2009 discharge: European Training Foundation ETF

The European Parliament adopted by 530 votes to 83, with 27 abstentions a decision to grant discharge to the Director of the European Training Foundation for implementation of the Foundation's budget for the financial year 2009.

Noting that the Foundation’s annual accounts for the financial year 2009 are reliable, and the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament approves the closure of the Foundation’s accounts. However, it makes 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 resolution on financial management and control of EU agencies - see DEC/2010/2271):

• performance: Parliament welcomes the Foundation's intention to improve the performance of Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems in the Foundation partner countries and to develop a common methodology with International Organisations and Bilateral Donors to improve its role;
• cooperation with CEDEFOP: Parliament notes that, each year, the Foundation and CEDEFOP draft a joint work programme and welcomes the Foundation’s intention to devote further space to reporting on the implementation of this joint work programme in future Annual Activity Reports;
• budgetary management: Parliament urges the Foundation to draw up budgetary procedures more rigorously in order to avoid the considerable number of budgetary transfers. It also calls on it to obtain the authorisation of its Governing Board when transfers are required (because this is required by the Foundation's Financial Regulation). It also calls on the Foundation to closely follow the provisions of the basic regulation, especially where financial transfers between titles are concerned;
• human resources: Parliament welcomes the Foundation's initiative of undertaking a thorough review of its recruitment procedures in response to the findings of the Internal Audit Service (IAS) and to the recommendations made by the Parliament.