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OPINION (2025/2157(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2024

TRAN-AD-779479

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 the 2024 budget of three EU joint undertakings: Clean Aviation (CAJU), SESAR 3, and Europe's Rail (EU-Rail). It welcomes the Court of Auditors' clean opinion and encourages better communication of results. The opinion highlights achievements and issues for each joint undertaking, including budget execution rates, control system shortcomings, and progress on research and innovation. It calls for resolving outstanding observations and continuing cooperation.

Committee position. The Committee on Transport and Tourism calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the motion for a resolution, which include welcoming the clean opinion and highlighting specific issues for each joint undertaking.

Key points

  1. Welcomes the clean opinion from the European Court of Auditors for the 2024 accounts of CAJU, SESAR 3 JU, and EU-Rail, and encourages them to improve public communication of results.
  2. Acknowledges the joint undertakings' contributions to research and innovation in aviation, air traffic management, and rail, supporting EU goals of sustainability, digital transformation, and competitiveness.
  3. For CAJU, notes strong budget execution with 100% commitment and 84.4% payment rates, and welcomes ex-ante controls to reduce errors in operational expenditure.
  4. Encourages CAJU to fully resolve outstanding Court observations, including low implementation rates for infrastructure and operating payments and outdated business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
  5. Notes the conclusion of the Clean Sky 2 programme with only 3 of 107 demonstrator activities pending, and welcomes the publication of the CS2 Technology Evaluation Global Assessment Report.
  6. Commends CAJU's execution of Clean Aviation phase 1, noting progress in consolidating technologies and potential for CO2 reductions, and welcomes the revised Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda aligned with the EUR 1.7 billion funding.
  7. For SESAR 3 JU, highlights the adoption of the 2025 European ATM Master Plan and progress on the Digital European Sky, with 78 projects and around EUR 650 million investment.
  8. Regrets low budget execution rates for SESAR 3 JU (42% commitments, 36% payments) and warns of a structural problem in budget planning for administrative expenditure.
  9. Welcomes SESAR 3 JU's membership expansion to the United Kingdom and enhanced cooperation with defence stakeholders, including on dual-use technologies and drone integration.
  10. For EU-Rail, notes the closing of Shift2Rail with 101 projects concluded and 99.4% of funding paid out, and welcomes progress under the System and Innovation Pillars.
  11. Notes EU-Rail's budget implementation rates of 99.9% for commitments and 87.9% for payments, and that 361 organizations from 27 countries were engaged by end of 2024.
  12. Welcomes EU-Rail's joint grant agreements with SESAR 3 JU and SNS JU, and its cooperation with Clean Hydrogen JU, EUSPA, and ESA on satellite-based rail services.

Who is affected

  • The three joint undertakings (CAJU, SESAR 3 JU, EU-Rail) are subject to the discharge and must address observations and improve budget execution.
  • The European Court of Auditors' findings affect the joint undertakings' management and control systems, requiring corrective actions.
  • Stakeholders such as EASA, EDA, and national ATM initiatives are involved in cooperation with the joint undertakings.

Figures and deadlines

  • CAJU commitment execution reached 100% and payment rate was 84.4%.
  • EUR 1.7 billion EU funding allocation for Clean Aviation phase 2.
  • SESAR 3 JU executed 42% of commitment and 36% of payment appropriations.
  • SESAR 3 JU portfolio reached 78 projects with total investment of around EUR 650 million.
  • EU-Rail concluded 101 projects and paid out 99.4% of maximum available funding under Shift2Rail.
  • EU-Rail's active operational budget implementation rates: 99.9% commitments, 87.9% payments.
  • EU-Rail engaged 361 organizations from 27 countries by end of 2024.