2009 discharge: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights FRA

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Georgios STAVRAKAKIS (S&D, EL) on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2009.

Noting that the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2009 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 DEC/2010/2271):

• Budgetary and financial management: Members urge the Agency to improve its budgetary and recruitment planning in order to redress the lack of consistency between its budgetary and staff forecasting. According to the Court of Auditors, the Agency increased its operating budget by 38%, transferring EUR 1 900 000 from Title I (staff) to Title III (operational activities). They also call on the Agency to make progress in ensuring, as far as possible, a realistic evaluation of tenders (given that the Court of Auditors reported on this issue in respect of the award of three framework contracts of a total amount of EUR 2 575 000 where the financial offers differed considerably in both unit prices and the tenderers’ estimates). They welcome the Agency's resolution to improve the situation;
• Internal audit: Members note that out of nine recommendations of the Internal Audit Service (IAS), four are still to be implemented by the Agency. They call on the Agency to take the necessary measures to implement these recommendations.