Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts
for the financial year 2010 and the balance sheet at 31 December
2010 of the European Medicines Agency, as well as the Court of
Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Agency for the
financial year 2010, accompanied by the Agency's replies to the
Court's observations, the Council recommends the European
Parliament to give a discharge to the Executive Director of the
Agency in respect of the implementation of the budget for the
financial year 2010.
However, the Council considers that observations made
in the Court of Auditor's report call for a certain number of
remarks:
- the Council welcomes the Court's opinion that, in all
material respects, the Agency's annual accounts fairly present the
financial position as at 31 December 2010 and the results of
operations and cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance
with the provisions of the Agency's Financial Regulation, and that
the underlying transactions for that financial year are legal and
regular;
- the Council is concerned about the high amount of
appropriations carried over to the next financial year. It calls
upon the Agency to improve programming and monitoring of its
activities with the aim to further reduce the amounts carried over
to the next financial year, in line with the budgetary
principle of annuality;
- it takes note that the Agency has taken action in
order to remedy the weaknesses identified in its system for
validating creditor claims.
- it welcomes the efforts made by the Agency to correct
the weaknesses identified in its staff selection procedures,
stressing the importance of ensuring transparency in the
recruitment process;
- as regards the Court's observation on the lack of a
remuneration system for services provided by Member State
authorities, the Council urges the Agency to ensure that measures
are taken in the recommended direction.