What changed

PA_NonLegDec

PA_NonLegBudDec

OPINION

The Committee on Civil Liberties, JusticeEmployment and HomeSocial Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

Part I – Discharge inhaving respectregard ofto the implementation of theEuropean budgetCourt of the European UnionAuditors’ AgencyAnnual forreport Criminalon JusticeEU Cooperationagencies for the financial year 20232023,

1. Notes the emphasis of matter to the annual accounts issued by the Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’); acknowledges the response of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), notably that the high rate of late payments were due to technical difficulties in processing the transactions when using SUMMA, a new budgetary, accounting and financial system still in a pilot phase; calls on Eurojust to take specific measures in order to minimise payment delays and ensure the full implementation of the system;

– having regard to the European Commission’s Evaluation of the EU agencies under the remit of DG Employment – Eurofound, Cedefop, ETF and EU-OSHA,

2. Welcomes the increase in Eurojust’s budget in 2023 from EUR 67 million to EUR 88 million (+31%) and its staff from 285 to 298 (+5%); underlines that the casework carried out by Eurojust has increased in 2023 by 14%, more than 13 000 cases were handled by Eurojust, which also organised 577 Coordination Meetings and 21 Coordination Centres, provided legal, technical, financial and/or operational support to 288 Joint Investigation Teams, facilitated the execution of 1 259 European Arrest Warrants, contributed to the arrest of more than 4 200 suspects and the seizure and/or freezing of criminal assets worth over EUR 1 billion, drafted 1 013 operational deliverables in support to cases (analyses, legal notes etc.) and enabled the use of 6 299 European Investigation Orders; acknowledges Eurojust’s reply stressing that the agency has reviewed the procedure for registering and reporting non-compliance events;

– having regard to the Eurofound's Consolidated Annual Activity report 2023,

3. Commends Eurojust’s efforts towards the digitalisation of justice, namely the implementation of a new Case Management System following the latest amendment to the Eurojust Regulation, the implementation of the new JITs Collaboration Platform, notes the role of Eurojust as the contact point for third countries and international organisations regarding ECRIS-TCN requests in the context of criminal proceedings;

– having regard to the Cedefop's Consolidated Annual Activity report 2023,

4. Stresses the importance of Eurojust’s continued support to Ukraine, by the JIT investigating alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine, by operating the Core International Crimes Evidence Database (CICED) to preserve, store and analyse evidence of core international crimes in a single, secure, central database, by ensuring a safe digital data transmission method for the evidence submission, and its analysis; further welcomes the launching of the new International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) at Eurojust with the aim to support national investigations and agree on common investigative and prosecution strategies, and by actively contributing to the work of the Seize and Freeze taskforce in order to ensure the effective implementation of EU sanctions across the European Union;

– having regard to the ETF's Consolidated Annual Activity report 2023,

5. Notes with satisfaction the strong collaboration with the Justice and Home Affairs Agencies, notably the conclusion of a new working arrangement with European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the opening of 15 new cases where Eurojust supported European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) as well as the cooperation on 42 cases with European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) stresses that Eurojust and Europol launched a pilot project for the systematic and structural exchange of data for link detection purposes, which will be reviewed in the first half of 2024; welcomes the Eurojust-OLAF Action Plan 2022-2023 to fight crimes affecting the European Union’s financial interests;

– having regard to the EU-OSHA's Consolidated Annual Activity report 2023,

6. Notes with satisfaction that Eurojust continues to support the Commission in the revision of the negotiations of the international agreements on cooperation with Eurojust, between the Union and 13 third countries, that the Commission negotiates on behalf of the EU.

– having regard to the ELA's Consolidated Annual Activity report 2023,

Part II – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2023

– having regard to Commission’s report: Evaluation of EU Agencies: Eurofound, Cedefop, ETF and EU-OSHA,

1. Notes the Court’s observation on recurrent high rates of carry-overs related to operational activities amounting to EUR 6,4 million (23 %) of available 2023 commitment appropriations to 2024; notes that it is a lower rate than in 2022, when the rates of carry-overs were 26%; welcomes the fact that the Court has declared the transactions underlying the annual accounts of European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) for the financial year 2023 to be legal and regular in all material respects; highlights that the budget for 2023 was 34 million EUR; notes and reiterates its concern that FRA continues to suffer from financial and staff resources constraints; welcomes that FRA was able to fulfil its objectives and to deliver on the activities foreseen in its Annual Work Programme despite the continuous shortage on human and financial resources; notes that the number of meetings and events organised or co-organised was 421 compared to the set target of 260, and that the number of communication materials was 1809 compared to the set target of 250; notes with satisfaction that FRA has a very high level of outturn which is above 99%; considers it an important indicator of sound financial management and respect of the budgetary principles; welcomes the cooperation with other EU agencies; bodies and civil society in order to ensure there is compliance with fundamental rights;

General comments

2. Highlights the role of FRA as a key guardian of fundamental rights and the rule of law, as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and commends its support to ensure the respect, protection, and fulfilment of fundamental rights in existing EU laws and policies in the field of equality and anti-discrimination, such as EU law and policies combating racism and antisemitism and islamophobia, supporting the collection of equality data and the implementation of equality and anti-racism strategies such as the national Roma strategic frameworks, and providing input for to the mid-term review of the 2020–2025 LGBTIQ equality strategy, the protection of civil society and of human rights defenders at risk, as well as supporting the revision of the victims’ rights directive, the Anti-racism Action Plan and the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, and advising on the fundamental rights compliance regarding the development and use of AI systems and the implementation and use of EU funds;

1. Expresses its satisfaction that the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has declared the transactions underlying the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), the European Training Foundation (ETF), and the European Labour Authority (ELA) annual accounts for the financial year 2023 to be overall legal and regular, and that their financial position as at 31 December 2023 is fairly represented;

3. Emphasises FRA’s guidance and engagement in the area of asylum and migration, borders and interoperability and its important focus on fundamental rights, Member States’ international obligations and EU human rights law in this area, including cooperation with the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) to enhancing the understanding of the importance of guardians and legal representatives assisting unaccompanied children seeking international protection within the Union and the training provided to staff of Europol enhancing awareness and understanding of fundamental rights considerations in relevant operational contexts; welcomes FRA’s timely input on the temporary protection directive implementation in the context of refugees fleeing from Ukraine, as well as on identifying the challenges with regard to the implementation of Union law on long-term residence, as well as identifying the shortcomings in the visa code and the list of actions the Union and its Member States can take to reduce fatalities at sea;

2. Welcomes the five agencies’ continued and growing cooperation and sharing of resources among them and with other institutions, including other EU agencies, the Commission and the Parliament;

4. Welcomes FRA's contribution to the evaluation of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation (‘the EBCG Regulation’), participation in European Border Coast Agency (Frontex) Management Board meetings and co-chairing the Frontex Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights, and cooperation with the Fundamental Rights Office at Frontex;

3. Calls on the Commission to ensure better use of the Agencies’ expertise in relevant policy areas regarding, which can allow for more efficient utilisation of Union budget resources compared to alternative solutions;

5. Notes with satisfaction that FRA provided fundamental rights analysis and expertise to support the activities and work of other EU justice and home affairs (JHA) agencies, including the EUAA, Frontex, Europol, the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA), and European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL); welcomes FRA’s contributions in 2023 to advancing the respect for fundamental rights, including through guidance on EU funds and addressing challenges posed by new technologies; calls on FRA to determine the extent to which the rule of law and fundamental rights are intrinsically linked, and how its work could be incorporated or developed in synergy with that of the European Commission in the framework of the annual Rule of Law Report;

4. Acknowledges that the high inflation rate in 2023, and the related increase in various costs and utilities, affects significantly the agencies’ budget dedicated to operational expenditure, in particular for agencies located in Member States experiencing the highest inflation rates;

6. Welcomes FRA’s cooperation with the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) on safeguarding privacy and data protection throughout the development and implementation of cybersecurity initiatives, and with eu-LISA on guaranteeing that the design and use of IT systems adheres to fundamental rights standards.

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound)

Part III – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Asylum Agency for the financial year 2023

5. Appreciates the Foundation’s work on enhancing and disseminating knowledge, and providing evidence-based expertise to support the development of better informed social, employment and work-related policies in Europe, to analyse policy options to improve working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living, and to produce expertise on right to disconnect, telework, hybrid work and related impacts on work–life balance and quality of working conditions;

1. Notes that in 2023, over 1,1 million applications for international protection (+18 % compared to 2022) were submitted, and more than 1 million decisions granting temporary protection were issued in 29 EU+ countries; highlights the substantial support EUAA has provided to Member States in that context; calls for appropriate levels of funding to the EEAA, in particular if there is a significant increase of the tasks entrusted to the agency in the context of the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum;

6. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Foundation’s accounts and invites the Foundation to address the ECA’s remarks;

2. Notes the increase in the EUAA’s budget in 2023 from EUR 208 million to EUR 228 million (+10%) and its staff from 519 to 529 (+2%); points out that the Court found in its 2017 and 2020 reports that the EUAA’s contracts for the rental of premises on Lesbos and in Rome were irregular owing to insufficient competition and a failure to comply with the principle of economy, meaning that all subsequent payments under those contracts were irregular; recalls the auditors’ observation that by 2023 such irregular payments totalling EUR 123 800 had been made;

7. Notes the 16,8 % of carryover rate, above the 15 % benchmark, and the Foundation’s reply making a distinction between planned and unplanned carry-overs, the latest being assessed at 4 % by the Foundation;

3. Welcomes the fact that the Asylum Reserve Pool became operational and, by the end of 2023, included close to 350 experts; regrets that due to delays in nominations by some Member States of their respective experts, the envisaged number, 500, was not yet reached; calls on Member States to comply with their obligations as regards national experts in order to avoid the need for the agency to rely on external contractors;

8. Notes the Commission’s recommendation to further improve staff training through formal guidelines and a more systematic approach;

4. Welcomes the fact that the EUAA’s first fundamental rights officer (FRO) took office on 16 May 2023; appreciates the establishment of a visible and easily accessible complaints mechanism developed by the FRO in consultation with the Commission and the Consultative Forum;

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)

5. Welcomes the adoption of the EUAA revised external cooperation strategy and strategy on vulnerability; underlines that both should serve as a guarantee for the protection of fundamental rights in the asylum and reception systems of EU+ countries;

9. Appreciates the Agency’s activities to develop, gather and provide reliable and relevant information, analysis and tools on national and EU priorities in the field of occupational safety and health;

6. Appreciates the efforts of EUAA to move towards digitalisation, including by adopting the strategy on digital innovation in asylum procedures and reception systems;

10. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Agency’s accounts and invites the Agency to address the ECA’s remarks;

7. Notes with satisfaction that 1 000 training sessions were organised by EUAA, and that there is a constant increase in terms of the number of asylum and reception officials and civil society actors trained (+6 % compared to 2022); welcomes the further development of the European asylum curriculum, with training modules such as the ones addressing gender-based violence, vulnerability and the situation of children in the asylum process;

11. Welcomes the Agency’s prompt and successful action in a procurement procedure to protect the interest of the EU budget and notes the related ECA’s opinion on the alternative procedure taken in extreme urgency;

8. Reiterates its call from last year that the EUAA should keep Parliament regularly updated on all OLAF investigations.

12. Notes the 29 % of carryover rate, way above the 15 % benchmark, and the Agency’s reply linking part of the carryover to commitments planned in the Agency’s Single Programming Document;

Part IV – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice for the financial year 2023

13. Notes with satisfaction the cost-cutting actions performed by the Agency for allocating resources to the Agency’s core tasks;

1. Regrets that in 2023, an amount of EUR 12,6 million, representing 3,2 % of the total payment appropriations available, was non-compliant expenditure which exceeded the materiality threshold set for the audit and therefore resulted a qualified opinion on the legality and regularity of payments by the Court; calls on eu-LISA to prepare a detailed corrective action plan which includes a timetable and accountability for the elimination of non-compliant expenditure; calls on the Agency to keep the Court of Auditors regularly informed of progress in the implementation of the corrective action plan;

14. Notes the Commission’s recommendation to strengthen its cooperation with the other agencies related to the EMPL committee remit;

2. Notes with concern the emphasis of matter to the annual accounts issued by the Court due to two active framework contracts; reiterates its concern that several observations form the Court from previous years are still ongoing; calls on eu-LISA to follow up on the observations from the Court and to step up efforts to implement corrective actions in all remaining cases of non-compliance and to report to the discharge authority on the progress achieved;

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

3. Takes note of eu-LISA’s efforts to achieve the objectives set for 2023 in the Single Programming Document 2023–2025; notes with satisfaction the full implementation of the renewed Schengen Information System (SIS) in March and the smooth integration of Cyprus to SIS in July 2023 and the integration of Croatia into Visa Information System (VIS);

15. Appreciates the Cedefop’s activities to provide research, analyses and technical advice and expertise in vocational education and training (VET), qualifications and skills policies, to compile and disseminate research on skills mismatches, and to ensure digital skills are integrated into VET across the Union, as well as, the Cedefop involvement in the 2023 European Year of Skills;

4. Notes the new Interoperability roadmap; regrets that the new timeline for the roll-out and interoperability of EU information systems was necessary due to delays in development of the Entry/Exit System (EES), European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and European Criminal Records Information System on third-country nationals (ECRIS-TCN); calls on eu-LISA to prioritise the swift implementation of those information systems and set a new specific operational start date; underlines that swift, effective, and reliable information exchange is critical for sustaining and strengthening the Union’s area of freedom, security, and justice;

16. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Agency’s accounts and invites the Agency to address the ECA’s observations;

5. Welcomes the fact that eu-LISA also focused on cybersecurity and combating threats in the cyber domain, in particular making necessary preparations for obligations stemming from the new Union regulations on information security and cybersecurity; highlights the fact that eu-LISA operates and maintains a security monitoring platform, cybersecurity incident plan, response playbooks, and 24/7 stand-by duty arrangements to ensure timely identification of and response to cyber threats; welcomes the role of eu-LISA in supporting inter-agency cybersecurity exercises in cooperation with the JHA Agencies Network (JHAAN);

17. Notes the Cedefop’s corrective action taken regarding the daily subsistence allowances paid to Greek seconded national experts;

6. Welcomes the fact that eu-LISA started preparations for taking over the operational management of the e-CODEX system (e-Justice Communication via Online Data Exchange) and that also commenced preparations for the design and development of the Joint Investigation Teams collaboration platform (JITs CP) to provide secure electronic information exchange for cross-border criminal investigations; notes the review of the rules for the prevention and management of conflict of interest concerning the representatives of the management board and the advisory groups.

18. Notes the Commission’s recommendation to review the Cedefop Management Board’s working arrangements to increase efficiency and effectiveness;

Part V – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Border Coast Agency for the financial year 2023

European Training Foundation (ETF)

1. Notes the significant increase in returns, with Frontex exceeding its target of 20 000 by assisting 39 239 returns in total, including an impressive 87% increase in voluntary returns and a 20% rise in forced returns compared to 2022; welcomes the enhanced support provided to Member States in post-return and post-arrival assistance, with Frontex exceeding its target of 5 000 cases in the Joint Reintegration System, successfully managing 6 438 cases in 2023;

19. Appreciates the ETF’s activities in helping the Union, Member States and its partner countries to harness the potential of their human capital and to improve the employment prospects through the reform of education, vocational training, skills and labour market systems, as well as, the ETF role in the 2023 European Year of Skills;

2. Notes the progressive expansion of cooperation with third countries throughout 2023, marked by a variety of activities such as familiarisation visits, identification missions, and workshops, totalling 36 initiatives aimed at strengthening collaboration;

20. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Agency’s accounts and invites the Agency to address the ECA’s remarks, especially concerning open procurement procedure;

3. Emphasises the key role and main task of Frontex in protecting the Union’s external borders; acknowledges the essential role Frontex also plays in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, with maritime and aerial assets deployed in joint operations responding to 785 incidents involving 43 508 migrants, underscoring the critical contribution of Frontex to humanitarian efforts; notes with concern that in 2023, Statista estimates that 3105 migrants died while crossing the Mediterranean Sea; emphasises the need to step up efforts to prevent human smuggling and trafficking;

21. Notes the ETF’s confirmation that it has reviewed its methodologies on financial solvency in the tendering evaluation process and on financial assessment;

4. Highlights the positive progress in implementing Fundamental Rights targets, including the ongoing execution of the Fundamental Rights Action Plan and the independent evaluation of the Agency’s compliance with the Fundamental Rights Framework, in line with the EBCG Regulation; welcomes the proactive follow-up by Frontex on complaints related to fundamental rights, with the majority being dismissed for non-admissibility; highlights the importance of close cooperation with national authorities to ensure the appropriate follow-up on allegations of fundamental rights violations in line with national fundamental rights mechanisms; stresses that Frontex officers must avoid involvement in any actions that could directly or indirectly violate fundamental rights; welcomes Frontex's reinforced commitment to transparency and accountability; stresses the need for more detailed post-operation information;

22. Notes the Commission’s recommendation to improve the geographical and gender balance among its staff, and to further cooperate with the ELA and the European Institute for Gender Equality;

5. Supports Frontex’s continued efforts to strengthen its FRO, noting the employment of 46 Fundamental Rights Monitors (FRM) in 2023; stresses the importance of ensuring that all FRMs are recruited in AD grade, to further enhance their capacity and independence; recognises that Frontex has taken significant steps in responding to the opinions of the FRO, particularly on issues such as gender mainstreaming and human trafficking;

European Labour Authority (ELA)

6. Notes with appreciation that most Fundamental Rights targets were met in 2023, contributing to a more robust and rights-based approach to Frontex operations; regrets, despite official replies by the Executive Director of Frontex, the lack of concrete action on some of the opinions issued by the FRO and thus calls for continued focus on implementing such concrete actions based on the recommendations of the FRO and for further strengthening Frontex’s human rights framework;

23. Appreciates the Authority’s work to assist Member States and the Commission in ensuring a fair and effective enforcement of Union rules on labour mobility and coordination of social security systems, in facilitating effective labour mobility in Europe through European Employment Services (EURES) activities, and to raising awareness, through training and information campaigns, about the rights and obligations of workers and employers;

7. Acknowledges the reception of 217 reported incidents of alleged violations of fundamental rights, the submission of 104 serious incident reports in 2023, 48 of which were related to fundamental rights, the reception of 67 complaints via the Frontex Complaints Mechanism, the launch of 55 serious incident investigations in 2023, and the closure of 39 serious incidents, with fundamental rights violations found to have likely happened in nearly 50% of the closed cases; acknowledges that the conducted investigations also highlight Frontex's commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement;

24. Expresses its satisfaction for the overall positive ECA’s opinion on the Authority’s accounts; notes, however, the ECA’s remarks on a basis for qualified opinion on the legality and regularity of payments underlying the accounts;

8. Urges Frontex to ensure, without further delay, the full implementation of all the recommendations from European audit and scrutiny bodies, particularly OLAF and those from the European Parliament’s Frontex Scrutiny Working Group, the European Ombudsman, the Court, and the Frontex Working Group on Fundamental Rights and Legal Operational Aspects of Operations (WG FRaLO);

25. In this regards, notes the ECA’s opinion on an irregular contract awarding and the Authority’s reply that the concerned contract was not renewed and ran until the end to avoid disruption in the Authority’s activities;

9. Notes with concern that the Court has been highlighting since 2018 a high level of carry-overs and cancellations by Frontex and that this problem persists in 2023; notes furthermore that Frontex continues to struggle to meet its required occupancy as laid down in its staff establishment plan and that this problem also dates back to at least 2018; draws attention to the Court’s ongoing concern regarding lack of rules on declared conflicts of interest in relation to recruitment procedures in Frontex;

26. Notes the ECA’s opinion on shortcomings in ELA’s ex-ante checks and the 3,8 % of irregular expenditure above the materiality threshold; takes note of the Authority’s commitment to enhance its ex-ante checks by reviewing and formalising the process for assessing key parameters;

10. Notes the emphasis of matter to the annual accounts issued by the Court regarding the calculation of contributions from Schengen associated countries (SAC), which were raised in 2022; notes Frontex’s reply that these calculations follow established practices endorsed by the Management Board and the Commission; calls on the Commission to review these agreements to ensure greater consistency in the method of setting contributions to the Union and its agencies;

27. Notes the 26 % of carryover rate, way above the 15 % benchmark, and the 19 % of Title II appropriations cancelled, and takes note of the Agency’s reply committing to make efforts to enhance budget implementation;

11. Calls on the Commission, in light of the challenging migration crisis, in particular following the entry into force of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, and the hybrid operations by Russia and Belarus, to follow up on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s statement of July 2024 declaring that Frontex is well-positioned to further increase its staff to up to 30 000 agents; underlines that this expansion would significantly enhance Frontex’s capacity to address and manage migration flows and ensure security and the respect of fundamental rights at the Union’s external borders, reinforcing its vital role in the Union’s broader migration strategy; calls on the Commission to take the necessary steps to provide Frontex with resources adequate to the current geopolitical situation and to combatting smuggling.

28. Expects the Authority to deliver on its commitments and address all ECA’s remarks without delay;

Part VI – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training for the financial year 2023

Conclusion

1. Acknowledges that CEPOL intensified its efforts to provide a comprehensive training portfolio on all areas of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT); notes that Serious and Organised Crime and Cybercrime were the most popular topics attended by almost 62% of total number of participants in 2023; highlights that when auditing payments under a framework contract for travel and events organization services, the Court observed that CEPOL monitored contract consumption at the level of payments rather that budgetary commitments; agrees with the Court that this approach does not comply with Article 111 of the EU Financial Regulation;

29. Asks the Agencies and the Commission to implement as soon as possible all outstanding ECA's recommendations;

2. Welcomes that CEPOL published the EU Strategic Training Needs Assessment 2022-2025 mid-term review, which identifies newly emerged strategic and EU-level training needs of law enforcement officials;

30. Recommends, based on the facts available, that discharge be granted to the Executive Directors of the Eurofound, EU-OSHA, the CEDEFOP, the ETF, and the ELA in respect of the implementation of the Authorities’ budget for the financial year 2023.

3. Welcomes the fact that CEPOL continued to provide a cyber training portfolio through its CEPOL Cybercrime Academy; welcomes the fact that the dedicated training activities improved cybercrime knowledge and cyber capacities in Europe in the fields of the fight against child sexual exploitation, online fraud schemes and cyber-attacks and that CEPOL developed its first ever dedicated workshop on artificial intelligence;

4. Notes with regret that the training activities in the area of fundamental rights and data protection decreased in 2023 (when 19 activities were implemented with 2063 participants) in comparison to 2022 (30 activities with 4 014 participants); underlines that the core objective of CEPOL is to support, develop, implement and coordinate training for law enforcement officials, while putting particular emphasis on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the context of law enforcement; acknowledges at the same time that the total number of participants increased to 46 431; call on CEPOL to increase transparency in the planning and monitoring of the implementation of these training needs, especially in the context of new challenges, such as the increasing role of technology in law enforcement.

Part VII – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2023

1. Notes that on 1 July 2023, the new Regulation of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), repealing and replacing the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Regulation, entered into force and welcomes the new, broader mandate for the EUDA; recalls that the EUDA Regulation aims at addressing the drugs phenomenon in a holistic and evidence-based approach and calls on the agency to ensure the full implementation of its new mandate; notes the increase in the EMCDDA’s budget in 2023 from EUR 26 million to EUR 29 million (+13%) and the reduction of its staff from 110 to 101 (-1%);

2. Welcomes the contribution of EMCDDA to the EMPACT and to the operational action plans (OAPs) of the EU policy cycle on organised and serious international crime; appreciates the contribution provided by EMCDDA to new EU Roadmap to step up the fight against drug trafficking and criminal networks;

3. Welcomes the continuous efforts from EMCDDA to implement the EU Early Warning System (EWS) in collaboration with partners in Member States; notes that 26 new psychoactive substances (NPS) were notified and that the total number of NPS currently monitored is approximately 950; appreciates the technical reports published by the agency;

4. Acknowledges that EMCDDA produced 30 scientific and institutional publications in 2023, and also authored or co-authored 14 scientific articles and book chapters, appreciates the scientific and evidence-based expertise provided by the agency;

5. Welcomes the launch of the digital-first, modular, European Drug Report 2023, and the launch of the modules on amphetamine and cannabis of the joint EMCDDA-Europol report EU Drug Markets: In-depth Analysis;

6. Notes with satisfaction that EMCDDA provided regular valuable support and information on drug policies to national policymakers and coordinated preparatory scientific reviews of drug-related harm, treatment and harm-reduction practices; emphasizes the importance of continuing this essential work to address evolving trends and challenges and calls for further strengthening of these activities by fostering closer collaboration with Member states and ensuring the proper dissemination of findings to a wider audience, including healthcare professionals and the general public;

7. Highlights that EMCDDA trained more than 3 300 professionals working in the drugs field, including health workers, law enforcement officers and policymakers within and outside the Union and that the eight webinars organised by EMCDDA were attended by approximately 4 800 professionals; welcomes the cooperation with other EU Agencies.

Part VIII – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation for the financial year 2023

1. Is concerned about the Court’s observation on the legality and regularity of transactions connected to an operational grant intended to fund the activities of a national police force in a Member State; notes that the Court concluded that part of the grant, amounting to EUR 279 000, was irregular; underlines that at the request of the Court, Europol identified other grants through which VAT was reimbursed for similar activities in 2023, leading to irregular payments; takes note of Europol’s reply that Europol will no longer consider VAT an eligible cost for operational grants, hence ensuring its compliance with the Financial Regulation 2018/1046;

2. Notes with satisfaction that, in 2023, Europol accepted 107 856 operational contributions, supported 3 155 operations, established 27 Operational Task Forces, delivered 21 096 first line SIENA responses, and provided increased operational information capabilities to national authorities, Member States and third parties;

3. Commends the successful deployment of PERCI (EU Platform on Illegal Content Online), particularly with the full implementation of the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) recommendations; appreciates the strong cooperation with EDPS and the joint working group established with Frontex to follow up on EDPS’ recommendations in relation to Frontex’s PeDRA (Processing personal data for risk analysis) programme where both agencies share a strong interest in protecting fundamental rights while advancing security;

4. Requests that cooperation between Europol and other JHA Agencies is fully transparent and accountability ensured in accordance with EU rules on transparency as well as fundamental rights and data protection standards;

5. Welcomes the implementation of the Europol Regulation as amended in 2022, especially the swift appointment of an FRO in January 2023, marking a significant step towards enhancing Europol’s commitment to human rights in its operations;

6. Notes with concern the increased recruitment of children and young people into organized crime; stresses the importance of a clear and comprehensive strategy to prevent and combat this phenomenon;

7. Appreciates Europol’s ongoing and invaluable support to Ukraine, particularly through its participation in the Joint Investigation Team focused on investigating alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine; notes with satisfaction the creation of an Operational Task Force (OTF) aimed at providing targeted support to ongoing investigations into war crimes, showcasing Europol’s crucial role in international justice and accountability;

8. Further acknowledges the Commission's efforts towards a stronger and more secure Europe, as outlined by President Ursula von der Leyen in her statement of 2024; calls on the Commission to double Europol's staff and recognise Europol’s central role in ensuring security across the Union and its capacity to respond to emerging threats; further underlines that this expansion will further enhance Europol's ability to support Member States in combating serious and organised crime, both online and offline, thereby contributing to a safer and more secure Europe for all.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for the opinion declares that heshe received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof indraft committee:opinion:

Entity and/or person

European BorderAgency andfor CoastSafety Guardand AgencyHealth (“Frontex”)at Work

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

European Training Foundation

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

European Labour Authority

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training

Date adopted

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

6.2.2025

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for the opinion.

Result of final vote

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for the opinion declares that she has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

+:

–:

0:

37

13

9

Members present for the final vote

Magdalena Adamowicz, Giuseppe Antoci, Jaume Asens Llodrà, Nikola Bartůšek, Krzysztof Brejza, Saskia Bricmont, Jaroslav Bžoch, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Lena Düpont, Marieke Ehlers, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Branko Grims, Evin Incir, Irena Joveva, Erik Kaliňák, Marina Kaljurand, Fabienne Keller, András László, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Erik Marquardt, Michael McNamara, Birgit Sippel, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Petra Steger, Cecilia Strada, Georgiana Teodorescu, Milan Uhrík, Tom Vandendriessche, Charlie Weimers, Sophie Wilmès, Alessandro Zan, Javier Zarzalejos, Tomáš Zdechovský

Substitutes present for the final vote

Fredis Beleris, David Casa, Sigrid Friis, Markéta Gregorová, Hannah Neumann, Gaetano Pedulla’, Oliver Schenk, Alexander Sell, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, Malika Sorel, António Tânger Corrêa, Marco Tarquinio, Pekka Toveri, Loránt Vincze, Petar Volgin, Axel Voss, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Lucia Yar

Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote

Bart Groothuis, Rima Hassan, Anja Hazekamp, Pär Holmgren, Sérgio Humberto, Evelyn Regner, Carla Tavares, Ingeborg Ter Laak

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

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