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2007 discharge: European Agency for Reconstruction EAR

2008/2256(DEC)

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report drawn up by Christofer FJELLNER (EPP-ED, SE) on discharge to be granted to the European Agency for Reconstruction, calling on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2007.

Noting that the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2007 are reliable, and the underlying transactions are legal and regular, MEPs approve the closure of the Agency’s accounts.

However, they make a number of recommendations as part of the decision on discharge. In addition to the general recommendations appearing in the draft resolution on financial management and control of EU agencies (see 2008/2207(INI)), MEPs make the following observations:

  • follow up to the 2006 discharge exercise: MEPs recall that they requested the Commission to keep Parliament regularly informed of the transfer of activities from the Agency to delegations. MEPs note, in this respect, that the Commission sent a series of information notes concerning cooperation between the Commission and the Agency during the transition period 2007-2008 to the Chairman of the Committee on Budgetary Control. Now the Commission should submit a final report on the phasing-out of the Agency once the final accounts of the Agency have been established and the closure cell has terminated its work;
  • potential risks relating to the transfer of activities from the Agency to the delegations: MEPs also recall that the Court identified potential risks related to the transfer of activities: (i) there are still unused budgetary appropriations (of EUR 453 million) which have to be implemented in years beyond 2008, which is the last year of existence of the Agency; (ii) the accumulated surplus of EUR 180 million shown in the Agency's balance sheet at 31 December 2007 will also have to be taken over and managed by the Commission at the end of the Agency's mandate. In this context, MEPs call on the Commission to inform Parliament of how the unused budgetary appropriations will be implemented and how the accumulated surplus of EUR 180 million will be managed by the Commission.