2011 discharge: European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

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 Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in respect of the implementation of the Institute’s budget for the financial year 2011.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the EIGE’s annual accounts for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members approve the closure of the Institute’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: the overall budget of the Institute for the financial year 2011 was EUR 7.53 million, which shows a 32.6 % increase since 2010, and is entirely financed by the Union’s contribution. Members note that the Institute recorded a positive budget outturn of EUR 1.156 million, which was then recorded in the accounts as a liability towards the Commission;
• Implementation rate of appropriations and carryovers: Members note that the Institute registered a budget execution ratio of 44.19 % for payments and of 88.54 % for commitments at the end of 2011. They also observe that considerable commitment appropriations contracted by the end of 2011 but not yet paid were carried forward to 2012, represent 50 % of total commitments. They call on the Institute to inform the discharge authority of the actions taken to ensure a satisfactory budget execution rate in the future.

Lastly, Members made a series of observations as regards the Institute’s accounting system, procurement procedures, recruitment procedures, performance and control systems.