2009 discharge: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights FRA

The European Parliament adopted by 523 votes to 81, with 29 abstentions, a decision 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. The decision to grant discharge is also an approval of the closure of the accounts of this EU agency.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts for the financial year 2009 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted a resolution by 546 votes to 70, with 17 abstentions in which it makes 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):

Budgetary and financial management: Parliament urges 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 1.9 million from Title I (staff) to Title III (operational activities). Parliament also calls 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 million where the financial offers differed considerably in both unit prices and the tenderers’ estimates). It welcomes the Agency's resolution to improve the situation.