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

The European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) 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 Authority’s annual accounts for the financial year 2017 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 507 votes to 126 with 2 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:

Authority’s financial statements

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.

Parliament 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. It 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:

- the Authority faced limitations in terms of the architecture of the supervision system, scarcity of resources and, in some instances, insufficient support and collaboration from National Competent Authorities (NCAs);

- the Authority should fulfil the tasks and the mandate assigned to it by the European Parliament and the Council and should stay within the mandate of those assignments;

- while carrying out its work and in particular when drafting implementing measures, the Authority needs to regularly and comprehensively inform the European Parliament and Council about its activities. It should exhibit transparency not only to the European Parliament and the Council, but to the Union citizens as well;

- 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.