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OPINION (2025/2145(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024; Section III — Commission

TRAN-AD-779467

Committee on Transport and Tourism · Rapporteur: Gheorghe Falcă

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The Committee on Transport and Tourism gives its opinion on the 2024 budget discharge for the Commission, welcoming the Court of Auditors' clean accounts but flagging the above-threshold error rate and issues in CEF projects. It commends budget execution by DG MOVE and CINEA, notes the shift of tourism to DG MOVE, and calls for better indicators, clearer rules, and continued support for Ukraine, Moldova, and the Black Sea region. It also highlights achievements in sustainable, smart, and secure transport, and urges action on maritime security hubs, cybersecurity, sanctions enforcement, and transport poverty.

Key points

  1. Welcomes the Court's opinion that 2024 accounts are fair, but notes the expenditure error rate dropped from 5.6% to 3.6%, still above the 2% threshold, and calls for better error detection.
  2. Commends DG MOVE for completing all commitments and 99% of payments, and CINEA for executing 98% of commitments and 96% of payments in 2024.
  3. Notes that DG MOVE's main management mode was indirect (90.4% of expenditure), with direct management (9.6%) for research grants and other actions.
  4. Calls for strict compliance with cost eligibility rules in CEF projects, addressing Court findings on indirect costs and procurement, and for improvements in the upcoming CEF Regulation.
  5. Calls on the Commission to set clearer reference values and improve traceability of indicators for CEF to enable realistic assessment of progress.
  6. Notes that CEF-T awarded EUR 7 billion and launched a final call with EUR 2.55 billion, exhausting the 2021-2027 budget, and that CINEA received three times as many applications.
  7. Welcomes the transfer of tourism staff to DG MOVE and calls for stronger accountability and policy coherence in tourism actions.
  8. Welcomes progress in sustainable transport, including groundwork for ReFuelEU and FuelEU, and in smart transport, such as the common mobility data space.
  9. Highlights effective implementation of the revised TEN-T Regulation and work on rail market directives, air passenger rights, and cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova.
  10. Calls for European Maritime Security Hubs in the Black, North, and Baltic Seas to counter threats like the Russian shadow fleet.
  11. Regrets that the IMO vote on a global greenhouse gas levy was postponed by a year following US pressure.
  12. Calls for intensified cooperation to address labour shortages and welcomes funding for safe and secure parking areas.

Who is affected

  • DG MOVE and CINEA, which manage EU transport and tourism budgets.
  • Partners in CEF projects, who must comply with cost eligibility rules.
  • Member states, which are encouraged to adopt transport poverty plans and improve connectivity.
  • Ukraine, Moldova, and Western Balkan partners, who receive support for transport integration.

Figures and deadlines

  • Expenditure error rate dropped from 5.6% in 2023 to 3.6% in 2024.
  • DG MOVE completed 99% of payments; CINEA executed 98% of commitments and 96% of payments.
  • Indirect management accounted for 90.4% of DG MOVE expenditure; direct management 9.6%.
  • Positive result of EUR 32.05 million from CEF Debt Instrument share.
  • CEF-T awarded EUR 7 billion and launched a final call with EUR 2.55 billion.
  • Horizon Europe transport calls had a total budget of EUR 324.5 million.