2017 discharge: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2017 and the balance sheet as at 31 December 2017 of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), as well as the Court of Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Centre for the financial year 2017, accompanied by the Centre's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommended the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Director of the Centre in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2017.

The Council welcomed the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Centre's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2017 and the results of its operations, its cash flows, and the changes in net assets for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Centre's Financial Regulation, and that the underlying transactions for 2017 are legal and regular in all material respects.

Nevertheless, the following observation was made:

- recruitment: the Council regretted the weaknesses found by the Court in two recruitment procedures for management positions and called on the Centre to take appropriate actions in order to ensure the legality and regularity of the recruitment process and equal treatment of candidates.