2008 discharge: EU general budget, Court of Justice

The European Parliament adopted a decision on discharge to be granted to the Court of Justice's Registrar in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2008.

Furthermore, Parliament adopted a resolution with observations which are an integral part of the decision to grant discharge.

Parliament cites that in 2008 the European Court of Justice (ECJ) had commitment appropriations available amounting to a total of EUR 297 million (2007: EUR 275 million), with a utilisation rate of 98.20%, higher than the average of the other institutions (95.67%).

Parliament notes that the Court of Auditors indicated in its annual report that its audit of a contract the ECJ concluded for the provision of services (following a joint open tender procurement procedure with a Member State) showed weaknesses in the internal control system for performing this tendering procedure. Taking account of the various enlightenments provided by the Court of Justice on this issue, Parliament endorses the Court of Auditor’s suggestion that enhanced procurement procedures should be established.

Parliament also welcomes the following elements:

• the effective operation of the recently established ECJ's Internal Audit unit;
• the constant reduction in the duration of proceedings before the ECJ, in particular, a significant reduction in the duration of preliminary ruling procedures (even if this reduction is not yet satisfactory);
• the fact that the Court of First Instance in 2008 showed a 52 % increase in the number of cases decided, as well as a certain decrease in the duration of proceedings, which is not yet satisfactory;
• the new integrated system for management and financial control (SAP), in operation since 1 January 2008, which has enabled budget savings and gains in efficiency for the three institutions involved (the Council, the ECJ and the Court of Auditors);
• the ongoing successful interinstitutional cooperation with the Court of Auditors as regards training.

Parliament regrets the reluctance of the ECJ to publish its members' declarations of financial interests and requests that it implements this practice without delay.