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DRAFT REPORT (2023/2145(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2022

CONT-PR-753511

Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Petri Sarvamaa

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This draft report by the Committee on Budgetary Control proposes to grant the Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency discharge for the 2022 budget and to approve the closure of the Agency's accounts. It sets out observations on the Agency's budget and financial management, performance, efficiency, staff policy, procurement, conflicts of interest, internal control and other matters. The report notes the Court of Auditors' finding that the Agency's accounts are reliable and transactions legal and regular, but flags irregularities in procurement and non-compliance with financial rules. It calls on the Agency to document checks on fees and charges, justify procurement corrections and exclusions, publish meetings with lobbyists, re-evaluate an anticorruption strategy, address open audit actions, and continue efforts on gender balance.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for the 2022 budget and approve the closure of the Agency's accounts, while setting out observations in the accompanying resolution.

Key points

  1. Parliament grants the Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency discharge for the 2022 budget and approves the closure of the Agency's accounts.
  2. The Agency's final 2022 budget was EUR 224 265 965, up 10,04 % from 2021; EUR 39 678 000 came from the Union budget and EUR 120 435 031 from fees and charges.
  3. The Court of Auditors obtained reasonable assurance that the Agency's annual accounts are reliable and the underlying transactions legal and regular.
  4. Budget implementation rate for current year commitment appropriations was 97,08 %, and the payment appropriations execution rate was 87,18 %.
  5. The Agency ended 2022 with a negative fees and charges budgetary result of EUR 8,2 million, reducing its accumulated surplus from EUR 72,1 million to EUR 63,9 million.
  6. The Court found the Agency does not document checks on fees and charges collection, not complying with Articles 74(5) and 75 of the Financial Regulation; the Agency commits to take corrective actions.
  7. The Agency achieved a 97 % implementation rate of its 2022 Annual Work Programme and 77 % of its key performance indicators were on-track.
  8. The Agency took actions on clean aviation, urban air mobility, and in response to the war in Ukraine, including conflict zone bulletins and suspension of cooperation with Russia.
  9. The corporate transformation programme concluded in 2022 delivered a 12 % productivity gain and a reduction in overhead of 36 full-time equivalents.
  10. The establishment plan was 95,59 % implemented with 651 temporary agents out of 681 authorised; the Agency also employed 95 contract agents and 23 seconded national experts.
  11. The report observes a lack of gender balance in senior and middle management (17 out of 22 men) and calls on the Agency to continue efforts to attract applications from women.
  12. The Court found irregularities in procurement: an extreme urgency contract of EUR 1,9 million and a tender price modification without following Article 151 of the Financial Regulation; the report calls on the Agency to justify future corrections and exclusions.

Who is affected

  • The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and its Executive Director, who are granted discharge and asked to act on the observations.
  • The Agency's staff and management, affected by observations on gender balance, staff policy and conflicts of interest.
  • Entities bidding for Agency contracts, affected by the call to justify procurement corrections and exclusions.

Figures and deadlines

  • Final budget for 2022: EUR 224 265 965, an increase of 10,04 % compared to 2021.
  • EUR 39 678 000 of the budget derives from the Union budget and EUR 120 435 031 is revenue from fees and charges.
  • Budget implementation rate of current year commitment appropriations: 97,08 %, an increase of 0,77 % compared to 2021.
  • Current year payment appropriations execution rate: 87,18 %, a decrease of 0,16 % compared to 2021.
  • Fees and charges budgetary result: negative EUR 8,2 million (compared to EUR 11,2 million in 2021).
  • Accumulated fees and charges surplus brought down from EUR 72,1 million to EUR 63,9 million.
  • Contract for incident reporting system: EUR 1,9 million; associated payments in 2022: EUR 261 385.
  • Establishment plan: 651 temporary agents appointed out of 681 authorised; 95 contract agents and 23 seconded national experts.

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