2010 discharge: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Monica Luisa MACOVEI (EPP, RO) on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2010.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2010 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members 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 performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

• Carryover appropriations: Members note an improvement in the Agency's carryover appropriations over the years; notes in particular, that in 2010 it reduced its cancellation rate to 11 % from 19 % in 2009. They call on the Agency to further improve the situation by avoiding delay in the implementation of its activities;
• Human Resources: Members note the weaknesses in the recruitment of staff. They call on the Agency to inform the discharge authority about the measures the Agency took to recruit staff;
• Internal audit: Members acknowledge from the Agency that the IAS undertook a follow-up on the open recommendations of past audits. They note, in addition, that the IAS performed an audit on website and external communication in November 2010 and note in particular that on this audit the IAS raised seven recommendations, none of them were rated as "critical" but two were considered as "very important". They call therefore on the Agency to promptly implement these two recommendations and to inform the discharge authority on the measures taken.