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OPINION (2023/2144(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) for the financial year 2022

LIBE-AD-756191

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs · Rapporteur: Tomáš Zdechovský

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The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs gives its opinion on the discharge for CEPOL's 2022 budget, asking the Budgetary Control Committee to include its suggestions in its resolution. It welcomes the Court of Auditors' finding that CEPOL's accounts are legal and regular, but regrets a qualified opinion on payments because EUR 4.2 million of non-compliant expenditure exceeded the materiality threshold. It notes recurring procurement weaknesses, welcomes CEPOL's corrective measures, and encourages the Commission to study merging CEPOL with other agencies in the same field. It welcomes CEPOL's 2022 training activities, exchanges and webinars on Ukraine, and calls for more training on cybercrime, artificial intelligence, data protection, fundamental rights and anti-racism, with full respect for fundamental rights in activities with third countries.

Committee position. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs suggests that the Committee on Budgetary Control incorporate its suggestions into its motion for a resolution on CEPOL's 2022 discharge, welcoming the accounts but noting the qualified opinion on payments and calling for more training and respect for fundamental rights.

Key points

  1. Calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate these suggestions into its motion for a resolution on CEPOL's 2022 discharge.
  2. Welcomes the Court of Auditors' declaration that CEPOL's 2022 accounts are legal and regular, but regrets the qualified opinion on payments due to EUR 4.2 million of non-compliant expenditure above the materiality threshold.
  3. Welcomes corrective actions on most previous observations, but notes recurring procurement weaknesses since 2020 and regrets that one procurement observation remains ongoing.
  4. Encourages the Commission to evaluate the feasibility of merging CEPOL with other agencies in the same remit, as CEPOL reaches only a small fraction of its target population.
  5. Notes that the qualified opinion concerned two framework contracts, including one for educational editorial services where all 2022 payments of €152 655 are irregular, and that CEPOL has introduced corrective measures.
  6. Welcomes CEPOL's 418 training activities with 43838 law enforcement officers, 296 exchanges, the fundamental rights strategy paper, training on protecting investigative journalists, and hate crime and victims' support training.
  7. Calls for more EU-level training on cybercrime, cyber forensics, artificial intelligence, data protection, fundamental rights and anti-racism, and for CEPOL to ensure transparency and respect for fundamental rights and international law in all activities, notably with third countries.
  8. Appreciates CEPOL's webinars on the war in Ukraine, its training needs analysis, its support to the Ukrainian General Prosecutor's office on Open Source Intelligence, and extra seats for Ukrainian participants.
  9. Notes CEPOL's strong cooperation with third countries, EU agencies and networks including Europol, Eurojust, Frontex, EJTN, the Commission, EMCDDA, EUIPO, FRA, EASO, and Interpol.

Who is affected

  • CEPOL: faces calls for corrective measures on procurement, more training topics, and full respect for fundamental rights in its activities.
  • The Commission: asked to study the feasibility of merging CEPOL with other agencies in the same remit.
  • Law enforcement officers: benefit from CEPOL's training activities and exchanges.
  • Ukrainian participants: received extra seats and training support from CEPOL.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 4.2 million: non-compliant expenditure exceeding the materiality threshold.
  • €152 655: payments under a framework contract for educational editorial services in 2022 found irregular.
  • 418: training activities carried out by CEPOL in 2022.
  • 43838: law enforcement officers who participated in CEPOL training in 2022.
  • 296: exchanges successfully implemented by CEPOL in 2022.