The European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) has delivered a favourable opinion on the nomination of Lucian Romascanu as a member of the European Court of Auditors on behalf of Romania, 22 to 2 and five abstentions, according to an announcement on the committee’s X account.
Romascanu was heard on Tuesday by the CONT Committee, being asked questions and having his skills as a candidate for the European Court of Auditors assessed, in particular in the light of the requirements laid down in Article 286(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It provides that ‘The members of the Court of Auditors shall be chosen from among persons who belong or have belonged in their respective states to external audit bodies or who are especially qualified for this office. Their independence must be beyond doubt.’
The CONT Committee delivers an opinion on the nomination of the candidate in the form of a recommendation to the plenary session. According to the CONT Committee’s social media post, the plenary vote will take place in the next plenary session, from March 31 to April 3. The EP opinion is advisory, but there have been candidates in the past having been withdrawn after a negative vote by the EU legislature.
The council, after consulting the European Parliament, shall adopt the list of members drawn up in accordance with the proposals made by each member state.
The members of the Court of Auditors shall be appointed for a term of six years. The term of office of the members of the Court of Auditors shall be renewable.
The members of the Court of Auditors may not, during their term of office, engage in any other occupation, whether gainful or not. When entering upon their duties they shall give a solemn undertaking that, both during and after their term of office, they will respect the obligations arising therefrom and in particular their duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance, after they have ceased to hold office, of certain appointments or benefits.
