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The Court of Auditors was set up in 1975. It
is based in Luxembourg. The Court’s job is to
check that EU funds are managed properly so
that the citizens of the Union get maximum
value for money. It has the right to audit any
person or organisation handling EU funds.
The Court has one member from each EU
country, appointed by the Council for a renew-
able term of six years. The members elect one
of them as President for a renewable term of
three years. Hubert Weber has been President
of the Court of Auditors since January 2005.
What does the Court do?
The Court’s main role is to check that the EU
budget is correctly implemented — in other
words, that EU income and expenditure is
obtained, spent and recorded legally and to
ensure sound fi nancial management. So its
work helps guarantee that the EU system op-
erates economically, effi ciently, effectively
and openly.
To carry out its tasks, the Court can investi-
gate the paperwork of any person or organi-
sation handling EU income or expenditure. It
frequently carries out on-the-spot checks. Its
fi ndings are written up in reports which bring
any problems to the attention of the Commis-
sion and EU member state governments.
To do its job effectively, the Court of Auditors
must remain completely independent of the
other institutions but at the same time stay in
constant touch with them.
One of its key functions is to help the Euro-
pean Parliament and the Council by present-
ing them every year with an audit report
on the previous fi nancial year. Parliament
examines the Court’s report in detail before
deciding whether or not to approve the Com-
mission’s handling of the budget. If satisfi ed,
the Court of Auditors also sends the Council
and Parliament a statement of assurance that
European citizens’ money has been properly
used.
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KEY FACTS
The European Court
of Auditors:
getting value for
your money
ROLE //
To check that EU funds are used properly
MEMBERS //
One from each EU country
TERM OF OFFICE //
Members are appointed for a renewable term of six years
ADDRESS //
12 rue Alcide de Gasperi, L-1615 Luxembourg
TEL. //
(352) 43 98-1
INTERNET //
eca.europa.eu
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Finally, the Court informs citizens of the
results of its work through reports on subjects
of particular interest.
How is the Court’s work
organised?
The Court of Auditors has approximately 800
staff, including translators and administrators
as well as auditors. The auditors are divided
into ‘audit groups’. They prepare draft reports
on which the court takes decisions.
The auditors frequently go on tours of inspec-
tion to the other EU institutions, the member
states and any country that receives aid from
the EU. Indeed, although the Court’s work
largely concerns money for which the Com-
mission is responsible, more than 80% of
EU expenditure is managed by the national
authorities.
The Court of Auditors has no legal powers of
its own. If auditors discover fraud or irregulari-
ties they inform OLAF — the European Anti-
Fraud Offi ce. OLAF is a department of the
European Commission with a special status
which ensures total autonomy.
Ear tags on cows help EU auditors keep track of where EU money has been spent.
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Founded in 1957 under the Treaty of Rome,
the European Economic and Social Commit-
tee (EESC) has 344 members. The number
from each EU country roughly refl ects the size
of its population. The numbers per country
are as follows:
France, Germany, Italy and the
United Kingdom
24
Poland and Spain
21
Romania
15
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary,
the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden 12
Denmark, Finland, Ireland,
Lithuania and Slovakia
9
Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia
7
Cyprus and Luxembourg
6
Malta 5
Total 344
The EESC is a consultative body that gives
representatives of Europe’s interest groups,
such as employer organisations and trade
unions, and other ‘organised civil society’
bodies, such as consumer associations,
a formal platform to express their points
of view on EU issues.
The members are nominated by the EU gov-
ernments but they work in complete political
independence. They are appointed for four
years, and may be reappointed.
The Committee meets in plenary assembly,
and its discussions are prepared by six sub-
committees known as ‘sections’, each dealing
with particular policy areas. It elects its Presi-
dent and two Vice-Presidents for a two-year
term. Dimitris Dimitriadis became President
of the EESC in October 2006.
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The European Economic
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voice of civil society
KEY FACTS
ROLE //
Represents organised civil society
MEMBERS //
344
TERM OF OFFICE //
Four
years
MEETINGS //
Brussels,
monthly
ADDRESS //
Rue Belliard 99, B-1040 Brussels
TEL. //
(32-2) 546 90 11
INTERNET //
eesc.europa.eu
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What does the EESC do?
The European Economic and Social Commit-
tee has three main roles:
•
to advise the European Parliament, Council
of the European Union and the European
Commission, either at their request or on
the Committee’s own initiative;
•
to encourage civil society to become more
involved in EU policymaking;
•
to bolster the role of civil society in non-
EU countries and to help set up advisory
structures.
The Committee’s opinions are forwarded
to the larger institutions — the Council, the
Commission and the European Parliament.
It must be consulted before decisions are
taken on economic and social, regional and
environment policy. It thus has a key role to
play in the Union’s decision-making process.
The EESC is a bridge between the Union and
its citizens, promoting a more participatory,
more inclusive and therefore more democratic
society in Europe.
Who are the EESC’s members?
Working mostly in their countries of origin the
members of the Committee form three groups
that represent employers, employees, and vari-
ous other economic and social interests.
The Employers’ Group has members from pri-
vate and public sectors of industry, small and
medium-sized businesses, chambers of com-
merce, wholesale and retail trade, banking and
insurance, transport and agriculture.
The Employees’ Group represents all cat-
egories of employees, from manual to execu-
tive. Its members come from national trade
union organisations.
The Various Interests Group represents non-
governmental organisations (NGOs), farm-
ers’ organisations, small businesses, crafts
and professions, cooperatives and non-profi t
associations, consumer and environmental
organisations, the scientifi c and academic
communities, and associations that represent
the family and the disabled.
Organisations representing the interests of the family are among the many groups in society whose voice is
expressed through the EESC.
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Set up in 1994 under the Treaty on European
Union, the Committee of the Regions (CoR)
has 344 members. The number from each EU
country approximately refl ects its population
size, as follows:
France, Germany, Italy and
the United Kingdom
24
Poland and Spain
21
Romania 15
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary,
the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden 12
Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania,
Slovakia and Finland
9
Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia
7
Cyprus and Luxembourg
6
Malta 5
Total 344
It is an advisory body composed of repre-
sentatives of Europe’s regional and local
authorities. The CoR has to be consulted
before EU decisions are taken on matters
such as regional policy, the environment,
culture, education and transport — all of which
concern local and regional government.
The members of the Committee are elected
members of, or key players, in local or region-
al authorities in their home region. They are
nominated to the Committee by the national
governments and appointed by the Council
of the European Union for four years. They
may be reappointed. Each country chooses
its members in its own way, but the mix
must refl ect political and geographical bal-
ances. If they lose their electoral mandate at
home, they will have to stand down from the
Committee.
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The Committee
of the Regions:
voice of regional
and local government
KEY FACTS
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ROLE //
Represents regional and local authorities
MEMBERS //
344
TERM OF OFFICE //
Four
years
MEETINGS //
Brussels,
fi ve plenary sessions per year
ADDRESS //
Rue Belliard 101, B-1040 Brussels
TEL. //
(32-2) 282 22 11
INTERNET //
cor.europa.eu
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