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

PA_NonLegDec

OPINION

The Committee on Transport and Tourism calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

1. Welcomes the ‘clean’ opinion for the 2023 financial year provided by the European Court of Auditors (‘the Court’) in relation to the reliability of the annual accounts as well as the legality and regularity of the revenues and payments underlying the accounts of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA);

2. Takes notice of the high 2023 budget implementation rates in all three Agencies; observes that the overall value of automatic carryovers of voted non-differentiated appropriations in the Agencies was below the 15 % benchmark established by the Court;

3. Notes that also following the assessment by DG MOVE, which ensures supervision of the three Agencies, their 2023 performance was in full alignment with the agreed objectives of the Commission, and without any major issues highlighted by internal or external auditors.

Part I – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the financial year 2023

1. Takes notice of the Court’s observation concerning the Agency’s public procurement shortcomings; notes with satisfaction that the Court did not identify any non-procurement weaknesses in its control and management or budgetary management systems; with regard to the follow-up of the Court’s previous years’ observations, remarks that at the end of 2023, 3 out of 5 observations remained open;

2. Takes notice of the adoption of the ReFuelEU Aviation legislation in October 2023 and of the new set of specific tasks that the Agency would be charged with in this framework, including the development of the European Environmental Labelling for Aviation scheme and the reinforced role of the Agency in promoting and measuring the usage of sustainable aviation fuels and the associated reductions in CO2 emissions.

Part II – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for the financial year 2023

1. Takes notice of the Court’s observation identifying irregularities in the Agency’s management and control systems, noting however that these irregularities did not affect the payments; points out that EMSA took action to address the shortcomings identified;

2. Observes that 2023 was marked by the geopolitical instability, including the continuation of the war in Ukraine, the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, and the security threats in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, all seriously impacting shipping; in this context, commends the support that EMSA provided to the Commission and the Member States by using its monitoring and surveillance capacities, including its advanced digital tools, to mitigate the impact of this instability on maritime transport.

Part III – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) for the financial year 2023

1. Takes notice of the Court’s observations that identified the weaknesses concerning the Agency’s public procurement, management and control systems as well as various aspects of its budgetary management; observes that the frequency of the Agency’s late payments in 2023 reached 13 % (148 payments out of 1 101); notes that while the total amount of late payment interest was immaterial, the significant frequency is detrimental to the Agency’s reputation; calls on ERA to improve its compliance with the legal time limits for payments;

2. Welcomes in particular, that ERA contributes, on technical matters, to the implementation of Union legislation by developing a common approach to safety on the Union rail system and by enhancing the level of interoperability on the Union rail system and associated data, with a specific focus on facilitating the interoperable deployment of ERTMS and on access to data for pushing rail modernisation and digitalisation; takes notice of the close cooperation with the national authorities acting in the fields of railway safety and interoperability; emphasises that the actions of ERA will substantially contribute to an increased competitiveness of rail and to the seamless cross-border traffic in the EU.