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2013 discharge: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

2014/2089(DEC)

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Ryszard CZARNECKI (ECR, PL) on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) for the financial year 2013.

It called on the European Parliament to grant the Director of the Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2013.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year 2013 are reliable, and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members called on the Parliament to approve the closure of the Agency’s accounts. They made, however, a number of recommendations that needed 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.

  • Agency’s financial statements: Members noted that the final budget of the Centre for the financial year 2013 was EUR 21 348 510, representing an increase of 4.77% compared to 2012.
  • Carry-overs: Members noted that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2013 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 100%, and that the payment appropriations execution rate was 70.27%.  They noted that the high overall level of committed appropriations indicated that commitments were made in a timely manner. Members were concerned, however, that that the level of committed appropriations carried over to 2014 was high at 27 % for administrative expenditure and at 69 % for operating expenditure, due to the purchase of IT goods and services.

Members also made a series of observations on procurement and recruitment procedures, prevention and conflicts of interest and internal audits. Lastly, the committee urged the Agency to harmonise the presentation of its annual accounts with those of other Union Agencies.