2004 discharge: European Maritime Safety Agency

PURPOSE : presentation of the final accounts of the European Maritime Agency 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 13,3 million (against EUR 4,5 million in 2003) consisting of a 100% Community contribution.

As regards the staffing policy, the Agency, whose temporary headquarters are in Brussels but shall be relocated to Lisbon in the future, set out 55 posts in the establishment plan. 34 posts are currently occupied + 9 other posts (auxiliary contracts, seconded national experts, local staff, employment-agency staff) totalling 43 posts assigned to operational, administrative and mixed tasks.

Staff expenditure amounted to EUR 3 594 000.

The Agency aims to ensure a high, uniform and effective level of maritime safety and prevention of pollution by ships as well as providing the Member States and the Commission with technical and scientific assistance. In 2004, it produced 18 specification and guideline documents. It carried out 12 inspections and 5 investigations. In addition, the Agency held 10 seminars.

Yearly operating expenditure amounted to roughly EUR 2.5 million of which more than 2 million was carried over. The total budget expenditure amounted to EUR 7 567 000. The balance of the budget implementation for 2004 amounted to EUR 5 488 000. A positive outturn of the economic adjustments was achieved at EUR 2 343 000.

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

http://emsa.eu.int