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

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 Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) for the financial year 2017.

The committee called on the European Parliament to grant the Centre’s Director discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’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 the Centre for the financial year 2017 was EUR 15 828 389, representing an increase of 2.64 % compared to 2016.

Budget and financial management

The budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2017 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 100 %, representing a slight increase of 0.05 % compared to 2016. Payment appropriations execution rate was 94.70 %, representing a decrease of 0.94 % compared to the previous year.

The cancellations of carry-overs from 2016 to 2017 amounted to EUR 18 245, representing 3.90 % of the total amount carried forward, showing an increase of 0.15 % compared to 2016.

Members also made a series of observations regarding performance, procurement and internal controls.

In particular, they noted that:

- the Centre has reached 90 % of the annual targets set for 2017 and that it successfully implemented the first year of its Strategy 2025;

- on 31 December 2017, the establishment plan was 93.51 % executed, with 72 officials or temporary agents appointed out of 77 officials and temporary agents authorised under the Union budget;

- the Centre put in place a procurement plan which was successfully executed in close collaboration with all units;

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

- there is a need to strengthen the accounting officer’s independence by making him directly responsible to the Centre’s Director and management board.