The European
Parliament adopted a decision concerning the discharge to be granted to the
Director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working
Conditions discharge in respect of the implementation of its budget for the
financial year 2007. The decision to grant discharge is also an approval of the
closure of the accounts of this EU agency.
In parallel,
the European Parliament adopted by 405 votes to 13, with 19 abstentions, a
resolution with observations which are an integral part of the decision to
grant discharge.
Parliament
notes that certain weaknesses can be found in the following areas:
- recruitment
process: Parliament regrets that in 2007, as
in 2006, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) found weaknesses in
recruitment procedures. Although measures have been taken, the Court
notes that they do not ensure transparent and non-discriminatory
recruitment procedures. Parliament therefore calls on the Foundation to
pay particular attention to the legality of its recruitment procedures
and to specify, in its annual activity report for 2008, the action taken
in follow-up to the ECA's observations;
- procurement
procedures: Parliamentregrets the anomalies identified by the Court, which
considers that they affected the quality of the final selection
procedure. It therefore calls on the Foundation to also specify, in its
annual activity report for 2008, the action taken in follow-up to the
ECA's observations;
- as regards
the introduction of Accrual Based Accounting (ABAC): Parliament
is satisfied that the Foundation introduced ABAC in 2008, although it
notes anomalies in terms of assigned revenue;
- in relation
to follow-up to the previous discharge exercise: Parliamentrecalls
that, in 2006, the Foundation launched an ex-post evaluation of the
2001-2004 work programme, with a view to determining the organisation's
impact. It calls on the Foundation to inform them of the results of the
evaluation in time for the 2008 discharge exercise.
Lastly, noting
that the Foundation’s annual accounts for the financial year 2007 are
reliable, and the underlying transactions are legal and regular, the
Parliament approves the closure of its accounts and refers, for other observations
accompanying its decision on discharge, to its resolution on financial
management and control of EU agencies - see 2008/2207(INI)
- adopted in parallel.