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

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Petri SARVAMAA (EPP, FI) on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) for the financial year 2017.

The committee called on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the Centre discharge in respect of the implementation of the agency’s budget for the financial year 2017.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it had obtained reasonable assurance that the annual accounts of the Centre for the financial year 2017 were reliable and that the underlying transactions were legal and regular, Members called on Parliament to approve the closure of the Centre’s accounts.

They made, however, a number of recommendations that needed to be taken into account when the discharge is granted, in addition to the general recommendations that appear in the draft resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

Centre’s financial statements

The final budget of CEDEFOP for the financial year 2017 was EUR 17 869 389, representing a slight decrease of 0.84 % compared to 2016.

Budget and financial management

Members noted with satisfaction that the budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2017 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99.95 %, representing a slight decrease of 0.04 % compared to 2016. The payment appropriations execution rate was at 89.66 %, representing a decrease of 4.89 % compared to the previous year.

They also noted with concern that the cancellation of carryovers from 2016 to 2017 amounted to EUR 52 767, representing 5.06 % of the total amount carried over, an increase of 2.31 % in comparison to 2016.

Members also made a series of observations regarding performance, procurement and staff policy.

In particular, they noted that:

- on 31 December 2017, the establishment plan was 93.48 % filled, with 86 officials or temporary agents appointed out of 92 officials authorised under the Union budget.

- the transparency of recruitment processes is not always fully given;

- by the end of 2017 the Centre was not yet using any of the tools launched by the Commission aimed to introduce a single solution for the electronic exchange of information with third parties participating in public procurement procedures (e-procurement).