2010 discharge: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010, as part of the 2010 discharge procedure.

Analysis of the accounts of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

CONTENT: this Commission document sets out the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010 as prepared on the basis of the information presented by the institutions, organisations and bodies of the EU, in accordance with Article 129 (2) of the Financial Regulation applicable to the EU's General Budget, including the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

In 2010, the tasks and budget of this agency were as follows:

• description of ECHA's tasks: ECHA, located in Helsinki, was set up by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006. Its main tasks are to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment, as well as the free movement of substances, on their own, in preparations and in articles, while enhancing competitiveness and innovation. The Agency also promotes the development of alternative methods for the assessment of hazards of substances. The Agency has become financially independent from the Commission since 1 January 2008.
• ECHA's budget for the 2010 financial year: the Agency's 2010 budget amounted to EUR 75.5 million, compared with EUR 70.4 million the previous year. The number of staff employed by the Agency at the end of the year was 472, as compared with 355 the previous year.

The complete version of ECHA's final accounts may be found at the following address: http://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/about-us/the-way-we-work/plans-and-reports