2011 discharge: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2011, as part of the 2011 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 2011 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 2011, 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 and 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 2011 financial year: the Agency’s budget for 2011, as presented in the Commission document on the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union, gives the following figures:

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