Skip to content
REPORT (2023/2136(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022, Section VII – Committee of the Regions

A-9-2024-0073

Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Luke Ming Flanagan

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull textProcedure & committee votes
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament grants the Secretary-General of the Committee of the Regions discharge for the 2022 budget and sets out its observations in a resolution. It notes the Court of Auditors found no specific issues, the budget was EUR 109 976 858, and the implementation rate was 99,2 %. It welcomes steps on internal control, hybrid working, diversity, ethics and transparency, and the Committee's formal joining of the EU Transparency Register from 1 January 2024. It regrets the absence of an internal anti-fraud strategy and calls for one, and asks for reporting on a harassment allegation and on cybersecurity preparedness. It welcomes interinstitutional cooperation with the EESC and others, and notes savings, pooled staff and funds, and joint services.

Committee position. The Committee on Budgetary Control proposes that Parliament grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Committee of the Regions for the 2022 budget, and sets out observations in an accompanying resolution.

Key points

  1. Parliament grants the Secretary-General of the Committee of the Regions discharge for the 2022 budget and sets out observations in a resolution.
  2. It notes the Court of Auditors examined 60 transactions, found 14 with errors but estimated the error level below the materiality threshold, and identified no specific issues.
  3. It notes the final 2022 budget was EUR 109 976 858, up 3,03 % from 2021, with travel allowances rising 92 % and missions budget up 147 %.
  4. It notes the budget implementation rate was 99,2 %, average payment time 17,87 days, and electronic invoicing rose from 32 % to 68 %; it calls for completing digitalisation of the payment workflow.
  5. It notes the Committee adopted 55 opinions and 8 resolutions in 2022, and welcomes its cooperation with Parliament, including 56 preparatory meetings and access to trilogue documents.
  6. It welcomes the 'Going for IMPact' programme, 43 simplification and digitalisation projects, and the Committee's involvement in the Conference on the Future of Europe.
  7. It notes the Committee had 533 staff at end-2022, a 96 % occupation rate, and a hybrid working pilot allowing telework up to 60 % of working time.
  8. It notes 16 burnout cases, welcomes reintegration of 15 staff, and welcomes preventive actions on psychosocial risks.
  9. It notes women were 56,8 % of staff but management remains unbalanced, and welcomes the 2022-2026 diversity strategy targeting 40 % women in senior management by 2024.
  10. It notes OLAF investigated three cases in 2022, including undue travel allowances and allegations of financial wrongdoings, harassment and mismanagement, and asks for follow-up information.
  11. It regrets the Committee has not adopted an internal anti-fraud strategy and reiterates its call to launch a fraud risk analysis and adopt one.
  12. It welcomes interinstitutional cooperation with the EESC, including a joint IT directorate, 470 staff and EUR 55 million pooled, and calls for exploring a single administration for joint services.

Who is affected

  • The Committee of the Regions and its Secretary-General, who receives discharge for the 2022 budget.
  • Committee staff, affected by hybrid working, diversity targets, burnout prevention and ethics rules.
  • Committee members, subject to the code of conduct, financial declarations and transparency measures.
  • The European Economic and Social Committee, as partner in joint services, buildings and IT.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 109 976 858: final adopted 2022 budget of the Committee.
  • 3,03 %: overall increase of the 2022 budget compared to 2021.
  • EUR 4 244 488 to EUR 8 158 838: increase of appropriations on budget line 1004, i.e. by 92 %.
  • EUR 419 657: missions budget for 2022, compared to EUR 169 856 in 2021, an increase of 147 %.
  • 99,2 %: budget implementation rate in 2022.
  • 17,87 days: average time for payment in 2022.
  • EUR 200: flat-rate meeting allowance for remote and hybrid meetings until the 2023 revision.
  • EUR 179,50: remote meeting allowance as of July 2023, i.e. 50 % of EUR 359.

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