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2013 discharge: IMI Joint Undertaking for the implementation of the Joint Technology Initiative on Innovative Medicines

2014/2133(DEC)

Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2013 and the balance sheet at 31 December 2013 of the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking (IMI), and the report by the Court of Auditors on the annual accounts of the Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2013,accompanied by the Joint Undertaking's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommended that the European Parliament give a discharge to the Executive Director of the successor Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2013.

The Council recalled that the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking (IMI 2) has replaced and succeeded the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking and discharge should therefore be given to the Executive Director of IMI 2.

The Council welcomed the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Joint Undertaking's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2013 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 Regulation and the accounting rules adopted by the Commission's accounting officer

However, the Council regretted the Court's qualified opinion on the legality and regularity of the transactions underlying the accounts, due to the error rate above the materiality threshold detected during its ex-post audits.

While recognising the improvements compared to 2012, the Council urged IMI 2 to take the necessary corrective actions to recover the ineligible expenditure and to decrease the rate of error in order to achieve an unqualified opinion of the Court. In addition, the following observations are made:

  • carryovers: in order to avoid excessive carry-overs, the Council called on IMI 2 to pay due attention to the proper implementation of commitment and payment appropriations in the course of the budgetary year and to decommit unused appropriations if necessary;
  • internal controls: the Council welcomed the developments achieved so far in establishing effective and reliable internal control systems and invites IMI 2 to continue the effort in line with the Court's recommendations;
  • results of research: the Council also invited the successor Joint Undertaking to improve the monitoring of research results.