2010 discharge: European Railway Agency (ERA)

PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010, as part of the 2010 discharge procedure.

Analysis of the accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA)

CONTENT: this Commission document sets out the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010 as prepared on the basis of the information presented by the institutions, organisations and bodies of the EU, in accordance with Article 129 (2) of the Financial Regulation applicable to the EU's General Budget, including the European Railway Agency (ERA).

In 2010, the tasks and budget of this agency were as follows:

• description of ERA's tasks: ERA, which is located in Lille-Valenciennes, was created by Regulation (EC) No 881/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004. The Agency's aim is to enhance the level of interoperability of railway systems and to develop a common approach to safety in order to contribute to creating a more competitive European railway sector with a high level of safety;
• ERA's budget for the 2010 financial year: the Agency's 2010 budget amounted to EUR 24.1 million, compared with EUR 21 million the previous year. The number of staff employed by the Agency at the end of the year was 142, compared with 127 the previous year.

The complete version of ERA's final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.era.europa.eu/The-Agency/BudgetandAccounts/Pages/home.aspx