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REPORT (2025/2151(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section VI – European Economic and Social Committee

A-10-2026-0059

Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Pasquale Tridico

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The European Parliament grants discharge to the European Economic and Social Committee for the 2024 budget and adopts a resolution with observations on its management, performance, and accountability. The resolution notes the Committee's budget implementation, internal control effectiveness, and calls for improvements in cybersecurity, cost-saving measures, and performance monitoring.

Committee position. The Committee on Budgetary Control proposes to grant discharge to the European Economic and Social Committee for the 2024 financial year, with observations in the accompanying resolution.

Key points

  1. Grants discharge to the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee for the 2024 financial year.
  2. Notes the Committee's budget was EUR 164,945,524 in 2024, a 3.90% increase from 2023, with high implementation rates.
  3. Calls on the Committee to strengthen transparency and proportionality of remote participation allowances, ensuring financial compensation is strictly justified.
  4. Calls for cost-saving measures including hybrid meeting technologies, building usage optimization, and regular progress reports.
  5. Notes the internal control effectiveness dropped from 78% in 2023 to 66% in 2024, and calls for addressing structural causes.
  6. Urges the Committee to close outstanding audit recommendations, particularly on allowances, ethics, and integrity.
  7. Welcomes improvements in gender balance but regrets low percentage of women in senior management (two out of seven positions).
  8. Urges the Committee to consult the European Data Protection Supervisor on collecting burnout data and to keep the discharge authority updated.
  9. Calls for a structured roadmap to progressively reach the 10% cybersecurity spending benchmark, with annual milestones and reporting.
  10. Notes the Committee's anti-fraud strategy and invites it to strengthen procedures on risk assessment, prevention, detection, and follow-up.
  11. Welcomes cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions and calls for expanding cooperation to a single administration for joint services.

Who is affected

  • The European Economic and Social Committee and its staff, members, and Secretary-General.
  • The European Committee of the Regions, with which the Committee shares joint services.
  • External service providers and contractors of the Committee.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 164,945,524: final adopted budget for 2024, a 3.90% increase from 2023.
  • 99.21%: current year commitment appropriations implementation in 2024, up from 98.70% in 2023.
  • EUR 367: daily allowance for in-person meetings, up from EUR 290.
  • EUR 149: daily allowance for remote meetings, up from EUR 145.
  • 66%: internal control effectiveness in 2024, down from 78% in 2023.
  • 10%: cybersecurity spending target, currently at 4% of IT budget.
  • EUR 1,176,000: amount needed for cybersecurity upgrade, not included in 2026 budget.

Legal basis: Article 314(10) and Articles 317, 318 and 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union