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Discharge 2022: Performance, financial management and control of EU agencies

TA-9-2024-0280 · P9_TA(2024)0280 · PE753.545

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Parliament's resolution accompanies its 2022 discharge decisions for the EU agencies, setting out cross-cutting findings on their performance, financial management and control. It notes the 33 decentralised agencies' 2022 budget of around EUR 3 471 million in commitments and EUR 3 035 million in payments, and the Court of Auditors' audit findings. It calls on the agencies to improve budget planning, procurement, internal control, staff policy, transparency and climate and energy performance, and on the Commission and EUAN to support these efforts.

Key points

  1. For the 33 decentralised agencies, the 2022 budget totalled around EUR 3 471 million in commitments and EUR 3 035 million in payments, of which about EUR 2 781 million came from the Union budget.
  2. The Court of Auditors found the overall risk to the reliability of agencies' accounts generally low, the risk to legality and regularity of revenue low for most agencies and medium for partly self-financed ones, and the risk to payments medium.
  3. The Court considered the risk to sound financial management medium for a fifth year, mainly due to public procurement procedures that did not ensure best value for money.
  4. The Court issued unqualified opinions on the accounts of all agencies, but qualified opinions on payments for CdT, CEPOL, ECDC and eu-LISA due to non-compliant expenditure.
  5. The Court issued 'emphasis of matter' paragraphs for EMA, ERA, ESMA, EUAA, Eurojust, eu-LISA and Frontex, covering issues such as the EMA London lease, the SUMMA system, the war in Ukraine, Entry/Exit System delays and Frontex's unvalidated accounting system.
  6. Parliament calls on the agencies to strengthen budget management and financial planning, respect the budgetary principle of annuality, and address excessive carry-overs, late payments and fee-related issues.
  7. It calls on the agencies to improve public procurement procedures, use e-procurement tools and the social clause, and ensure compliance with applicable rules.
  8. It calls on the agencies to strengthen management and control systems, implement the internal control framework and follow up on the Court's observations.
  9. It calls on the agencies to improve staff policy on talent management, geographical and gender balance, well-being, work-life balance and integration of persons with disabilities, and to adopt the Charter on Diversity and Inclusion.
  10. It calls on the agencies to update rules on transparency, conflicts of interest, revolving doors and lobbying, publish declarations of interest and CVs, and ensure safe whistleblowing channels.
  11. It calls on the agencies to speed up EMAS certification, adopt multiannual greening action plans and publish sustainability reports, and to increase digitalisation of their operations.
  12. It calls on the Commission to ensure better use of agencies' expertise and appropriate resources, and on the EUAN to coordinate common tools and practices.

Who is affected

  • The 33 decentralised EU agencies, which must act on the findings and recommendations.
  • The Commission, which must address resource allocation and use of agencies' expertise.
  • The European Union Agencies Network (EUAN), which must coordinate common tools and practices.
  • The Court of Auditors, which must keep the discharge authority informed of its pilot project.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 3 471 million in commitment appropriations for the 33 decentralised agencies' 2022 budget.
  • EUR 3 035 million in payment appropriations for 2022.
  • EUR 2 781 million financed from the general budget of the Union, representing 74,85 % of total financing.
  • EUR 935 million financed by fees and charges and direct contributions from participating countries.
  • Non-compliant expenditures of EUR 1,3 million (CdT), EUR 4,26 million (CEPOL), EUR 0,6 million (ECDC) and EUR 17,8 million (eu-LISA).
  • Potential liabilities estimated at EUR 366 million on 31 December 2022 for EMA's former London premises.
  • EUR 3,2 million less than they should have paid to the budget of Frontex for 2022 by non-EU Schengen area countries.
  • 10 146 members of staff employed by the 33 decentralised agencies in 2022, an increase of 5,34 % compared to 2021.