assembly activities. Stock is taken of press releases and the number of visitors to the Assembly’s website. |
Press and news media (media analysis database, Factiva) Collection of statistics on media coverage. |
B. Explanatory memorandum, by Mr Paul Wille
(open)1. Explanatory memorandum
- its four-part plenary session;
- meetings of the Bureau and the Standing Committee between the part-sessions;
- meetings in either Strasbourg or Paris, lasting one or more days, at times other than the four part-sessions of the Assembly, for each of the 10 general committees, the sub-committees, the ad hoc committees of the Assembly or of the Bureau and specialised working parties;
- committee or sub-committee meetings outside Strasbourg or Paris;
- conferences, colloquies, seminars and parliamentary hearings;
- activities coming under the Assembly’s programme of interparliamentary co-operation;
- election observation;
- the work of the political groups.
To sum up the appropriations can be analysed as follows:
Permanent and temporary staff: |
9 852 900 € |
Unit for the election of judges |
54 000 € |
Interpretation: |
1 771 300 € |
||
Translation: |
514 800 € |
||
Printing of documents: |
443 100 € |
||
Allocation to the political groups: |
726 800 € |
||
Sub-total |
13 308 900 € |
||
Activities: |
1 978 600 € |
Allocation to special account |
20 000 € |
Total |
15 287 500 € |
74 000 € |
---|
Reporting committee: Committee on Economic Affairs and Development.
Reference to committee: Standing mandate.
Draft opinion adopted by the committee on 12 March 2009.
Members of the committee: Mr Márton Braun (Chairperson), Mr Robert Walter (Vice-Chairperson) (alternate: Baroness Detta O’Cathain), Mrs Doris Barnett (Vice-Chairperson), Mrs Antigoni Papadopoulos (Vice-Chairperson), Mr Ruhi Açikgöz, Mr Ulrich Adam, Mr Pedro Agramunt Font de Mora, Mr Roberto Antonione, Mr Robert Arrigo (alternate: Mrs Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca), Mr Zigmantas Balčytis, Mrs Veronika Bellmann, Mr Radu Mircea Berceanu, Mr Vidar Bjørnstad, Mr Luuk Blom, Mr Pedrag Bošković, Mrs Maryvonne Blondin, Mr Patrick Breen (alternate: Mr Frank Fahey), Mr Erol Aslan Cebeci, Mrs Elvira Cortajarena Iturrioz, Mr Valeriu Cosarciuc, Mr Joan Albert Farré Santuré, Mr Relu Fenechiu, Mr Guiorgui Gabashvili, Mr Marco Gatti, Mr Zahari Georgiev, Mr Paolo Giaretta, Mr Francis Grignon, Mrs Arlette Grosskost (alternate: Mr Michel Hunault), Mrs Azra Hadžiahmetović, Mrs Karin Hakl, Mr Norbert Haupert, Mr Stanislaw Huskowski, Mr Ivan Nikolaev Ivanov, Mr Igor Ivanovski, Mr Miloš Jevtić, Mrs Nataša Jovanović, Mr Antti Kaikkonen, Mr Emmanouil Kefaloyiannis, Mr Serhiy Klyuev, Mr Albrecht Konečný, Mr Bronislaw Korfanty, Mr Anatoliy Korobeynikov, Mr Ertuğrul Kumcuoğlu, Mr Flemming Damgaard Larsen, Mr Bob Laxton, Mr Harald Leibrecht, Mrs Anna Lilliehöök, Mr Arthur Loepfe, Mr Denis MacShane, Mr Yevhen Marmazov, Mr Jean-Pierre Masseret, Mr Miloš Melčák, Mr José Mendes Bota, Mr Attila Mesterházy, Mr Alejandro Muñoz Alonso (alternate: Mr Pedro María Azpiazu Uriarte), Mrs Olga Nachtmannová, Mrs Hermine Naghdalyan, Mr Gebhard Negele, Mrs Miroslawa Nykiel, Mr Mark Oaten, Mrs Ganira Pashayeva, Mrs Marija Pejčinović-Burić, Mr Viktor Pleskachevskiy, Mr Jakob Presečnik, Mr Maximilian Reimann, Mr Andrea Rigoni, Mrs Maria de Belém Roseira (alternate: Mr Maximiano Martins), Mr Giuseppe Saro, Mr Samad Seyidov, Mr Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, Mr Leonid Slutsky (alternate: Mrs Natalia Burykina), Mr Serhiy Sobolev, Mr Christophe Steiner, Mr Vyacheslav Timchenko(alternate: Mr Yury Isaev), Mrs Arenca Trashani, Mrs Ester Tuiksoo, Mr Oldřich Vojíř, Mr Konstantinos Vrettos, Mr Harm Evert Waalkens, Mr Paul Wille, Mrs Maryam Yazdanfar.
NB: The names of the members who took part in the meeting are printed in bold.
Secretariat of the committee: Mr Newman, Mr de Buyer and Mr Chahbazian.