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2014 discharge: European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA)

2015/2178(DEC)

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Derek VAUGHAN (S&D, UK) on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2014.

The parliamentary committee calls on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the agency’s budget for the financial year 2014.

Noting that the Court of Auditors issued a statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions for the financial year 2014, Members call on 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 note the final budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2014 was EUR 9 708 297, representing an increase of 0.39 % compared to 2013.
  • Commitments and carryovers: Members note that the total amount of committed appropriations carried over to 2015 amounted to EUR 1 332 421 (15 % of total appropriations). Noting considerable carryovers, Members highlighted that these related to investments in IT infrastructure ordered as planned near the year end for the Agency’s two offices.

Members also made a series of observations regarding payment transfers, as well as contract award, recruitment and internal audit and control procedures.

Members acknowledge that the Agency adopted internal policies in order to improve cost effectiveness and the environmental friendliness of its facilities and that an important step towards satisfying both requirements was the adoption of a “paperless” platform serving as workflow and storage of internal documents. Thus the Agency has practically eliminated all paper-based workflows, including financial transactions and human resources files and documents, and replaced them with electronic documents and workflows in an effort to achieve a paperless office environment.

They acknowledge that, as a follow up from the 2013 discharge of the Agency, according to the lease agreement between the Greek authorities, the Agency and the landlord, rent for the offices in Athens is paid by the Greek authorities. They are concerned by the constant late payment of rent, which continued in 2014 and 2015 and which presents significant reputational, financial and business-continuity risks for the Agency. They urge the Commission, the Agency and the Greek authorities to find a solution for this issue in order to reduce significantly the risks to which the Agency is exposed.