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2013 discharge: Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT)

2014/2101(DEC)

The European Parliament adopted by 557 votes to 129, with 7 abstentions, a decision to grant discharge to the Director of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT) for the financial year 2013. 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 has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Authority for the financial year 2013 are reliable, and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 565 votes to 104, with 10 abstentions, a resolution containing a number of recommendations that form an integral part of the discharge decision and as well as the general recommendations that appear in the resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

  • Centre’s financial statements: Parliament noted that the final budget of the Centre for the financial year 2013 was EUR 52 193 667, representing an increase of 8.08% compared to 2012.
  • Commitments and carry-overs: Parliament noted that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2013 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 83.47%, and that the payment appropriations execution rate was 77.68%. It acknowledged that the Court report mentions no notable issues as regards the level of carry-overs in 2013. It notes, however, problems of surpluses in the order of approximately EUR 37 500 000 EUR at the end of 2013. Parliament welcomes that accordingly the Centre had decided to provide deficit budgets for the years 2014-2015 in order to use part of the surpluses from previous years.

Parliament also made a series of observations on transfers, procurement and recruitment procedures, prevention and conflicts of interest and internal controls.

It noted that the Centre concluded 472 framework contracts with translation services for a maximum four-year period in 2008, and that in 2012 the Centre participated in the Commission's procurement procedure for translation services, but no agreement on the contract terms could be reached with the Commission. As a consequence, the Centre extended its existing framework contracts for an additional year. However, such an extension was not in compliance with the implementing rules for the Centre's financial regulation.

Lastly, Parliament noted that the Centre became operational in 1994 and has, since then, worked on the basis of correspondence and exchanges with Luxembourg. The Centre's negotiations with the country regarding its headquarters had reached the final phase, and it had signed the headquarters agreement with the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.