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European Parliament
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2011 discharge: European Police College (CEPOL)

2012/2199(DEC)

The European Parliament adopted a decision on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Police College (CEPOL) in respect of the implementation of the College’s budget for the financial year 2011. The vote on the decision to grant discharge covers the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex VI, Article 5(1) of the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure).

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the College for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted a resolution containing 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: Parliament recalls that the budget of the College for 2011 was EUR 8.341 million. It stresses that financial management inefficiencies such as the use of payments on incorrect budget lines within chapter or titles took place in 2011. They call on the College to provide the discharge authority with further details on the issue.
  • Implementation rate of appropriations and carryovers: Parliament takes note that for operational expenditure, 93.31% of the appropriations were committed and that 55.98% of payment appropriations were consumed. 22% of appropriations were carried over to 2012. It calls on the College to inform the discharge authority of the actions taken to address this deficiency as the high level of carryovers indicate shortcomings in budget planning and implementation and it is at odds with the budgetary principle of annuality.
  • Results and performances: Parliament commends the College's efforts to improve its performance without a budget increase, and the results it has achieved. It congratulates it, moreover, on responding comprehensively to Parliament's requirements and to the current budgetary challenges by radically reducing its governing costs.

Parliament made a series of observations as regards the College’s procurement and recruitment procedures and internal audits.

Lastly, Parliament believes that common elements between the College and the European Police Office should be explored further. It requests that the Commission come up with a proposal for the relocation of the College to The Hague (NL), where the European Police Office is located, in order to share facilities and services and benefit from synergies, without jeopardising both agencies' core tasks and autonomy. It emphasises that a swift decision on the relocation of the College would diminish the uncertainty that might pose adverse effects on staff and recruitment procedures.