2017 discharge: Eurojust, European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit

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 Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit (Eurojust) for the financial year 2017.

The committee called on the European Parliament to grant the Administrative Director of Eurojust discharge in respect of the implementation of Eurojust’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 Eurojust 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 its 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:

Eurojust’s financial statement

Eurojust’s final budget for the financial year 2017 was EUR 48 689 237, representing an increase of 11.83 % compared to 2016. The budget increase relates mainly to transition of Eurojust to its new premises.

Budget and financial management

The budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2017 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99.97 %, representing a slight increase of 0.08 % compared to 2016 and including EUR 11 130 000 that was ring-fenced for the new building. Payment appropriations execution rate was 83.95 %, representing an increase of 3.53 % compared to 2016.

Members welcomed the lack of remarks of the Court regarding the execution of the 2017 budget of Eurojust.

As for the cancellations of carry-overs from 2016 to 2017, these amount to EUR 234 228, representing 2.96 % of the total amount carried over, a decrease of 2.64 % compared to 2016.

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

In particular, they noted that:

-  Eurojust contributed to counter-terrorism projects of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and other justice and home affairs partners and furthermore participated in two joint tender procedures with Europol;

- Eurojust intends to develop a procurement strategy aimed at further reaping the benefits of inter-agency and inter-institutional joint procurement procedures;

- on 31 December 2017 the establishment plan was 97.2 % executed, with 202 temporary agents, appointed out of 208 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget;

- a mechanism was set up to ensure that any violation of fundamental rights be detected and reported;

- Eurojust successfully completed the move to its new premises in June 2017 with no loss of operational capacity and that all necessary financial, security, legal and other practical arrangements were made in a timely manner. Regarding the investments in the new premises planned for 2017, EUR 11 130 000 were committed and EUR 8 790 000 (79 %) had been paid by 31 December 2017.