2017 discharge: European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
The European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the financial year 2017 and to approve the closure of the accounts for the financial year in question.
Noting that the Court of Auditors has stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2017 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 506 votes to 107 with 19 abstentions, a resolution containing a series of recommendations, which form an integral part of the decision on discharge and which add to the general recommendations set out in the draft resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:
Agency’s financial statements
The final budget of the Agency for the financial year 2017 was EUR 191 611 843, representing a decrease of 0.92 % compared to 2016.
Budget and financial management
The budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2017 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99 %, representing the same rate as in 2016. Payments appropriations execution rate was 93.75 %, showing an increase of 2.55 % compared to 2016. Parliament noted with concern from the Court’s report in its comments from previous years, as an ongoing remark that, although Industry financed activities resulted in a deficit of EUR 7 600 000 in 2016, budgetary results fluctuate over the years and the Agency has accumulated EUR 52 000 000 surplus from this category of activity. The Agency’s founding Regulation establishes that Industry fees levied should be adequate to cover the Agency’s cost for the related certification activities and thus does not foresee an accumulated surplus. Such surplus should be avoided in the future.
The cancellations of carryovers from 2016 to 2017 amounted to EUR 239 829, representing 2.6% of the total amount carried over, showing a decrease of 1.07 % in comparison to 2016.
Members also made a series of observations regarding performance, staff policy, procurement and internal controls.
In particular, they noted that:
- in 2017, the Agency was audited by the International Civil Aviation Organization. While the official results pend publication, initial input suggests that the Agency is amongst the top aviation authorities in the world;
- it signed agreements with France, Germany and Italy regarding cooperation between civil and military aviation safety;
- it may propose to the Commission the technical expertise to regulate drones of all sizes, including the small ones;
- necessary resources are needed for the new and reinforced competences concerning, among others, risks to civil aviation arising from conflict zones, environmental related topics and the certification and registration of unmanned aircraft;
- on 31 December 2017, the establishment plan was 100 % executed, with 673 temporary agents appointed out of 678 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget.