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2011 discharge: European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)

2012/2193(DEC)

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ADLE, NL) on discharge to be granted to the Executive Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2011.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of EMSA for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members approve the closure of EMSA’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:

  • Financing, budget and financial management: the Agency’s 2011 budget amounted to EUR 56.4 million, compared to EUR 54.4 million in the previous year. Members regret that the Court of Auditors identified the need to improve the Agency’s asset management but acknowledge that the Agency has addressed all the issues;
  • Conflicts of interest: Members call on the Agency to scrutinise and prohibit possible conflicts of interest when hiring experts and staff from the sector it supervises.

Lastly, Members made a series of observations as regards the recruitment and audit procedures of this Agency.