Regulation of the Independent Supervisory Commission of the Vicariate of Rome (14 February 2023)

"In implementation of Article 31 of the Apostolic Constitution In Ecclesiarum Communione, the Independent Supervisory Commission is instituted as the internal control body of the Vicariate of Rome and of the offices, organs and agencies, as well as of the administrations that, for whatever reason, depend on the Vicariate or are dependent on it …"
 

Art. 1

Establishment

§1 In implementation of Article 31 of the Apostolic Constitution In Ecclesiarum Communione, the Independent Supervisory Commission is instituted as the internal control body of the Vicariate of Rome and of the offices, organs and agencies, as well as of the administrations that, for whatever reason, depend on the Vicariate or are dependent on it, whatever autonomy they may enjoy, including those subject to the power of direction or majority control of the Vicariate.

§2 The Commission referred to in §1 shall be appointed by the Holy Father for a three-year term and made up of six members, of proven legal, civil and canonical, financial and administrative competence, who may be reappointed for one further term, even consecutively.

Article 2

Tasks and Functions

§1 The Independent Supervisory Commission shall monitor the proper functioning of the offices and Courts, the administrative, economic and work performance of the Vicariate and of the offices, bodies and entities, as indicated in Article 1 §1, dependent on it.

§2 In particular, the Commission

a) shall examine the budget and final accounts, the reports on the balance sheet and profit and loss account, and the prescribed accompanying documentation, also with reference to bank relations or relations with financial intermediaries, of the entities indicated in Article 1 §1, and shall monitor the regularity of the accounting records;

b) shall monitor the regularity and performance of employment relationships, for any reason whatsoever, and of collaborative assignments, also with reference to the selection or assignment modalities;

c) shall monitor the proper management of the real estate assets and registered movable property of the entities referred to in Article 1, also by accessing the registers and inventories set up for this purpose;

d) shall monitor the proper administration of shareholdings, of whatever nature, held by the entities referred to in Article 1 §1 in companies, foundations and bodies, however named;

(e) shall verify the correctness and transparency of the procedures for entering into lease contracts relating to the real estate property owned, the appropriateness of the rents agreed to this end and the regularity of the contractual relationships;

(f) shall verify the correctness and transparency of the procedures for the conclusion of works, service and supply contracts, and the regularity of contractual relations,

g) shall verify that the management of disputes with third parties, connected with contractual relations or for wrongful acts, of whatever nature, takes place in the best interest of the Vicariate, also with reference to the conferral of professional appointments for legal protection;

h) shall confirm that the affairs falling within the competence of the offices and entities referred to in Article 1 are carried out promptly, diligently and in the absence of conflicts of interest;

i) shall carry out all the administrative checks necessary to ascertain the existence of any damage to the assets of the entities referred to in Article 1 §1; it shall also take any useful administrative initiative to prevent damage to the assets; it shall promptly inform the competent authorities if the checks reveal the danger of damage or prove the existence of damage;

j) within the scope of its functions, take any necessary or useful initiative to protect the patrimonial integrity and proper functioning of the entities referred to in Article 1 §1.

§3 The Commission, at the request of the administrations referred to in Article 1, may express opinions that are useful to ensure the proper conduct of contractual and financial relations, and good administrative management in general, as well as the prevention of disputes.

Article 3

Rules of Operation

§1 At the time of their appointment, the members of the Commission shall declare in writing, at the time of their acceptance, the absence of conflicts of interest.

§2 For voting purposes, the commission decides with the presence of two-thirds of its members and by a majority of the votes of those present, unless provided otherwise.

§3 The Commission shall take office within 15 days of the appointment of its members and, at its first meeting, shall elect a President, who shall direct its work, and a Secretary, who shall draw up and edit the minutes and reports. The President shall hold office for one year and, if prevented from serving, will be replaced by the oldest member.

§4 At the first meeting of each year, the Commission shall approve the programme document of the supervisory and control activities, indicating the priorities and criteria for the distribution of work, with respect for the professional skills of its members. On the occasion of the first session, the programme document shall be approved within thirty days of the first meeting.

§5 In November each year, the Commission shall approve, by an absolute majority of its members, the annual report to be presented to the Holy Father, through the Supervisor for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.

§6 Each member of the Commission shall exercise the activity of control and supervision autonomously, according to his or her own professional competence (legal, civil and canonical, financial and administrative), and shall report to the Commission, also with a view to the report to the Holy Father, at meetings that to be convoked by the President at least once a month.

§7 In carrying out the activities mentioned in Article 2 and, preferably, in compliance with the priorities indicated in the planning document mentioned in §3 of the present article, each member may request from the offices or entities mentioned in Article 1 §1, information, reports or the production of documents and acts that he or she deems necessary; he or she may also order hearings.

§8 For the purpose of obtaining the necessary documents and for an effective dialogue with the offices and entities referred to in Article 1 §1, the Vice-Gerent shall ensure the utmost cooperation.

§9 In carrying out the control and supervisory activities referred to in these Rules, the members of the Commission are bound to professional secrecy and to work with diligence, industriousness and fairness, ensuring the utmost mutual co-operation.

Article 4

Seat of the Commission and supporting offices

§1 The seat of the Independent Supervisory Commission shall be located in Rome, at the Lateran Palace.

§2 The Vice-Gerent is responsible for setting up a secretariat to support the activities of the Commission.

Article 5

Remuneration of the members of the Commission

The members of the Commission are entitled to an all-inclusive annual indemnity, commensurate with the total annual remuneration provided for Level X of the Holy See's Remuneration Table, to be paid quarterly, also in the form of reimbursement of expenses.

The present Regulations are approved by me on 14 February 2023, to enter into force immediately.

Rome, Saint John Lateran, 14 February 2023

Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius

___________________________________________ 

Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 15 February 2023

Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana