2008 discharge: European Agency for Reconstruction

The European Parliament adopted by 548 votes to 31, with 57 abstentions, a decision on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Agency for Reconstruction in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2008. The decision to grant discharge is also an approval of the closure of the accounts of this EU agency. Furthermore, Parliament adopted a resolution with observations which are an integral part of the decision to grant discharge to this Agency.

The main points are as follows:

• end of the Agency’s activities: Parliament notes that the Agency's residual assets become the property of the Commission after 31 December 2008. It deplores the fact that the efficiently functioning Agency has been wound up and the management of the funding has been transferred to the delegations. It demands 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.  

Noting that the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2008 are reliable, and the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament approves the closure of its accounts and refers to the general recommendations that appear in the draft resolution on financial management and control of EU agencies (see 2010/2007(INI) adopted in parallel).