2011 discharge: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND)

2012/2184(DEC)

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ADLE, NL) on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2011.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Foundation for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members approve the closure of Eurofound’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 performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

  • Financing, budget and financial management: Members recall that the overall budget of the Foundation for the year 2011 was EUR 20.6 million which is a decrease compared to 2010. The initial contribution of the Union to the Foundation's budget amounted to EUR 20.21 million.
  • Implementation rate of appropriations and carryovers: Members state that 47% of operational expenditure went unused (of which EUR 1.6 million were unplanned). They express concern that this situation indicates delays in the implementation of the Foundation’s activities and is at odds with the budgetary principle of annuality.

Lastly, Members made a series of observations as regards the Foundation’s follow-up of the previous discharge, recruitment procedures and performances of this Agency.