43. Is satisfied that the reform of the rules governing the functioning of OLAF has finally been adopted, and welcomes the Commission Communication on ‘Improving OLAF’s governance and reinforcing procedural safeguards in investigations: a step-by-step approach to accompany the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office’; notes the initial effects of the reorganisation and restructuring of OLAF’s investigative procedures which are supposed to lead to a clarification of the procedural rights of those who are subject to investigation, better cooperation and dialogue with OLAF’s partners, more efficient investigation procedure ...[+++]s and a shortening of the average length of time for processing investigations, in particular at the stage of case selection; notes, nevertheless, that on 1 February 2012 a total of 421 cases were opened all at once and later closed during 2012, with most of them not carrying any recommendations; notices, furthermore, that many cases older than 24 months were closed in 2012, with the risk that recommendations may not have been made at the time of closing; notes, furthermore, that this one-time effect is responsible for a shorter average duration of investigations;

43. Is satisfied that the reform of the rules governing the functioning of OLAF has finally been adopted, and welcomes the Commission Communication on ‘Improving OLAF’s governance and reinforcing procedural safeguards in investigations: a step-by-step approach to accompany the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office’; notes the initial effects of the reorganisation and restructuring of OLAF’s investigative procedures which are supposed to lead to a clarification of the procedural rights of those who are subject to investigation, better cooperation and dialogue with OLAF’s partners, more efficient investigation procedure ...[+++]s and a shortening of the average length of time for processing investigations, in particular at the stage of case selection; notes, nevertheless, that on 1 February 2012 a total of 421 cases were opened all at once and later closed during 2012, with most of them not carrying any recommendations; notices, furthermore, that many cases older than 24 months were closed in 2012, with the risk that recommendations may not have been made at the time of closing; notes, furthermore, that this one-time effect is responsible for a shorter average duration of investigations;

97. Welcomes and echoes the April 2013 report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation concerning Western Sahara, which stresses ‘the critical importance of addressing the Western Sahara conflict as part of a broader strategy for the Sahel’, and the fact that ’the issue of human rights remains important for any resolution of the conflict’; notes that the ongoing conflicts in the Sahel, in particular the presence of terrorist groups, such as AQIM in northern Mali and southern Algeria, are factors which risk destabilising Western S ...[+++]ahara, as well as the wider region; notes, furthermore, the negative impact of the conflict on regional integration, which should involve Morocco and Algeria, and which could offer significant opportunities for democratisation and economic development, enhancing human security throughout the Sahel and Sahara;

100. Welcomes and echoes the April 2013 report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation concerning Western Sahara, which stresses ‘the critical importance of addressing the Western Sahara conflict as part of a broader strategy for the Sahel’, and the fact that ‘the issue of human rights remains important for any resolution of the conflict’; notes that the ongoing conflicts in the Sahel, in particular the presence of terrorist groups, such as AQIM in northern Mali and southern Algeria, are factors which risk destabilising Western ...[+++]Sahara, as well as the wider region; notes, furthermore, the negative impact of the conflict on regional integration, which should involve Morocco and Algeria, and which could offer significant opportunities for democratisation and economic development, enhancing human security throughout the Sahel and Sahara;

10. Notes the Court of Auditors' observations of weaknesses in the system for reconciling suppliers' statements with the corresponding records at the Agency; takes note of the Agency's reply that most of the public entities do not have centralised accounting systems and some of them do not implement accrual-based accounting, making the process of vendor balances' reconciliation difficult; notes the Agency's commitment to make contact with the national authorities to try to implement alternative procedures with a view to reconciling its balances with those of its suppliers; calls on the Agency to regularly inform the discharge authority of the progress mad ...[+++]e with the national authorities to solve the issue;

– takes note of information published in the media, according to which the French authorities have arrested two members of a national political party who were in possession of a large sum of money and who allegedly stated that these funds had been paid to a Member of the European Parliament in connection with his activities.