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REPORT (2023/2150(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2022

A-9-2024-0100

Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Petri Sarvamaa

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Parliament grants the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency discharge for the 2022 budget and approves the closure of the Agency's accounts. It notes the Agency's 2022 budget of EUR 34 967 797, a 61,73 % increase on 2021, and the Court of Auditors' assurance that the accounts are reliable and the transactions legal and regular. It raises concerns over high carry-overs of EUR 11,9 million (41 %) and over procurement and internal control weaknesses found by the Court, asking the Agency to improve its procedures and report back. It welcomes the Agency's performance, including 95,4 % implementation of its work programme and 47 592 inspections, and calls for sufficient resources and continued cooperation with other agencies.

Committee position. The Committee on Budgetary Control proposes that Parliament grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency for the 2022 budget, approve the closure of the accounts, and adopt observations on budget management, performance, staff, transparency, procurement and internal control.

Key points

  1. Parliament grants the Executive Director discharge for the implementation of the Agency's 2022 budget and approves the closure of its accounts.
  2. The Agency's final 2022 budget was EUR 34 967 797, up 61,73 % on 2021, with about 84 % from the Union budget and 16 % from earmarked revenue.
  3. The Court of Auditors found the Agency's annual accounts reliable and the underlying transactions legal and regular.
  4. Parliament notes with concern carry-overs of EUR 11,9 million (41 %) of 2022 commitment appropriations, including EUR 1,6 million under Title II and EUR 10,1 million under Title III, and says high carry-overs contradict annuality.
  5. It stresses that member states are primarily responsible for fisheries control, that the Agency's role is supportive, and that its financial and human resources must be sufficient for growing tasks.
  6. It welcomes the Agency's 95,4 % implementation of its Annual Work Programme and its use of key performance indicators in operational and horizontal activities.
  7. It notes the Agency reported 47 592 inspections and 5 167 suspected infringements in 2022, and asks for more detail on the reasons for the changes.
  8. It welcomes efficiency gains from shared IT systems, joint procurement, centralised administrative tasks and shared recruitment reserve lists, and calls for continued cooperation with FRONTEX, EMSA and the European Environment Agency.
  9. It notes the establishment plan was 96,10 % filled with 74 temporary agents out of 77 authorised, and that staff increased by almost 50 % compared to early 2021.
  10. It notes the Agency's gender balance overall (51 % women) but deplores that only 38 % of staff at grade AD 8 and higher were female, and calls for geographical balance.
  11. It notes the Court's finding that the Agency signed a framework contract worth EUR 90 million for chartering three offshore patrol vessels with a possible six-year duration, and that the Court considered the justification for exceeding four years insufficient.
  12. It expresses concern over the lack of an adequate audit trail in selecting external experts and over a negotiated procedure without prior publication for leasing an offshore patrol vessel, and calls on the Agency to strengthen its processes and report back.

Who is affected

  • The European Fisheries Control Agency and its Executive Director, who receive discharge and must address the observations.
  • The Agency's staff and management, affected by observations on staff policy, gender balance and geographical representation.
  • The Agency's contractors and external experts, affected by findings on procurement and selection procedures.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 34 967 797: the Agency's final budget for 2022.
  • 61,73 %: increase in the 2022 budget compared to 2021.
  • 99,41 %: current year commitment appropriation implementation rate in 2022.
  • 57,78 %: current year payment appropriations execution rate in 2022.
  • EUR 11,9 million (41 %): commitment appropriations carried over from 2022 to 2023.
  • 95,4 %: implementation of the Annual Work Programme in 2022.
  • 47 592 inspections and 5 167 suspected infringements reported in 2022.
  • EUR 90 million: value of the framework contract for chartering three offshore patrol vessels.

Legal basis: Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.