2014 discharge: EU general budget, European Parliament

PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the European Parliament for the financial year 2014.

NON LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2016/1456 of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2014, 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 2014.

This decision is in line with the European Parliament's resolution adopted on 28 April 2016 and comprises a series of observations that form an integral part of the discharge decision (please refer to the summary of the opinion of 28 April 2016).

Amongst Parliament’s main observations, the latter noted that Parliament's final appropriations totalled EUR 1 755 631 742, or 20.13 % of heading V (Administration) of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Overall, Parliament welcomed the Court’s audit but regretted some shortcomings as regards the activities of the President. It noted in particular certain inconsistencies during the election campaign of the latter for the 2014 European elections. It also regretted the, at least, indirect use of Parliament staff to help prepare the campaign and called for action to ensure that it does not happen again in future.