2015 discharge: European Police College (CEPOL)

The European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training discharge in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2015.

The vote on the decision on discharge covers the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex IV, 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 Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2015 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 502 votes to 108 with 13 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.

These recommendations may be summarised as follows:

• Agency’s financial statements: Parliament noted that the final budget of the Agency for the financial year 2015 was EUR 8 471 000, representing an increase of 1.22 % compared to 2014.
• Commitments and carry-overs: It noted that, following the signature of the grant agreement with the Commission on the EU/MENA Counter-Terrorism Training Partnership, a budget of EUR 2.5 million was agreed, out of which EUR 300 000 was inscribed in the Agency’s budget as assigned revenue in 2015 with the remaining EUR 2.2 million being transferred during 2016 and 2017. It requested a thorough evaluation of this project and its added value for the security of the Union, and if beneficial, requests the continuation and extension of the project in the coming years.
• Relocation of the Agency to Hungary: Parliament noted that the cost of the relocation from Bramshill, UK to Budapest, Hungary was estimated at approximately EUR 1 006 515, to be spent during 2014 and 2015. It noted moreover that in accordance with the agreement between the Commission and the UK, the amount of EUR 570 283 was financed with 50 % from the UK authorities and with 50 % from the Commission. It acknowledged the fact that the UK contribution to the relocation funds was inscribed in the Agency’s budget as assigned revenue, which was fully used. It welcomed the fact that the remaining relocation funds corresponding to 35 % of the final relocation budget were financed with the Agency’s budget by savings deriving from the lower correction coefficient applied to staff entitlements in Hungary. A number of staff members initiated a legal dispute against the Agency concerning the conditions in which the relocation had been carried out and its financial impact on their income. Members acknowledged that the final amount for the cost of relocation needs to cover the financial obligation arising from the Court’s judgement and invites the Agency to report on the outcome and the final financial figure of the relocation.

Parliament also made a series of observations regarding budgetary and financial management, transfers, procurement and recruitment procedures, the prevention and management of conflicts of interests and internal audits and controls.

On performance, Parliament stated that in 2015 the Agency’s training portfolio encompassed 151 training activities, including 85 residential activities and 66 webinars, 428 exchanges in the framework of the European Police Exchange Programme (EPEP), 24 online modules, one online course, and nine common curricula. It noted with satisfaction that for the fifth year in a row the outreach of the Agency has increased, resulting in the Agency training 12 992 law enforcement professionals in 2015 compared to 10 322 in 2014.

Parliament welcomed that in 2015 the Agency organised webinars to provide law enforcement officials with up-to-date information and best practice on identifying and investigating hate crimes and different forms of gender-based violence, and offered trainings to raise awareness about the challenges experienced by Roma communities and LGBTI persons (such as over- and under-policing and the lack of trust towards members of the police force).

Lastly, Parliament noted that, with regard to the Agency’s expanded responsibilities and increased mandate, the current resource levels are insufficient. There is a significant need for reinforcement in both human and financial resources. Therefore, the Commission is called upon to take this into account in its budget proposals for the Agency.