2008 discharge: European Agency for Reconstruction

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Véronique MATHIEU (EPP, FR) on discharge to be granted to the European Agency for Reconstruction, calling on the European Parliament to grant the Director of the Agency in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2008.

Noting that the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2008 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 that need to be taken into account when the discharge is granted, in addition to the general recommendations that appear in the draft resolution on financial management and control of EU agencies (see 2010/2007(INI):

• end of the Agency’s activities: Members note that the memorandum of understanding of 17 December 2008 between the Commission and the European Agency for Reconstruction stipulates that the Agency's residual assets become the property of the Commission after 31 December 2008. They deplore the fact that the efficiently functioning Agency has been wound up and the management of the funding has been transferred to the delegations. They demand that the Commission submit a report detailing how many staff the delegations have taken on to cope with the Agency’s tasks as well as comprehensive and complete information on whether budget support has been provided from the funds transferred from the Agency to the delegations;
• budgetary and financial management: Members note the Court’s comments on the provision of grants and the relevance of certain cross-border cooperation projects. They call, now that the Agency’s work has finished, for an evaluation of the funding allocated in Kosovo to determine whether the allocation of funding there resulted in the establishment of functional, sustainable justice and administration structures.