2013 discharge 2013: European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

The European Parliament adopted by 553 votes to 105, with 30 abstentions, a decision to grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 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 Agency for the financial year 2013 are reliable, and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 579 votes to 74, with 38 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:

• Agency’s financial statements: Parliament noted that the final budget of the Agency for the financial year 2013 was EUR 167 023 535, representing an increase of 5.15% compared to 2012. The overall contribution of the Union to the Agency's budget for 2013 amounted to EUR 40 518 135.
• Commitments and carry-overs: Parliament noted a general reduction of the overall level of committed appropriations carried over from EUR 10 100 000 (11%) in 2012 to EUR 7 200 000 (8%) in 2013. It was concerned that although the general level of carry-overs had reduced, it remained high for operational expenditure, amounting to 42%. It stressed that although the multiannual nature of the Agency's operations partly justified the carry-overs, such a high level was at odds with the budgetary principle of annuality.

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

Regarding the legality and regularity of transactions, Parliament noted that in 2013, the Agency spent some EUR 22 000 000 on procurement procedures to outsource part of its certification activities to National Aviation Authorities and Qualified Entities. However, the transparency of outsourcing should be improved through the improved documentation of the allocation processes, including assessments made on the basis of the criteria set in the guidelines.

Prevention of conflicts of interest: Parliament observed with concern that this issue was extremely relevant with regards to the members of the panel of experts who are called to test and authorise the products. It expressed deep concern about the two revolving door cases identified by the Agency in 2013 and recommended that the Agency further strengthen its independence policy, especially in publishing the CVs and declarations of interests of the panel of experts by the end of September 2015. It called upon the Agency to adopt comprehensive policies for the management of situations where conflicts of interests arise, such as the rearrangement of the public official's duties or the resignation of the public official from their office.

Parliament noted that since 2004, when the Agency became operational, it had been working on the basis of correspondence and exchanges with the host Member State but that a comprehensive headquarters agreement had not yet been signed with the host Member State. Such an agreement would promote transparency in respect of the conditions under which the Agency and its staff operated.

Lastly, Parliament highlighted the Agency’s vital role in ensuring the highest possible level of aviation safety throughout Europe. It called for the Agency to be given the necessary financial, material and human resources to perform its tasks successfully.