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2014 discharge: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

2015/2164(DEC)

The European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Director of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) in respect of the implementation of the agency’s budget for the financial year 2014. The vote on the decision on discharge covers the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex V, Article 5 (1)(a) to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure.

Noting that the Court of Auditors has stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the Centre’s annual accounts for the financial year 2014 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 514 votes to 123 with 3 abstentions, a resolution containing a series of recommendations, which form an integral part of the decision on discharge and which add to the general recommendations set out in the resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

  • Centre’s financial statements: Parliament noted the final budget of the Centre for the financial year 2014 was EUR 17 275 766, representing a decrease of 3.62 % compared to 2013.
  • Performance: Parliament observed that the periodic external evaluation also examined possible synergies between the Centre, the European Training Foundation (ETF), the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). It acknowledged that, according to the conclusions of the evaluation, the Centre did not duplicate activities of any other actors at Union, national or international level.

Parliament also made a series of observations regarding budgetary management, contract award, recruitment, control, internal audit procedures as well as conflict prevention.

Parliament regretted that the repair works on the Centre's building in Greece were not finalised by the end of 2014. It acknowledged, however, that the repairs are under the responsibility of the Government of the host Member State and that the relevant constructions works had to be suspended due to the economic situation in the host Member State.

Lastly, Parliament welcomed the fact that visits to the Europass website managed by Centre and available in 27 languages reached 21.7 million users in 2014, representing an increase of 8 % on the 2013 figures.