2011 discharge: SESAR Joint Undertaking to develop the new generation European air traffic management system

Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2011 and the balance sheet at 31 December 2011 of the SESAR Joint Undertaking, and the report by the Court of Auditors on the annual accounts of the Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2011, accompanied by the Joint Undertaking's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommends the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Executive Director of the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2011.

The observations in the Court of Auditors' report in relation to the financial year 2011 call for some comments by the Council, which may be summarised as follows:

• the Council welcomes the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Joint Undertaking's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2011 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Joint Undertaking's Financial Rules, and that the underlying transactions for that financial year are legal and regular;
• nevertheless, as in previous years, the Council calls on the Joint Undertaking to improve its financial programming and to avoid over-budgeting, in line with the budgetary principle of equilibrium;
• it encourages the Joint Undertaking to pursue its efforts to avoid the late payment of membership contributions.