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Discharge 2022: EU general budget - Committee of the Regions

TA-9-2024-0233 · P9_TA(2024)0233 · PE753.484

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Parliament grants the Secretary-General of the Committee of the Regions discharge for the implementation of the Committee's budget for the financial year 2022, and sets out its observations in an accompanying resolution. The resolution notes the Court of Auditors found no specific issues concerning the Committee, and that the estimated level of error is below the materiality threshold. It reviews the Committee's budgetary and financial management, internal control, human resources, ethics and transparency, digitalisation, buildings, environment, interinstitutional cooperation and communication. It calls on the Committee to adopt an internal anti-fraud strategy, complete the digitalisation of the payment workflow, improve gender balance in management, and report on follow-up to an OLAF case and on cybersecurity.

Key points

  1. Parliament grants the Secretary-General of the Committee of the Regions discharge for the implementation of the Committee's budget for the financial year 2022.
  2. The Committee's budget falls under MFF heading 7 'European public administration', which totalled EUR 11,6 billion in 2022, and the Committee's budget represented 0,95 % of that heading.
  3. The Court of Auditors examined 60 transactions under Administration; 14 (23 %) contained errors, but based on five quantified errors the level of error is estimated below the materiality threshold, and the Court identified no specific issues concerning the Committee.
  4. The final adopted budget for the Committee in 2022 was EUR 109 976 858, an overall increase of 3,03 % compared to 2021, with the budget implementation rate at 99,2 %.
  5. The average payment time in 2022 was 17,87 days, higher than 16,11 days in 2021, while electronic invoicing rose from 32 % to 68 %; Parliament calls on the Committee to complete the digitalisation of the payment workflow.
  6. The Committee adopted 55 opinions and 8 resolutions in 2022, and Parliament welcomes its strengthened involvement in the Union political and legislative cycle, including 56 preparatory and follow-up meetings with Parliament.
  7. The Committee had 533 members of staff at the end of 2022, with a 96 % occupation rate of establishment plan posts, and a hybrid working pilot allowing telework up to 60 % of working time.
  8. Parliament notes with concern 16 cases of burnout reported in 2022 and welcomes the Committee's preventive actions and reintegration of 15 staff after long-term absence.
  9. Parliament regrets the unbalanced gender distribution at senior and middle management levels and recommends more inclusive vacancy notices, balanced selection boards, training for female staff and flexible work arrangements.
  10. Parliament welcomes the Committee's new five-year diversity and inclusion strategy for 2022-2026, including a target of 40 % women in senior management positions by 2024 with parity as the ultimate goal.
  11. Parliament regrets that the Committee has not adopted an internal anti-fraud strategy and reiterates its call to launch a fraud risk analysis and coordinate with the Commission to adopt one.
  12. Parliament welcomes the Committee's formal joining of the EU Transparency Register as from 1 January 2024 and notes it did not detect any conflicts of interest in 2022.

Who is affected

  • The Committee of the Regions and its Secretary-General, who receives discharge for the 2022 budget.
  • Committee staff, affected by rules on hybrid work, burnout prevention, harassment and diversity targets.
  • Committee members, subject to the code of conduct, financial declarations and transparency measures.
  • The European Economic and Social Committee, which shares premises, joint services and IT with the Committee.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 11,6 billion: total of MFF heading 7 'European public administration' in 2022.
  • EUR 109 976 858: final adopted budget for the Committee in 2022, an increase of 3,03 % compared to 2021.
  • EUR 4 244 488 to EUR 8 158 838: increase of 92 % in appropriations for budget line 1004 between 2021 and 2022.
  • EUR 419 657: missions budget for 2022, compared to EUR 169 856 in 2021, an increase of 147 %.
  • 99,2 %: budget implementation rate in 2022, compared to 98,9 % in 2021.
  • 17,87 days: average time for payment in 2022, compared to 16,11 days in 2021.
  • EUR 11 712 000: combined IT budget of the Committee and the EESC in 2022, a decrease of 9 % compared to 2021.
  • EUR 2,2 million: Committee's overall communication budget in 2022, an increase of 4 % compared to 2021.

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