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2006 discharge: EC general budget, Section III, Commission

2007/2037(DEC)

PURPOSE: to present the Council’s recommendation on the discharge to be given to the Executive Agencies of the Commission, in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2006.

CONTENT: in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No. 58/2003 laying down the statute for Executive Agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community programmes, and with Commission regulation (EC) No. 1653/2004 on a standard Financial Regulation for the Executive Agencies pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No. 58/2003 (amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1821/2005), the Council is required to draw up Recommendations to the European Parliament on a discharge to be given to the Executive Agencies.

Having analysed the reports drawn up by the Court of Auditors on the annual accounts of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency and the Intelligent Energy Executive Agency, the Council reached an agreement on the following recommendations to pass on to the European Parliament. These recommendations can be summarised as follows:

  1. regarding the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, the Council examined the revenue and expenditure account for the financial year 2006, the balance sheet of revenue and expenditure at 31 December 2006 and the report by the Court of Auditors on the annual accounts of the Executive Agency and recommends, in its analysis, that the European Parliament give a discharge to the Director of the Executive Agency in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2006. It notes that EUR 6.7 million in appropriations was carried forward from the financial year 2006 to the financial year 2007 and EUR 2.8 million was cancelled. The Council notes with concern the high rate of carry-overs and cancellations, and calls on the Executive Agency to take the appropriate measures to comply in full with the provisions of the Financial Regulation, in particular regarding the principle of annuality;
  2. regarding the Intelligent Energy Executive Agency, the Council also examined the revenue and expenditure account for the financial year 2006, the balance sheet of revenue and expenditure at 31 December 2006 and the report by the Court of Auditors on the annual accounts of the Executive Agency and recommends, in its analysis, that the European Parliament give a discharge to the Director of the Executive Agency in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2006. It notes that EUR 0.31 million (67%) of the EUR 0.46 million in appropriations carried forward from the financial year 2005 to the financial year 2006 was used, that EUR 1 million in appropriations was carried forward from the financial year 2006 to the financial year 2007 and EUR 0.4 million was cancelled. The Council notes with concern the high rate of carry-overs and cancellations, and calls on the Executive Agency to take the appropriate measures to comply in full with the provisions of the financial regulation, in particular regarding the principle of annuality.