2017 discharge: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2017 and the balance sheet as at 31 December 2017 of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 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 Monitoring Centre in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2017.

The Council welcomed the Court's opinion that the Centre's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2017 and the results of its operations and its cash flows 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 observations were made:

- accounting: the Council regretted the deficiencies found by the Court in the Centre's accounting environment. It calls on the Centre to take appropriate actions mainly to ensure the accounting officer's independence;

- procurement: the Council called on the Centre to ensure the full implementation without unjustified delay of electronic public procurement, whilst acknowledging the actions already taken by the Centre.