2018 discharge: European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA)
The European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) for the financial year 2018 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 2018 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 604 votes to 85 with 4 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 resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:
Agency’s financial statements
The final budget of the Agency for the financial year 2018 was EUR 17 408 849, representing an increase of 1.73 % compared to 2017.
Budget and financial management
The budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2018 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99.74 %, representing a slight increase of 0.83 % compared to 2017. Payment appropriations execution rate was at 87.62 %, representing an increase of 13.81 % compared to 2017.
Other observations
Members also made a series of observations regarding performance, staff policy, procurement and internal controls.
In particular, they noted that:
- the Agency implemented 98 % of its activities on time and that it implemented 100 % of its annual communication strategy plan;
- an information security management system based on the international standard ISO 27001 was implemented aiming to protect the Agency from technology-based risks and preserving the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information;
- the Agency, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency adopted a tripartite working arrangement defining the cooperation between those agencies and the cooperation with national authorities carrying out coast guard functions. However, the Agency should be provided with financial and human resources commensurate with its growing tasks;
- on 31 December 2018, the establishment plan was 98.36 % executed, with 60 temporary agents (TAs) appointed out of 61 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget;
- in the context of shared procurement, the main procurement activity in 2018 was focused on launching the two open calls respectively to acquire travel agency and event organisation services for the Agency and for the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.