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Discharge 2022: European Fisheries Control Agency

TA-9-2024-0257 · P9_TA(2024)0257 · PE753.518

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

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Parliament grants the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency discharge for the 2022 budget and approves the closure of the Agency's 2022 accounts. In its accompanying resolution, Parliament notes the Agency's 2022 budget of EUR 34 967 797, its 99,41 % commitment implementation and its 95,4 % delivery of the Annual Work Programme. Parliament raises concerns over carry-overs of EUR 11,9 million, a framework contract worth EUR 90 million for three offshore patrol vessels, and weaknesses in selecting external experts and in procurement planning. It calls on the Agency to improve procurement, strengthen internal processes, ensure sufficient resources and pursue gender and geographical balance and transparency.

Key points

  1. Parliament grants the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency discharge for the implementation of the Agency's 2022 budget.
  2. Parliament approves the closure of the Agency's accounts for the financial year 2022.
  3. Parliament notes the Agency's final 2022 budget of EUR 34 967 797, an increase of 61,73 % on 2021, with about 84 % from the Union budget.
  4. It notes a commitment appropriation implementation rate of 99,41 % and a payment execution rate of 57,78 %, and expresses concern that EUR 11,9 million (41 %) of 2022 commitment appropriations were carried over to 2023.
  5. It stresses that member states are primarily responsible for controlling fishing activities, that the Agency's tasks are supportive, and that its financial and human resources must be sufficient.
  6. It welcomes the Agency's implementation of 95,4 % of its Annual Work Programme and its use of key performance indicators.
  7. It notes 47 592 inspections in 2022 leading to 5 167 suspected infringements, an 11 % fall in inspections and a 28 % rise in suspected infringements on 2021, and asks the Agency for more detail on the reasons.
  8. It welcomes efficiency gains from shared corporate IT systems, joint framework contracts and shared recruitment reserve lists, and calls for more cooperation with the European Environment Agency.
  9. It notes the establishment plan was 96,10 % filled with 74 temporary agents out of 77 authorised, and that staff numbers rose by almost 50 % compared with early 2021.
  10. It deplores that 38 % of staff at grade AD 8 and higher were female and calls on the Agency to consider gender balance in senior and middle management appointments.
  11. It calls on the Agency to keep publishing information on meetings of its Executive Director and staff with organisations and self-employed individuals.
  12. It expresses concern over the Court's findings on the lack of an audit trail in selecting external experts and on a negotiated procedure without prior publication for leasing an offshore patrol vessel, and calls on the Agency to strengthen its processes and report back.

Who is affected

  • The European Fisheries Control Agency and its Executive Director: receive discharge, account closure and observations on budget, staff and procurement.
  • The Agency's staff and management: subject to conflict of interest rules, gender and geographical balance goals and new working time rules.
  • Member states: primarily responsible for fisheries control, which the Agency supports.
  • Contractors and external experts: affected by the Agency's procurement and selection rules.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 34 967 797: the Agency's final budget for the financial year 2022.
  • 61,73 %: the increase in the Agency's 2022 budget compared with 2021.
  • 99,41 %: the 2022 current year commitment appropriation implementation rate.
  • 57,78 %: the 2022 current year payment appropriations execution rate.
  • EUR 11,9 million (41 %): 2022 commitment appropriations carried over to 2023.
  • 95,4 %: the share of the Annual Work Programme implemented in 2022.
  • 47 592 inspections and 5 167 suspected infringements: reported by the Agency in 2022.
  • EUR 90 million: value of the framework contract signed in 2022 for chartering three offshore patrol vessels.

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