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DRAFT REPORT (2023/2157(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2022

CONT-PR-753525

Committee on Budgetary Control · Rapporteur: Petri Sarvamaa

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This draft report proposes that Parliament grant discharge to the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the 2022 budget and approve the closure of the Centre's 2022 accounts. It sets out observations on the Centre's budget and financial management, performance, efficiency, staff policy, procurement, conflicts of interest and transparency, internal control and communication. The Centre's 2022 budget was EUR 18 893 136, a decrease of 0,71 % from 2021, and 94 % of it came from the Union budget. The Court of Auditors found the Centre's annual accounts reliable and the underlying transactions legal and regular. The report commends the Centre's work and calls on it to address shortcomings found in assessments and to improve gender balance and transparency.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament grant discharge to the Director of the Centre for the 2022 budget and approve the closure of the 2022 accounts, while setting out observations on financial management, performance, staff, procurement, transparency, internal control and communication.

Key points

  1. Parliament would grant the Director discharge for the 2022 budget and approve the closure of the 2022 accounts.
  2. The Centre's final 2022 budget was EUR 18 893 136, down 0,71 % from 2021, with 94 % coming from the Union budget.
  3. The Court of Auditors obtained reasonable assurance that the Centre's 2022 accounts are reliable and the underlying transactions legal and regular.
  4. Budget implementation was 98,78 % (down 1,22 % from 2021), payment execution 96,65 % (up 0,30 %), and 88,98 % of 2021 payment appropriations carried over were implemented.
  5. The Centre wrongly flagged 107 of 1 595 payments as late due to incorrect parametrisations or data inputs; it says this did not affect regularity and has taken measures to reduce false positives.
  6. The Centre achieved 57 of 65 annual targets (87 %) and 152 of 188 outputs/results (81 %); 12 % were partially achieved and 6 % not implemented, mostly due to lack of resources.
  7. The report recognises the Centre's work, including the European Drug Report, the PLATO e-learning platform, seven miniguides, three spotlights, a trendspotter study on displaced Ukrainians, and joint work with Europol.
  8. In 2022 the Early Warning System was notified of 41 new psychoactive substances, and two substances risk assessed in 2021 were included in the definition of 'drug' by Commission delegated directive.
  9. The Centre trained almost 950 professionals and around 1 200 attended its seven webinars; Lisbon Addictions 2022 brought together 1 757 participants from 84 countries.
  10. The Centre has environmental measures including a Strategic Plan to become carbon-neutral, EMAS certification, solar power cells and electric car-sharing stations.
  11. The establishment plan was 97 % implemented with 6 officials and 68 temporary agents; 27 contract agents worked for the Centre; staff turnover was 2,9 %.
  12. The report calls on the Centre to improve gender balance in future recruitments, senior management appointments and management board nominations, and to address shortcomings identified in internal control assessments.

Who is affected

  • The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and its Director, who would receive discharge for the 2022 budget.
  • The Centre's staff and management, affected by observations on staff policy, gender balance and internal control.
  • The Centre's management board and scientific committee members, whose declarations of interest and CVs are published.
  • The Centre's procurement and financial management, affected by observations on a contract deficit and late payment flagging.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 18 893 136: the Centre's final budget for 2022.
  • 0,71 %: decrease in the Centre's budget compared to 2021.
  • 94 %: share of the Centre's budget derived from the Union budget.
  • 98,78 %: budget implementation rate in 2022.
  • 96,65 %: payment appropriations execution rate in 2022.
  • 88,98 %: implementation rate of payment appropriations carried over from 2021 to 2022.
  • 107 out of 1 595: payments wrongly flagged as late.
  • EUR 75 000: amount of a contract concluded in 2022 not fully covered by a budgetary commitment, leading to a deficit of EUR 8 000.

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