2011 discharge: Euratom Supply Agency (ESA)

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ADLE, NL) on discharge to be granted to the Director of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2011.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Supply Agency for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members approve the closure of the Agency’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.

Members note that in 2011, the Agency did not receive any subsidy to cover its operations and that the Commission bore all expenses incurred by the Agency for the implementation of its 2011 budget. This situation has continued since the creation of the Agency in 2008.

Members also note that in the absence of an autonomous budget, the Agency was integrated de facto in the Commission in 2011 and that this situation was at odds with its Statutes. They note, however, that in 2011, the Commission adopted the proposal to re-establish a specific budget line (namely budget line 32 01 06) for the Agency and as a result, it was granted a subsidy of 98 000 EUR by the Commission in 2012, with a total budget of EUR 104 000 (including financial revenues) in 2012.

They consider that this represents a major achievement in addressing the current concerns.