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OPINION (2023/2149(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2022

ENVI-AD-754680

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Pascal Canfin

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The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety gives its opinion on the discharge of the European Environment Agency's 2022 budget. It recommends granting discharge to the Executive Director and asks the lead committee to include its suggestions in its resolution. It praises the Agency's 2022 outputs, its new tasks under the European Climate Law and its budget implementation, and notes the Court of Auditors' positive assurance on the accounts. It raises concerns about staffing, calling for a review of staffing policy and further growth in posts, and asks the Agency to step up public communication and continue cooperation with other bodies.

Committee position. The committee recommends granting discharge to the EEA's Executive Director for the 2022 financial year and asks the Committee on Budgetary Control to include its suggestions in its resolution.

Key points

  1. Calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate the suggestions into its motion for a resolution.
  2. Stresses that the European Environment Agency (EEA) provides sound, independent environmental information and commends its 2022 outputs, including the Trends and projections in Europe 2022 Report, biodiversity support and the Zero pollution monitoring assessment.
  3. Recalls the EEA's new 2022 tasks supporting the green transition and the European Climate Law, such as launching the European Scientific Advisory Board for Climate Change.
  4. Notes the EEA's 2022 total budget and its Union contribution, and warns that inadequate resources may undermine delivery on the European Green Deal, the Eighth Environment Action Programme and the Sustainable Development Goals.
  5. Notes with satisfaction the EEA's excellent budget implementation in 2022, with cancelled appropriations below the 3% threshold and a positive outturn to be reimbursed to the Commission.
  6. Welcomes the Court of Auditors' reasonable assurance that the EEA's 2022 annual accounts are reliable and the underlying transactions legal and regular.
  7. Highlights high 2022 delivery rates: a 99,5% budget execution rate and a 95% delivery rate of key reports and assessments.
  8. Notes the extreme 2022 climate and weather events and the resulting 20% rise in EEA media coverage and 8% growth in social media followers.
  9. Notes the EEA filled 98% of approved posts but flags an imbalance between permanent and contractual posts and between operational and support staff; calls on the EEA to review its staffing policy and says post numbers should continue to grow.
  10. Recalls the importance of informing the public about the risks of inaction on climate change, welcomes the EEA's communication activities and calls on it to step them up.
  11. Invites the EEA to continue cooperation with other Union agencies and international organisations and dialogue with stakeholders and citizens, and welcomes the new European Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Ecosystems for 2023-2026.
  12. Recommends, based on the facts available, that discharge be granted to the Executive Director of the EEA for the 2022 financial year.

Who is affected

  • The European Environment Agency: its 2022 budget implementation is assessed and discharge is recommended.
  • The EEA's Executive Director: discharge is recommended for the implementation of the Agency's 2022 budget.
  • The Committee on Budgetary Control: asked to incorporate the suggestions into its motion for a resolution.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 92 857 777 — the EEA's total budget in 2022.
  • EUR 49 682 516 — the part of the EEA's 2022 budget from the general budget of the Union.
  • 3% — threshold for cancelled appropriations, below which the EEA stayed.
  • EUR 251 876 — positive budgetary outturn to be reimbursed to the Commission.
  • 99,5% — budget execution rate of the annual budget in 2022.
  • 95% — delivery rate of key reports and assessments in 2022.
  • 20% — increase in EEA media coverage in 2022 compared to 2021, reaching 27,818 articles.
  • 8% — growth in EEA social media followers compared to 2021, reaching 224,000.