Sittings · Document

DRAFT REPORT (2023/2151(DEC)) 2024-01-24

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022

Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Petri Sarvamaa

PR_DEC_Agencies

1. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022

(2023/2151(DEC))

– having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022,

– having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on EU agencies for the financial year 2022, together with the agencies’ replies,

– having regard to the statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2022, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to the Council’s recommendation of … February 2024 on discharge to be given to the Authority in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2022 (00000/2024 – C90000/2024),

– having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012, and in particular Article 70 thereof,

– having regard to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety, and in particular Article 44 thereof,

– having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/715 of 18 December 2018 on the framework financial regulation for the bodies set up under the TFEU and Euratom Treaty and referred to in Article 70 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and in particular Article 105 thereof,

– having regard to Rule 100 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A90000/2024),

1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2022 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2022;

2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

3. Instructs its President to forward this decision, and the resolution forming an integral part of it, to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

2. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

on the closure of the accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022

(2023/2151(DEC))

– having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022,

– having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on EU agencies for the financial year 2022, together with the agencies’ replies,

– having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to Rule 100 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A90000/2024),

1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022;

2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

3. MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022

(2023/2151(DEC))

– having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022,

– having regard to Rule 100 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A90000/2024),

A. whereas, according to its statement of revenue and expenditure, the final budget of the European Food Safety Authority (the ‘Authority’) for the financial year 2022 was EUR 149 841 816,93, representing an increase of 15,99 % compared to 2021; whereas the Authority’s budget derives mainly from the Union budget;

B. whereas the Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’), in its report on the annual accounts of the Authority for the financial year 2022 (the ‘Court’s report’), states that it has obtained reasonable assurance that the Authority’s annual accounts are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular;

C. whereas with regard to the Authority’s procurement sector, no issues requiring corrective actions were reported for 2022, nor are there ongoing or outstanding corrective actions from previous years’ audits and assessments;

D. whereas with regard to the Authority’s internal control systems, no issues requiring corrective actions were reported for 2022, nor are there ongoing or outstanding corrective actions from previous years’ audits and assessments;

Budget and financial management

1. Notes with appreciation that the budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2022 resulted in a budget implementation of current year commitment appropriation rate of 99,95 % representing a slight decrease of 0,04 % compared to 2021; notes, furthermore, that the current year payment appropriations execution rate was at 89,77 % representing an increase of 0,92 % compared to 2021;

Performance

2. Notes with satisfaction that the Authority has implemented an integrated performance framework connecting resources and activities to outputs and expected results, complemented by a set of Key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor and drive performance; notes furthermore that the performance against the targets set out in the Performance Framework reached an overall rate of 96 %; observes that the areas of Strategic Objectives 2 (Ensure preparedness for future risk analysis needs) and Strategic Objective 3 (Empower people and ensure organisational agility), featured a good performance overall, whilst the area of Strategic Objective 1 (Deliver Trustworthy Scientific Advice and Communication of Risks from Farm to Fork’), heavily impacted by the implementation of new rules and procedures under the Transparency Regulation, featured a deviation from the target;

3. Highlights that the Authority has finalised 586 scientific questions out of the targeted 701 regarding the Objective 1: ‘Deliver Trustworthy Scientific Advice and Communication of Risks from Farm to Fork’; notes that despite the number of scientific questions closed was lower than forecasted, it broadly equated the new incoming questions received during the year, thus ensuring that the stock of open questions did not increase;

4. Welcomes that the area of communication of findings registered very positive results, with the timeliness of publication on the Authority’s Journal maintaining the positive performance achieved over the past two years;

5. Takes note that 2022 marked the first year of the implementation of the Strategy 2027, designed as an evolution of the Strategy 2020, this Strategy is focused on the implementation of the Transparency Regulation (in the short term) and prepares the Authority to address new evolving EU policies (in the longer term);

6. Welcomes the Authority’s organisation of ‘ONE Conference - Health, Environment, Society’ in June 2022, highlighting the connection between human, animal and environmental health and leading us to a ‘one health-one environment’;

7. Notes that the Authority has launched a campaign on African Swine Fever in partnership with eighteen Member States; further notes that the Authority has made a contribution to the conception and implementation of the ‘EU Chemicals Strategy’;

Efficiency and gains

8. Observes that the Authority has been collaborating with the European Chemicals Authority, in the context of the new EU Chemicals Strategy, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to develop systems for the collection and analysis of genome sequencing; notes moreover that the Authority has shared human resources and research resources with Sister Agencies and the Joint Research Centre; further emphasizes the horizontal benefits of working together and adapting best practices;

9. Notes that the Authority has increased its efforts in 2022 on consolidating the implementation of new processes and IT tools, trying to achieve a high level of efficiency and to maximise synergies with other agencies; further notes that some of the Authority’s results regarding efficiency and gains in IT tools taken in 2020-2022 has not been targeted until the end of 2023;

Staff policy

10. Notes that, on 31 December 2022, the establishment plan was 95,55 % implemented, with 5 officials and 382 temporary agents appointed out of 405 posts authorised under the Union budget (compared to 380 authorised posts in 2021); notes that, in addition, 170 contract agents and 14 seconded national experts worked for the Authority in 2022; notes furthermore that in order to implement the new Transparency Regulation the Authority was granted 31 new staff posts in 2022, and 15 extra Contract Agents (CAs) for the period 2022-2024;

11. Takes note that in 2022 gender balance was achieved within the Authority’s overall staff, with 335 out of 557 (60,1 %) being women and within the Authority’s management board with 37 out of 70 (52,9 %) being women; observes that in senior and management positions, there is a higher proportion of positions occupied by men (63 %) compared to women (37 %); calls on the Authority to intensifying the efforts to bridge the gender gap in senior and managerial positions;

12. Takes note that three cases of burnout were reported in 2022 by the Medical Service; emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining equilibrium between professional responsibilities and personal life; calls on the Authority to continue promoting a healthy work-life balance among staff;

13. Notes that the Authority is committed with the values of the EU Agencies Network and the ‘Charter on Diversity and Inclusion’ and is working for the adoption as soon as possible; further notes the Authority’s participation in the EU Agencies Network Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion sharing synergies, information and resources regarding diversity and inclusion; in addition, some internal initiatives were implemented, such as a new career website and video about working at the Authority with a special topic in diversity and inclusion;

14. Observes that the Authority has adopted the ‘Guidelines for the Implementation of Aid for Persons with Disabilities’ promoting social policy and equal treatment at the work place; notes moreover that the Authority’s building has been designed in accordance with the Italian Accessibility Regulations for people with disabilities;

15. Notes that a new organisational structure designed to support the implementation of the Transparency Regulation and ambitions of the Authority’s Strategy 2027 was implemented as of 1 January 2022;

Prevention and management of conflicts of interest and transparency

16. Notes that the Authority’s management board and operational management have signed a Declaration of Conflict of Interest and it is published and available in the website; further notes that the CV’s of the members and alternate members of the Management Board will be published by the end of 2023;

17. Observes that in 2022 the Authority identified and managed seven conflicts of interest at the level of annual declarations of interest pertaining to external experts; notes that the Authority prevented them from participating in the scientific activity;

18. Acknowledges that the Authority has in place a voluntary code of conduct under which Management Board members oblige themselves to communicate to the Authority occupational activities after the end of its mandate under the period of two years;

19. Takes note that the Authority plans to adopt a new post-employment standard procedure by Q1 2024, which would include the criteria and procedure to discontinue the access to confidential information to staff leaving the service, monitoring and implementation requirements, and transparency standards;

20. Notes that the Authority has in place an Anti-Fraud Strategy, developed in close cooperation with the European Anti-Fraud Office, accompanied by related implementing rules and action plan to prevent fraud and corruption;

Other comments

21. Observes that in June 2022 the Internal Audit Service (IAS) issued the audit report on information security and disaster recovery, with the objective to assess the adequacy of the design and implementation of the governance, and identified two observations and three important observations on IT Security Governance; notes that the Authority accepted this recommendations and is currently implementing an action plan;

22. Notes the Authority’s efforts to increase its public visibility and online presence through the launch of the ‘#EUChooseSafeFood’ campaign for a second year, delivered in partnership with Member State competent authorities, with the objective of explaining the science behind food safety in the Union in an accessible way; further notes that the Authority invested in making its website multilingual, with artificial intelligence via the European Commission’s eTranslation widget; notes, moreover, that the Authority continued in 2022 to invest in developing its ‘OpenEFSA’ portal, according to the requirements of the Transparency Regulation;

23. Welcomes that the Authority is among the EMAS certified agencies since several years; takes note that depending on the type of purchase the Authority applies ‘Green Public Procurement (GPP)’ standards as minimum tender specification requirementsin selection and/or award criteria;

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24. Refers, for other observations of a cross-cutting nature accompanying its decision on discharge, to its resolution of ... on the performance, financial management and control of the agencies.