2004 discharge: European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia

PURPOSE : presentation of the final accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia for the financial year 2004.

CONTENT : this document published in the Official Journal of the EU sets out a detailed account of the implementation of the 2004 budget, including the revenue and expenditure and the balance sheet for the year concerned.

According to this document, the final budget amounted to EUR 7,9 million (compared to EUR 6,6 million in 2003) including a 99% Community contribution.

As regards the staffing policy, the Centre, whose headquarters are based in Vienna (Austria), officially set out 34 posts in its establishment plan. 30 of these are currently occupied + 4 other staff (auxiliary contract, seconded national experts, local and employment-agency staff) totalling 34 members of staff assigned to administrative, operational and mixed tasks. Staff expenditure amounted roughly to EUR 2,5 million.

The Monitoring Centre’s primary tasks are to provide the Union and the Member States with reliable information on racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the Union and to cooperate with the Council of Europe in these areas.

During 2004, the Monitoring Centre’s activities concentrated on the following:

ORAXEN: 389 contributions through the 25 national focal points; 41 meetings for the external evaluators of ORAXEN; 2 meetings to draw up guidelines for the special study on Roma;

- 9 research reports drafted; 2 annual reports and 2 EUMC News;

- organised joint events with the Member States and other institutions such as the Commission, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the Council of Europe; OSCE ; United Nations, etc.

The total operating expenditure represented roughly EUR 3 million. A positive balance of EUR 231 000 was noted for the financial year 2004.

The complete version of the final accounts may be found at the following address:

http://eumc.eu.int