2004 discharge: European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia
The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Umberto GUIDONI (GUE/NGL, IT) and granted discharge to the Director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobiafor the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2004. In its accompanying comments, Parliament expressed its concern about the high level of cancelled carry-overs, in particular on staff expenditure, but was pleased to note that the level of carry-overs decreased significantly. It welcomed the Centre's assurances that it has taken measures to further reduce the level of carry-overs. The Centre should improve the way carry-overs are established in order to avoid the high percentage of cancellations of appropriations.
Parliament was also concerned by the irregularities noted by the Court of Auditors in contract tendering and awards. It urged the Centre to improve procedures as soon as possible with a view to avoiding similar irregularities in future.
Parliament also made a series of general remarks on the agencies. As well as spending money properly, agencies should also strive to spend money as efficiently and effectively as possible. The Court of Auditors was asked to consider the possibility of extending its specific annual reports on the agencies to include an examination of performance and achievement of objectives. The following aspects should be taken into account: duplication of work among the agencies must be avoided as much as possible and measures designed to improve transparency and communication with the public must be clarified, along with Community affirmative action measures at all levels of recruitment, training and the assignment of responsibilities.
Parliament noted that Community agencies did not always have a good image or good press and that many of them did not deserve such a negative image. EU citizens should be made aware of this, and Parliament called on the Commission to act accordingly, using whatever means it considers necessary.
Furthermore, the enlargement of the European Union in 2004 had affected the structures and operating arrangements of the Community agencies in many ways, and several of the agencies draw attention to these effects in their activity reports, focusing in particular on the increase in the number of administrators. The Commission needed to assess the problems encountered and recommend the regulatory changes required.
The Commission had made a commitment to harmonising the way in which activity reports concerning its directorates-general were presented. Parliament called for a similar approach to be taken in respect of the activity reports of the Communities" agencies, which differed significantly in terms of content. The Commission should point out to the agencies the information and activity indicators that they must provide.
Finally, Parliament asked the Commission to improve synergies between agencies by making cooperation more effective, avoiding duplication of work and addressing shortcomings, in particular as regards common areas such as training, the implementation of Community policies across the board, the use of the latest management systems and solving problems relating to sound management of the budget.