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10 October 1995
Doc. 7416
REPORT1 expressing an opinion on the budgets of the Council of Europe for the financial years 1995 and 1996
(Rapporteur Mr SCHREINER, France, European Democratic Group)
Summary
Each year, the Assembly is called upon to submit an opinion to the Committee of Ministers on the political implications of the Council of Europe budget as a whole. The Assembly makes general recommendations on the Council's operation, which are based on:
i. the budget for the current year (1995)
ii. budget forecasts for the following year (1996).
Regarding the 1995 budget, the Assembly notes malfunctioning due to zero growth, and this may imperil the fulfilment of the tasks deriving from the Vienna Summit (October 1993).
As to the 1996 budget, the Assembly considers that the Council of Europe should be granted all necessary resources to cope with its enlargement and accomplish the integration of the new member countries.
I. Draft opinion
1. The 1996 Council of Europe budget is being prepared, as before, with a view to implementing the decisions taken by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of Council of Europe Member States held in Vienna on 8 and 9 October 1993.
2. New accessions took place in 1995 and have had inevitable implications which the 1996 budget must take into account.
3. The Assembly has already expressed its deep concern over the decision taken by the Ministers' Deputies to impose zero growth on the Council's 1995 budget.
4. In this respect, the Assembly recalls its Recommendations 1038 (1986) and 1155 (1991) on the powers of the Assembly in budgetary matters and asks to be associated in the preparation of the budget of the Organisation, specifically as regards its Vote III (operating appropriations of the Assembly).
5. Consequently,
A. With regard to the 1995 budget, the Assembly
i. welcomes the improvements resulting from the new method for the calculation of member states' contributions to the Council of Europe budget;
ii. cannot but observe that the 1995 budget has led to restriction of activities in sectors which are vital to the Council's proper running;
iii. deplores the fact that no substantial alteration has been made to the establishment table, despite the work overload affecting all Secretariat departments and notwithstanding the new accessions which occurred in 1995, which were already foreseen when adopting the budget.
B. With regard to the budget prospects for 1996, the Assembly
i. considers that the Council of Europe should be provided with the necessary resources in order to enable it to realise its true pan-European dimension and fulfil its mission as guardian of democratic security throughout Europe, inter alia by keeping up the effort to discover alternative financing arrangements for certain sectors of activity;
ii. asks member states to pursue coherent policies regarding the role which they have assigned to the Council of Europe, and to consider the possibility of creating a specific heading for that purpose in national budgets;
iii. emphasises the fact that the Council of Europe's budget is comparatively modest;
iv. asks that the Council of Europe receive more favourable budgetary treatment in the years ahead, and reiterates its desire for the budget to be suitably increased at each accession;
v. calls on the Committee of Ministers to make a feasibility study on the introduction of programming over several years which would enable the Organisation to implement its allotted activities more effectively;
vi. asks that the Organisation be equipped with high-performance computerised management tools suited to its needs;
vii. reiterates its wish that a genuine information and communication policy be framed for the Council of Europe;
viii. encourages the Committee of Ministers to pursue its reflection on the reinforcement and redeployment of Secretariat staff;
ix. supports that the rationalisation drive for reallocation of resources to what are regarded as priority sectors should continue;
x. gives all its support to the Secretary General's initiative regarding the special programme for candidate countries.
II. Explanatory memorandum
A. Introduction
Each year, the Assembly is required to submit an opinion to the Committee of Ministers on the political implications of the Council of Europe budget as a whole. The Assembly's opinion makes general recommendations on the Council's operation, which are based on:
i. the budget for the current year (1995)
ii. budget forecasts for the following year (1996).
The most recent accounts approved by the Board of Auditors for the 1993 financial year will be examined in a separate report.
B. 1995 budget
i. General remarks
The 1995 budget once again indicates a budgetary standstill reflecting the financial difficulties with which several member states have to cope as well as all the problems resulting from monetary fluctuations.
Thus, the 1995 ordinary budget as approved by the Committee of Ministers (Resolution (94) 46) amounts to 800 million French francs, an increase of 16 million francs over 1993 representing a nominal growth of 2,04%.
The Committee of Ministers also approved the use of the credit balance of the 1993 ordinary budget totalling 35 million French francs for the financing of the expenditure detailed in the ad hoc supplement to the 1995 ordinary budget.
The 1995 budget has raised problems in implementing the programme of activities which, it should be recalled, was already curtailed in 1994. It is likely that these constraints will continue to impair the functioning of the Council.
Lastly, the Assembly welcomes the improvements resulting from the new method for the calculation of contributions, which has eliminated certain inequities thanks to a simplified computation of the proportions payable by the member states.
ii. Breakdown by votes
The breakdown of the ordinary budget by votes is given below. The figures quoted represent the appropriations made in 1995 plus the 1993 credit balance. Percentages are expressed in nominal terms and are calculated with reference to the year 1994.
— Vote I
(Common expenditure, expenditure on staff, buildings, equipment and publications)
This vote totals 473 642 670 FF (+6,2%).
In 1995 there was no change in the establishment table (creation or upgrading of permanent posts) apart from a small number of technical posts essential to the full commissioning of the new Human Rights Building. The rapporteur would nevertheless re-emphasise the work overload affecting the Secretariat departments, a situation which can only worsen with the prospect of new accessions.
— Vote II
(Expenditure pertaining to the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities)
The appropriations total 78 000 000 FF (-0,5%), which represents, in fact, an increase taking account the transfer of the appropriations of the Documentation Centre on Human Rights.
With regard to Vote II, Intergovernmental Programme of Activities, this is the first programme effectively implementing the decisions and strategies of the summit of heads of state and government who met in Vienna in October 1993. It was prepared according to new political priorities and completely reorganises the conventional intergovernmental programme.
For that reason, the rapporteur is unable to make a comparison with the work programmes for the previous financial years.
— Vote III
(Expenditure of the Parliamentary Assembly)
The Assembly's appropriations total 71 636 000 FF (+4,7%).
Here it should be noted that the appropriations also take in the co-operation programme, hitherto entered under Vote IX.
Its appropriations are seen to have risen slightly, albeit to only half the requested level, despite the zero growth. Head I (Staff) was allotted 53 218 000 FF (+1,9%), Head II (Allocation to the political groups) 3 281 000 FF (+6.5%) and Head III (Operational expenditure) 11 637 000 FF (+2,2%). Head IV (Interparliamentary co-operation) received the same appropriation as in 1994.
— Vote IV
(Operational expenditure of the European Court and Commission of Human Rights)
The appropriations total 113 261 000 FF (+2,9%), that is 46 225 000 FF (+3,4%) for the Court and 66 036 000 FF (+1,04%) for the Commission.
— Vote V
(Expenditure of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe)
The CLRAE's appropriations total 13 075 000 FF (+9,6%).
— Vote VI
(Sundry institutional expenditure)
The appropriations total 10 754 000 FF (+5,3%) and are apportioned between the European Social Charter (2 927 000 FF, that is + 1,1%) and the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture (7 827 000 FF, that is +6,9%).
— Vote VII
(European Commission against racism and intolerance and Human Rights Information Centre)
The appropriations (3 612 000 FF, that is 2 500 000 FF for the Human Rights Information Centre) are unchanged.
— Vote VIII
(Investment expenditure)
The appropriations approved total 12 600 000 FF (-37%).
— Vote IX
(Co-operation with the countries of central and eastern Europe)
This vote totals 51 000 000 FF (-6,3%).
iii. Partial agreements
Where the partial agreements are concerned, the increases are in the same percentage range:
—Eu ropean Pharmacopoeia (including subsidiary budget, extraordinary budget being excluded): 44 505 000 FF (that is -2,7%)—
—So cial Development Fund: 10 308 000 FF (that is +6,3%)—
—Po mpidou Group: 7 579 000 FF (that is +5,9%)—
—Eu ropean Support Fund for the Co-production and Distribution of Creative Cinematographic and Audiovisual Works ("Eurimages") (operational expenditure): 9 744 000 FF (that is +5,9%). The programme expenditure (national contributions) amounts to 132 256 000 FF for 1995 (that is +0,4%).iv
iv. Comparative tables
The following comparative tables are appended to this report:
—Ap pendix I — Table 1: budget figures for the last five financial years showing trends in appropriations, in francs—
—Ap pendix II — Table 2: ordinary budget 1995, breakdown by vote—
—Ap pendix III — Table 3: Ad hoc supplement to the 1995 ordinary budget—
—Ap pendix IV — Table 4: budget of the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities for 1995—
—Ap pendix V — Table 5: partial agreement budgets, compared with 1994.C.
C. 1996 budget
The 1996 budget is once more being prepared in the context of the continuing enlargement of the Council of Europe.
At the time of the preparation of this report, the process was marked by the accessions of Latvia, Albania and Moldova, bringing the number of member states to thirty-six.
In addition, at the time of writing, six parliaments hold special guest status with the Parliamentary Assembly (Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Russia and Ukraine). Opinions on the accession of two of these countries are being finalised by the Assembly: the forecoming accessions of new members will give new financial pressures.
The Secretary General, aware of the problems existing in the candidate countries, has proposed drawing up a special programme to help them resolve the difficulties of adoption to democracy of their institutional and legislative systems. The programme will accordingly enable them to achieve the closest possible approximation to Council of Europe standards and thus lay the foundations for a more stable society.
The special programme should have a separate budget for a period of thirty months.
i. 1996 ordinary budget
The Ministers' Deputies at their meeting on 11 July fixed the 1996 Council of Europe ordinary budget at 830 million French francs.
Thus, the 1996 ordinary budget is again subjected to the pressures generated by the poor economic climate prevailing in some Council of Europe member states, threatening to cause a reduction in activities as already observed during the 1995 financial year. Indeed, during this year, budgetary restrictions had then prompted the Council of Europe to limit some areas of common expenditure and activities under the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities.
The 1996 ordinary budget, as the 1995 budget, totally contradicts the decisions taken at the Vienna Summit in October 1993, when the heads of state and government expressed their determination to give the organisation the means to assert itself as a pan-European political institution.
The Assembly therefore asks, as already stated at several times, that this political will be reflected in the budget of the Council of Europe so that it may perform its role effectively and credibly.
The Assembly considers that the governments should give the Council of Europe the means to continue its policy of growth so that its operational resources can enable it to finalise the functions assigned to it. It must be stressed in this connection that the 1996 budget remains within quite conservative limits by comparison with the budgets of other European and international institutions.
The rapporteur therefore requests that the Assembly renews its support to Senator Jung's proposal to create a specific heading for the Council of Europe in national budgets.
In addition, programming of activities over several years accompanied by budget programming along the same lines would make for improvement in member states' forecasting of their contributions and also in the Council's preparation and management of its activities.
The general services (common expenditure under Vote I and investment expenditure under Vote VIII) have experienced an acute crisis owing to insufficient resources.
It would be necessary to call for an appraisal of possibilities for developing the computerised management and information processing system, and, in this context, provision should be made in the budget for a specific vote on computer investments. In fact the budget earmarked for capital investment in information technology and communications networks now comes under Vote VIII (Investment expenditure) which also covers expenditure on buildings, audiovisual resources and print shop equipment, whereas the budget relating to current expenditure on computer and telecommunications installations and equipment comes under Vote I (Expenditure on informatics and telecommunications).
As already pointed out, the effectiveness of the Council of Europe largely depends on the resources and quality of its Secretariat. Human and logistic resources must therefore continue to be adapted to the Council's allotted aims and functions.
The Organisation has had more and more to contend with a situation of overstretched resources. It is becoming imperative to consider the possibility of reinforcing the Secretariat, since the work performed increasingly tends not to meet the required standard of efficiency, it being impossible to demand constant additional efforts of staff members.
It should be necessary to encourage the Committee of Ministers and the Secretary General to pursue the reflection on the possibilities for reinforcement of the Secretariat and also for reallocation of posts among the departments to be further examined, in particular by redefining priorities according to sectors of activity. In this connection, the rapporteur points out that the Assembly has already commenced a review of its committee structures which takes into account the new requirements and the growing number of member states.
After making a great selection of priorities and some important measures of restructuration, the 1996 draft intergovernmental programme of activities (Vote II), will have additional means, mainly for the activities dealing with protection of minorities, youth (opening of the European Youth Centre in Budapest) and legal co-operation. This re-orientation, which reinforces the "Democratic Cohesion" and partly the "Cultural cohesion and cultural pluralism" in the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities, is in conformity with the will of adapting the co-operation between all the member states with the new priorities of the Organisation. Nevertheless, it should be ensured that in the future, this process will not weaken other traditional sector in which the Council of Europe has acquired a good reputation.
Concerning its own budget (Vote III) of the general budget, the Assembly, which takes the lead in co-operation with the countries of central and eastern Europe, and in the accession procedures, must obviously continue to receive budgetary priority. In this connection, it should be recalled that the Assembly has already expressed in its Recommendations 1038 (1986) and 1155 (1991) on the powers of the Assembly in budgetary matters, its wish to be given greater budgetary powers as befits any democratic parliamentary body.
ii. Special programme
Since 1990 the Council of Europe has expanded from twenty-three to thirty-six members. It now includes twelve countries of central and eastern Europe: Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Its phase of expansion is proceeding, with applications from the following countries: Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Russia and Ukraine.
The continuing enlargement and the role vested in the Council as receiving structure for the countries which emerged from the new democracies have shown that it is imperative for the Council of Europe to have the financial resources needed to implement its receptive policy and secure its credibility as the institution committed to uphold democracy, human rights and rule of law.
The Secretary General has therefore proposed establishing a supplementary budget altogether separate from the Council of Europe ordinary budget. Indeed the proposed special programme, unlike the programmes intended for the new member states, should be wholly directed at candidates for membership and their needs.
The programme, whose budget should amount to 116 million French francs for a period of some thirty months, would enable the Organisation to guarantee Europe's democratic security and stability in an effective manner by making support measures available to the candidate states and by ably assisting the progress of those not yet in compliance with Council of Europe standards.
Your rapporteur is of the opinion that the Assembly unreservedly supports this initiative, which will enable the Council of Europe to proceed with its enlargement and thus to affirm its pan-European nature.
D. Conclusions
The Council of Europe should be able to secure the resources needed to implement the political declarations made at the Vienna Summit in October 1993.
The Assembly, while aware of the member states' budgetary difficulties, must re-emphasise the coherent stance which they should adopt regarding the decisions taken. It also wishes to receive more favourable budgetary treatment in the years ahead.
In this respect, the Assembly should recall to the Committee of Ministers its wish to be involved in the discussion of the budget of the Organisation, specifically as regards its Vote III (operating appropriations).
A feasibility study on medium-term budget planning for greater flexibility in the adoption of the annual budgets should also be undertaken more thoroughly.
APPENDIX I
Table 12
Budget figures for the last five financial years showing trends in appropriations, in francs
|
Heads |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
Variations in nominal value compared to 1994 |
% variations |
|
General budget I. Common expenditure (staff, supplies, publications, information, etc.) II. Intergovernmental activities (Work Programme) III. Parliamentary Assembly a. Staff b. Political Groups c. Budgetary package d. Interparliamentary activities Total IV. Court and Commission of Human Rights and Tribunal in matters of state immunity V. Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe VI. Sundry institutional expenditure (Social Charter and European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment) VII. European Youth Foundation Ad hoc Committee of Government Experts on the Combat Against Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Intolerance VIII. Investment expenditure IX. Contacts and co-operation with central and east European countries |
336 688 000 69 063 000 (38 960 000) (3 167 000) (6 469 000) / 47 596 000 66 590 000 5 872 000 7 286 000 2 490 000 / 20 580 000 16 329 000 _______ ______ 572 494 000 |
372 449 000 84 653 000 (42 326 000) (2 221 000) (8 000 000) / 52 447 000 82 752 000 7 587 000 8 571 000 2 654 000 / 20 000 000 34 807 000 665 920 000 |
424 827 000 80 456 000 (47 255 000) (2 781 000) (10 267 000) / 60 303 000 100 913 000 9 180 000 9 765 000 / / 17 000 000 41 423 000 743 867 000 |
446 021 000 78 320 000 (52 272 000) (3 081 000) (9 587 000) / 64 940 000 110 071 000 11 931 000 10 217 000 / 3 600 000 20 000 000 38 900 000 784 000 000 |
473 022 000 77 500 000 (53 218 000) (3 281 000) (11 637 000) (2,500,000)3 70 636 000 112 261 000 12 575 000 10 754 000 / 3 612 000 12 600 000 38 040 000 800 000 000 |
+ 27 001 000 - 820 000 (+ 1 046 000) (+200 000) (+2 050 000) (2 500 000) +5 696 000 +2 190 000 +644 000 +537 000 - - 7 400 000 - 375 960 +13 912 000 |
+ 6,1 % - 1,1 % + 2 % +6,5% +2,13% - +8,8% + 2% +5,4% +5,3% - -37% -1% +2,04% |
APPENDIX II
Table 2
Ordinary budget 1995
Breakdown by vote
|
Details |
Appropriation |
|
VOTE I — Common expenditure VOTE II — Expenditure pertaining to Intergovernemental Programme of Activities VOTE III — Expenditure of the Parliamentary Assembly VOTE IV — Operational expenditure of the European Court and Commission of Human Rights and the European Tribunal in matters of state immunity VOTE V — Expenditure of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe VOTE VI — Sundry institutional expenditure VOTE VII — European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance and Human Rights Information Centre VOTE VIII — Investment expenditure VOTE IX — Assistance for developing and consolidating democratic security (ADACS) Total for financial year 1995 : |
473 022 000 77 500 000 70 636 000 112 261 000 12 575 000 10 754 000 3 612 000 1 600 000 38 040 000 800 000 000 |
APPENDIX III
Table 3
Ad hoc supplement to the 1995 ordinary budget
(Credit balance of the 1995 ordinary budget)
|
Corresponding Sub-head |
Details |
Amount |
|
1104 230 3401 4505 5209 7000 8101 8102 9102 9103 9104 |
Remuneration and accessory charges for temporary staff Grant to the Cultural Fund Co-operation programme of the Assembly Consultants, organisation and methods study Contribution of the CRLAE to the Council of Europe Campaign on Xenophobia Contribution to the Council of Europe Campaign on Xenophobia Investment expenditure concerning buildings Computerisation and communications systems "Demosthenes" programme "Demosthenes B" programme Contribution to "Themis" and "Lode" programmes TOTAL: |
620 670 500 000 1 000 000 1 000 000 500 000 7 400 000 5 500 000 5 500 000 960 000 2 000 000 10 000 000 34 980 670 |
APPENDIX IV
Table 4
Budget of the Intergovernmental Programme of
Activities for 1995
(Vote II of the ordinary budget)
|
Intergovernmental Programme of Activities for 1995 Vote II |
Appropriations |
Percentage of total vote |
|
I. Democratic cohesion: — Democracy — Human Rights — Rule of law II. Social cohesion and quality of life — Social policies — Health — Environment and rational regional/spatial management III. Cultural cohesion and cultural pluralism — Education, higher education, culture and heritage — Youth Total vote II : |
22 359 000 13 525 000 41 363 000 77 500 000 |
29 % 17,5 % 53,5% 100 % |
APPENDIX V
Table 5
Partial agreements
|
1994 budget |
1995 budget |
Difference in nominal terms | |
|
PA Social and Public Health Field European Phamacopoeia Social Development Fund Pompidou Group PA Natural Disaster Protection and Relief Eurimages — Operational expenditure — Programme expenditure PA European Commission for Democracy Through Law Lisbon Centre Youth Centre Graz Centre |
8 927 000 45 744 0004 9 706 000 7 157 000 13 049 000 9 204 000 131 796 000 7 661 000 4 969 096 528 000 - |
9 271 000 44 505 000 10 308 000 7 579 000 13 242 000 9 744 000 132 256 000 8 626 000 not disclosed 540 000 7 778 364 |
3,9% -2,7% 6,3% 5,9% 1,5% 5,9% 0,4% 12,6% - 2,3% - |
Reporting committee: Committee on the Budget and the Intergovernmental Work Programme.
Budgetary implications for the Assembly: the report makes general proposals for the 1996 budget but without specifying the desired rate of growth. The committee's proposals for the programme — budget for the Assembly's 1996 operational expenditure appeared in Opinion No. 187 (1995).
Reference to committee: standing mandate.
Draft opinion unanimously adopted by the committee on 26 September 1995.
Members of the committee: Sir Keith Speed (Chairman), Mr Cox (Vice-Chairman) (Alternate: Mr Redmond), Miss Özver (Vice-Chairperson), MM. Adamiak, Behrendt, Mrs Belohorska, MM. Biefnot, Bokov, Boucheron, Bugli, Mrs Calner, Mr Eörsi, Mrs Fernandez Sanz, Mrs Isohookana-Asunmaa, MM. Jagmetti, Jónsson, Kaalund, Kolár, Martins, Mattina, Mautner-Markhof, Mitchell, Motiu, Muravschi, Mrs van Nieuwenhoven, MM. Panteļējevs, Pavlidis, Pukl, Ragno, Mrs Ringstad, MM. Schreiner, Siebert, Theis
N.B. The names of members who took part in the meeting are printed in italics.
Secretary a.i. to the committee: Ms Nollinger.
1 1By the Committee on the Budget and the Intergovernmental Work Programme.
2 1 The appropriations appearing in this table do not incorporate the credit balance.
3 2 The interparliamentary activities have been transferred from Vote IX to Vote III.
4 1 Including extraordinary budget