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2012 discharge: European Training Foundation (ETF)

2013/2217(DEC)

The European Parliament adopted a decision concerning the discharge to be granted to the Director of the Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation's budget for the financial year 2012. The vote on the discharge decision approved the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex VI, Article 5(1) of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it had obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Foundation for the financial year 2012 are reliable, and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 490 votes to 73, with 17 abstentions, a resolution containing a series of recommendations that form an integral part of the discharge decision and as well as the general recommendations that appear in the draft resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies.

These recommendations are summarised as follows:

  • Role and activities of the Foundation: Parliament welcomed the achievement of the objectives of the work programme in 2012 and acknowledged the emphasis placed by the Foundation’s activity on the important issues of youth employment and the renewed focus on vocational education and training, the skills dimension of small and medium-sized enterprises and migration processes. It noted with regret from the Foundation’s annual accounts that the issue of the Foundation’s premises remained unsolved in 2012, despite the preventive and mitigation actions put in place. It welcomed the fact that an agreement was concluded with the regional authorities in 2013, which ensures the continuation of the Foundation's activities for the 2013-2015 period.
  • Financing, budget and financial management: Parliament recalled that the budget of the Foundation for the financial year 2012 was EUR 20.20 million, and that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2012 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99.9%.
  • Rate of implementation and carryovers: Parliament noted that the level of committed appropriations carried over to 2013 was high but appreciated that the main reasons were the late receipt of invoices for building-related services delivered in 2012.
  • Performance: it requested that the Foundation communicate the results and impact its work has on the European citizens in an accessible way, mainly through its website.

Parliament also made a series of observations ontransfers, procurement and recruitment procedures as well as comments on internal controls.

Lastly, it welcomed the adoption of guidelines on preventing and managing conflicts of interests in June 2013 and called on the Foundation to make those guidelines available on its website.