The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Derek VAUGHAN (S&D, UK) on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2014.
The parliamentary committee calls on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2014.
Noting that the Court of Auditors issued a statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions for the financial year 2014, Members call on Parliament to approve the closure of the Agency’s accounts. They made, however, a number of recommendations that needed 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:
· Agency’s financial statements: Members note the final budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2014 was EUR 52 403 276, representing a decrease of 9.37 % compared to 2013.
· Budget and financial management: Members note that the budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2014 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 94.78 %.
Members also made a series of observations regarding commitments and carryovers, preventing and managing conflicts of interest, as well as on contract award, recruitment and internal audit procedures.
Members note with satisfaction that the Agency actively sought potential synergies with other agencies. They note in particular that the Agency is sharing its Business Continuity Facility in Madrid with the Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and with the European Fisheries Control Agency. It also cooperates with the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in the area of human resources and ICT.
Lastly, Members highlight the Agency’s contribution to maritime safety, the prevention of ship pollution in Europe, and the assistance provided to Member States and the Commission under international and Union law. They deplore the fact that, while extending its competences, staff reduction and budgetary cuts became applicable in 2014. They welcome and encourage the Agency's collaboration with other European Agencies regarding the refugee crisis and reaffirm that the Agency has to be given the financial, material and human resources it needs to perform its tasks effectively, including when dealing with critically important activities outside its mandate, that is, its contribution in the form of know-how and operational support, through its staff, to managing the refugees crisis.