2018 discharge: Euratom Supply Agency (ESA)

The European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Director-General of the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) 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 620 votes to 59 with 14 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 Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2018 was EUR 123 000, representing the same amount as in 2017.

Budget and financial management

Budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2018 resulted in a commitment appropriations implementation rate of 97.84 % representing a decrease of 1.04 % compared to 2017. The payment appropriation execution rate was 72.90 % representing a decrease of 1.73 % compared to 2017.

Parliament raised concerns that the cancellation rate of budget appropriations carried over from 2017 to 2018 is high, at 21 %, demonstrating unjustified commitments in the previous year. The Agency should carry over budget appropriations only when justified.

Other observations

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

In particular, they noted that:

-  in 2018 the Agency processed 331 transactions, including contracts, amendments and notifications, and continued to take responsibility for the Union common nuclear supply policy in line with its statutory mandate, in order to ensure the security of the supply of nuclear materials;

- the Agency had 16 members of staff at the end of 2018, all being Commission officials, out of 25 authorised by the establishment plan, the same number as were authorised in 2017;

- given that the United Kingdom has withdrawn from the Union, including Euratom, Parliament called on the Agency to ensure that it remains aware of the effects of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal and that it report to the discharge authority of any developments in that regard.