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2011 discharge: European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA)

2012/2208(DEC)

The European Parliament adopted a decision on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) for the financial year 2011. The vote on the decision to grant discharge covers the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex VI, Article 5(1) of the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure).

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of EIOPA for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted a resolution containing 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: Parliament recalls that in accordance with its Founding Regulation, 55% of the 2011 budget was financed by contributions from the Member States and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, and 45% was financed from the Union budget. It notes that the Authority's overall allocated budget for 2011 amounted to EUR 10 667 000. The Authority recorded a positive budget outturn of EUR 2 804 969, 812, which was recorded in the accounts as a liability towards the Commission. It notes that 80% of the Member States budget cashed in 2011 and it invites the Member States to contribute their full share in the future. Given that the Authority is an integral part of the European System of Financial Supervisors and works in close cooperation with its sister authorities, the European Banking Authority and the European Securities and Markets Authority, within a Joint Committee, and with the European Systemic Risks Board, Parliament calls on the Commission to evaluate the possibility of coming up with a proposal ensuring that the budgets of the three European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) are fully funded by the Union budget, in the interests of safeguarding their independence.
  • Implementation rate of appropriations: Parliament establishes from the annual accounts that the Authority registered a budget execution ratio of 61.68% for commitments and of 58.84% for payments at the end of 2011. It calls on the Authority to inform the discharge authority of the actions taken to improve that ratio, as the low execution ratio shows difficulties in budget planning and implementation.
  • Procurement procedures: Parliament notes that the audited procurement procedures were not fully consistent with the provisions of the Financial Regulation. It calls on the Authority to ensure that all new contracts are awarded in full compliance with Union procurement rules.

Lastly, Parliament makes a series of observations as regards the accounting system and recruitment procedures of this Agency.