2013 discharge: EU general budget, European Parliament

PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the European Parliament for the financial year 2013.

NON LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2015/1614 of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013, Section I — European Parliament.

CONTENT: with the present decision, the European Parliament grants discharge to its President for the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2013.

This decision is in line with the European Parliament's resolution adopted on 29 April 2015 and comprises a series of observations that form an integral part of the discharge decision (please refer to the summary of the opinion of 29 April 2015).

Amongst Parliament’s main observations, the latter noted that Parliament's final appropriations totalled EUR 1 750 463 939, or 19.07% of heading V (Administration) of the Multiannual Financial Framework.

Parliament welcomed the fact that the Court of Auditors’ audit did not identify any serious weaknesses in respect of the topics audited for Parliament, but it was concerned about maintaining the security of Parliament's buildings and their immediate surroundings. It stressed the need for greater transparency as regards the general spending allowances for Members, and called for more clarity on this issue.

Lastly, Members stressed that in order to create long-term savings in the Union budget, Parliament and Council must address the need for a roadmap to a single seat.