2016 discharge: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2016 and the balance sheet as at 31 December 2016 of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as well as the Court of Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Authority for the financial year 2016, accompanied by the Authority's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommended the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Executive Director of the Authority in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2016.

The Council welcomed the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Authority's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2016 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Authority's Financial Regulation, and that the underlying transactions for 2016 are legal and regular in all material respects.

The Council noted the Court's observation that the Authority's IT governance requires an overhaul and called on the Authority to fully implement all planned actions to appropriately address the shortcomings identified.

The Council welcomed the measures taken by the Authority thus far regarding its ex-post control strategy, as a follow-up to the Court's report on the annual accounts of the Authority for the financial year 2015, and calls on the Authority to complete them as soon as possible.