The Committee
on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Véronique MATHIEU (EPP, FR) on
discharge to be granted to the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the
European Union, calling on the European Parliament to grant the Director of
the Centre in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial
year 2008.
Noting that
the Centre’s annual accounts for the financial year 2008 are reliable, and
the underlying transactions are legal and regular, MEPs approve the closure
of the Centre’s accounts. However, they make a number of recommendations that
need to be taken into account when the discharge is granted, in addition to
the general recommendations that appear in the draft resolution on financial
management and control of EU agencies (see 2010/2007(INI):
- performance: Members congratulate the Centre on having developed an
efficient IT tool, FLOSYSWEB;
- budget
surplus contrary to the Regulation establishing the Centre: Members note that for several years the Centre has had an
accumulated budget surplus (EUR 26.7 million in 2008). They call on the
Centre to take more effective measures to remedy this constant rise in
its surplus. The also note that on 31 December 2008 the Centre's cash
holdings amounted to EUR 48 405 006.88 and ask the Commission to examine
what scope there is for helping to ensure that the cash holdings are
managed entirely on a needs-orientated basis. They call on the Centre to
offer its clients cost-covering services in future;
- pension
contributions for staff: Members consider it
very regrettable that, although this issue has been highlighted in
discharge resolutions over many years, a solution concerning the
conflict between the Centre and the Commission as to the employer's
share of pension contributions for staff has still not been found. They
note with concern that this ongoing conflict with the Commission is
costing the Centre several millions. They note in particular that in
2008 the Centre established a reserve of EUR 15.3 million to tackle the
consequences of this conflict. Members call therefore on the Centre to
inform the discharge authority of the progress of the negotiations and
of staff costs (in relation to time and expenditure) incurred as a
result of this conflict;
- human
resources: Members observe that only 81% of
the posts provided for were occupied by officials and temporary staff in
December 2008. They note that the Centre has justified this inadequate
figure by pointing to a lack of office space, which made it impossible
to recruit in accordance with the establishment plan. They consider nonetheless
that the Centre should plan its recruitment procedures more
realistically and effectively in order to respect the time limits and
meet all the needs arising from an increase in the Centre's staff. They
encourage the Centre to establish comprehensive training maps based on
requisite staff skills and capabilities in order to maintain a high level
of competence of its staff;
- internal
audit: Members acknowledge that most of the
recommendations of the Internal Audit Services (IAS) have now been
implemented. They consider that it is highly important for the Centre to
implement fully a policy on sensitive posts and staff mobility.