2004 discharge: European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products

 The committee adopted the report by Umberto GUIDONI (GUE/NGL, IT) recommending that Parliament should grant discharge for the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products for 2004.

In their accompanying comments, MEPs noted that the enlargement of the EU in 2004 had affected the structures and operating arrangements of the Community agencies in many ways. They called on the Commission to "assess the real or supposed problems encountered and to recommend the regulatory changes required".

In addition to calling on the agencies to spend the money available to them as efficiently and effectively as possible, MEPs urged them to avoid duplication as far as possible and to clarify measures for improving transparency and communication with the public. This was particularly important as Community agencies "do not always have a good image or good press" and many of them did not deserve such a negative image. In its other recommendations, the committee called on the Commission to help harmonise the activity reports of the agencies - which differed significantly in terms of content - by informing them of the common indicators that they must provide, and to improve cooperation between the agencies, particularly in such common areas as training, the use of the latest management systems and solving problems relating to sound management of the budget.

Lastly, the committee pointed out that the new pharmaceuticals legislation, adopted in 2004, had had a considerable impact on the Agency's work and management structures, and it congratulated the Agency on its successful adaptation to the new regulatory environment.