2009 discharge: European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit EUROJUST

Based on the observations contained in the revenue and expenditure account and the balance sheet of EUROJUST for the financial year 2009, as well as on the Court of Auditor’s report and EUROJUST’s replies to the Court’s observations, the Council recommends that the Parliament grant the Administrative Director of EUROJUST discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2009.

The Council welcomes the Court's opinion that, on the one hand, Eurojust's annual accounts present fairly, in all material aspects, the financial position as at 31 December 2009 and the results of operations and cash-flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of Eurojust's Financial Regulation, and that, on the other hand, the underlying transactions for the financial year ended on 31 December 2009 are, in all material respects, legal and regular.

However, the Council considers that observations made in the Court of Auditor’s report call for a certain number of observations to be taken into account when granting discharge, particularly on the following points:

• recruitment procedures: the Council regrets the shortcomings identified by the Court in the planning of recruitments and the high number of vacant posts. As in the previous year, the Council urges Eurojust to remedy the continuing weaknesses in the staffing procedure and encourages it to further accelerate the recruitments. In addition, the Council asks Eurojust to ensure full transparency in staff selection procedures and the non-discriminatory treatment of candidates.