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OPINION (2024/2030(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the EU agencies for the financial year 2023

TRAN-AD-765327

Committee on Transport and Tourism · Rapporteur: Gheorghe Falcă

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The Committee on Transport and Tourism gives its opinion on the discharge for EU transport agencies for 2023, covering EASA, EMSA, and ERA. It welcomes the clean audit opinions, notes high budget implementation, and calls for addressing procurement and budget management weaknesses. For EASA, it highlights new tasks under ReFuelEU Aviation, drone regulation progress, and impacts of the war in Ukraine. For EMSA, it acknowledges legal accounts but notes irregularities, and commends support for green shipping and security responses. For ERA, it notes legal accounts but flags procurement and payment issues, and calls for more resources and improved safety data sharing.

Key points

  1. Welcomes the clean opinions from the Court of Auditors on the 2023 accounts of EASA, EMSA, and ERA.
  2. Notes high budget implementation rates and that automatic carryovers were below the 15% benchmark.
  3. Points out weaknesses in public procurement and budget management identified by the Court and calls for transparency and efficiency.
  4. For EASA: notes that 3 of 5 previous Court observations remained open at end of 2023.
  5. Calls for sufficient resources for EASA to implement ReFuelEU Aviation tasks, including developing the European Environmental Labelling scheme.
  6. Urges EASA to monitor GNSS interference and develop recommendations to mitigate risks.
  7. For EMSA: notes irregularities in management and control systems, but they did not affect payments.
  8. Commends EMSA's support for green shipping and its research into alternative fuels and MASS automation.
  9. Urges EMSA to devise a long-term strategy for geopolitical shifts and invest in cybersecurity.
  10. For ERA: calls for clear selection criteria in procurement and better compliance with payment deadlines.
  11. Calls for ERA to be equipped with sufficient budgetary resources to fulfil its tasks.
  12. Calls for action to address fragmented railway accident reporting and provide funding.

Who is affected

  • EASA, EMSA, and ERA: the three EU transport agencies subject to discharge.
  • Member states: called to implement recommendations to mitigate GNSS interference risks.
  • Railway undertakings and vehicle manufacturers: benefit from ERA's authorizations and certificates.

Figures and deadlines

  • 15% benchmark for automatic carryovers, set by the Court.
  • 3 out of 5 observations remained open for EASA at end of 2023.
  • 13% late payments frequency for ERA (148 out of 1,101 payments).
  • 14% of invoices were issued late by ERA.
  • 9% increase in ERA's 2023 budget.