The Committee
on Budgetary Control adopted the report drawn up by Christofer FJELLNER (EPP-ED,
SE) on discharge to be granted to the European GNSS Supervisory Authority,
calling on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the
Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of its budget for the
financial year 2007.
Noting that
the European Court of Auditors (ECA) was not in a position to form an opinion
with regard to the reliability of the Authority's annual accounts for 2007,
pointing out that the entire architecture of the Galileo project was being
revised in 2007 and that the Authority's accounts were prepared in a fragile
legal environment, MEPs approve the closure of the accounts of the European
GNSS Supervisory Authority.
However, they
make a number of recommendations as part of the decision on discharge. In
addition to the general recommendations appearing in the draft resolution on
financial management and control of EU agencies (see 2008/2207(INI)),
MEPs make the following observations:
- Incomplete
statement of assurance: MEPs regret that the
ECA was not in a position to form an opinion with regard to the
reliability of the Authority's annual accounts for 2007. Noting the
ECA's explanation that it carried out its audit when the Galileo project
and the role of the Authority were under revision and the new legal
framework still incomplete, MEPs note that, in the meantime, Regulation
(EC) No 683/2008 entered into force, under which the Commission
is the manager of the Galileo and EGNOS programmes and the Community the
owner of all tangible and intangible assets created or developed under
the programmes. They also note that the Authority will establish its
annual accounts for 2008 under the new legal framework;
- Budget
implementation: MEPs regret the low
consumption level of commitment and payment appropriations for
operational activities of the Authority, the absence of a clear link
between the Authority's work programme and the budget, transfers neither
justified nor documented, repeated late booking of recovery orders and
an inconsistent presentation of budget implementation. They therefore
call on the Authority to report on the action taken following the ECA's
observations with regard to budget implementation, and on the results
achieved, in its report on budgetary and financial management for 2008;
- Uncertainties
with regard to Galileo and EGNOS project assets: MEPs observe the ECA's criticism, with regard to Galileo
project assets, that the Authority was unable to provide sufficient
information in its accounts, as well as with regard to EGNOS project
assets. Noting the Authority’s replies regarding its assets, MEPs consider
that, under Regulation (EC) No 683/2008, the Community is the owner
of the Galileo and EGNOS project assets. They regret however that
process of transferring these assets from the Authority to the
Commission only started in December 2008. They therefore call on the
Authority to do its utmost in order to clarify the situation with regard
to Galileo and EGNOS project assets in its annual accounts for 2008;
- The
Authority's role in the winding-up of the Galileo Joint Undertaking (GJU): MEPs recall that the Authority took over all
activities and assets from the Galileo Joint Undertaking (GJU) with
effect from 1 January 2007. They are therefore concerned by the ECA's
critical remarks as to how certain assets were transferred from the GJU
to the Authority and recorded in the Authority's accounts. According to
MEPs, the winding-up of the GJU, including the role played by the
Authority, must be thoroughly examined by the discharge authority, on
the basis of the ECA's audit results. MEPs therefore call on the Court
to put particular emphasis on the takeover of the GJU's activities and
assets by the Authority and to publish its audit results in a special
report before the 2009 summer break.