2015 discharge: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the in European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in respect of the budget for the financial year 2015.

NON- LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2017/1669 of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2015.

CONTENT: with the present decision, the European Parliament grants discharge to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2015.

This decision is in line with the European Parliament's resolution adopted on 27 April 2017 and comprises a series of observations that form an integral part of the discharge decision (please refer to the summary of the opinion of 27 April 2017).

Amongst Parliament’s main observations in the resolution accompanying the discharge decision, it noted that, pending the adoption of implementing rules on whistleblowing, the Authority implemented in January 2016 a new standard operating procedure on the handling of requests by whistleblowers facing retaliation. It acknowledged the fact that the Authority is awaiting further guidance from the Commission before formulating its internal whistleblowing rules. Parliament welcomed that the Authority adopted its anti-fraud strategy and a related action plan in March 2015, and that an implementation report submitted to the management board in December 2016 indicated that all actions had been implemented.

In 2015, the Authority established a liaison office in Brussels to improve communication and dialogue with Union institutions, the media and stakeholders which was welcomed by the Parliament.