2017 discharge: European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA)

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 Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) for the financial year 2017.

The committee called on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’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 Authority 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 Authority’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:

Authority’s financial statements

Members noted that the final budget of the Authority for the financial year 2017 was EUR 23 999 257, representing an increase of 10.28 % compared to 2016. The Authority is financed by a contribution from the Union (EUR 8 946 404, representing 37 %) and contributions from national supervisory authorities from the Member States (EUR 15 052 852, representing 63 %).

Budget and financial management

Budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2017 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99.79 %, reaching the Authority’s planned target and representing an increase of 0.11 % compared to 2016. Payment appropriations execution rate was at 88.09 %, representing a slight decrease of 0.88 % compared to 2016.

Members noted the Authority’s efforts to reallocate internally the Authority’s budgetary and personnel resources, as the Authority’s workload is increasingly shifting from regulatory tasks to supervisory convergence and enforcement. They stressed, in this respect, the need to ensure an appropriate level of prioritisation as regards resource allocation.

The cancellation of carry-overs from 2016 to 2017 amounted to EUR 127 694, representing 5.47 % of the total amount carried over, a rate similar to 2016.

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

In particular, they noted that:

- sufficient resources need to be allocated to address existing anti money laundering competences and to ensure a swift exchange with the European Banking Authority (‘EBA’) regarding money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism;

- on 31 December 2017, the establishment plan was 99.01 % executed, with 100 temporary agents (TAs) appointed out of 101 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget;

- the Authority has been one of the first agencies in the Union to launch a project delivering an e-procurement solution. This solution provides a more efficient and transparent procurement process benefiting both the Authority and its potential suppliers;

- a future decrease in the Authority’s revenue resulting from the United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the Union is possible.