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Discharge 2022: EU general budget - European Economic and Social Committee

TA-9-2024-0232 · P9_TA(2024)0232 · PE753.483

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Parliament grants the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee discharge for the 2022 budget and sets out its observations in a resolution. The resolution notes the Court of Auditors found no specific issues, the budget was EUR 152 451 643, and the error level was below the materiality threshold. It asks the Committee to report on sensitive posts, HR mapping follow-up, harassment cases, anti-fraud strategy and cybersecurity, and calls for an external independent investigation into harassment procedures. It welcomes progress on flexible working, diversity, traineeships, transparency register membership, interinstitutional cooperation with the Committee of the Regions and sustainability measures.

Key points

  1. Parliament grants the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee discharge for the implementation of the 2022 budget.
  2. The Court of Auditors examined 60 transactions, found 14 with errors, and estimated the error level below the materiality threshold; it identified no specific issues concerning the Committee.
  3. The final adopted budget was EUR 152 451 643, an increase of 5,1 % compared to 2021; the implementation rate was 96,12 % and the payment execution rate 88,12 %.
  4. The carry-over to 2022 was EUR 20 162 518, about 13 % of the annual budget, linked to postponed buildings works; the average payment time fell to 18 days.
  5. Energy costs rose from EUR 726 000 to EUR 3 125 000 between 2021 and 2022, and the Committee incurred costs supporting Ukrainian civil society.
  6. The Committee adopted 202 opinions and reports in 2022, attended 345 high-level meetings, and organised 116 hearings and 29 conferences.
  7. Parliament asks the Committee to report on the sensitive posts methodology, the follow-up to the HR mapping, and the final decision on working conditions.
  8. Parliament regrets the lack of burnout data, notes female staff at 64,6 % and three of seven senior managers women, and calls for a diversity and inclusion strategy.
  9. Parliament reiterates its call for an external independent investigation into the Committee's human resources procedures and harassment handling, and asks for updates on ongoing harassment cases.
  10. The Committee joined the EU transparency register as of 1 June 2023 and adopted transparency measures; Parliament regrets the absence of an integrated anti-fraud strategy.
  11. The combined IT budget was EUR 11 712 000; the Committee faced no cyber-attacks in 2022 and created a joint directorate for innovation and information technology.
  12. Parliament welcomes interinstitutional cooperation with the Committee of the Regions, pooling 470 staff and EUR 55 million, and invites exploring a single administration for joint services.

Who is affected

  • The European Economic and Social Committee and its Secretary-General, who receives discharge and must report on several issues.
  • Committee staff and members, affected by rules on working conditions, ethics, harassment and traineeships.
  • The Committee of the Regions, as partner in joint services, buildings and IT.
  • The Commission, Council and Court of Auditors, which receive the decision and resolution.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 11,6 billion: total MFF heading 7 in 2022, of which the Committee's budget was 1,31 %.
  • EUR 152 451 643: final adopted budget for the Committee in 2022, up 5,1 % from 2021.
  • 96,12 %: budget implementation rate in 2022; 88,12 %: payment execution rate.
  • EUR 20 162 518: carry-over of appropriations to 2022, about 13 % of the annual budget.
  • 18 days: average payment time in 2022, down from 30,19 days in 2019.
  • EUR 145: allowance for remote attendance of meetings, in force until 25 May 2023.
  • EUR 726 000 to EUR 3 125 000: energy costs between 2021 and 2022, an increase of 330 %.
  • EUR 11 712 000: combined IT budget of the Committee and the Committee of the Regions in 2022, a decrease of 9 %.

Legal basis: Article 314(10) and Articles 317, 318 and 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.