2014 discharge: European Asylum Support Office (EASO)

The European Parliament decided to grant the Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) discharge in respect of the implementation of Authority’s budget for the financial year 2014. The vote on the decision on discharge covers the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex 5, Article 5 (1) (a) to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure.

Noting that the Court of Auditors has stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the Office’s annual accounts for the financial year 2014 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 515 votes to 120 with 6 abstentions, a resolution containing a series of recommendations, which form an integral part of the decision on discharge and which add to the general recommendations set out in the resolution  on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

·         EASO’s financial statements: Parliament noted the final budget of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2014 was EUR 15 663 975 and that 94 % of the budget of the Office derives from the Union budget.

·         Legality and regularity of transactions: Parliament noted with concern that the Office carried over budget commitments of EUR 1 300 000 which were not covered by legal commitments. It remind the Office that this is in contradiction with the Financial Regulation and acknowledge the decision of the Office to correct these irregular carry-overs in the budget management system in 2015, due to the financial period having already been closed for the financial year of 2014.

• Budget and financial management: Parliament draw attention to the fact that 1 062 payments, were made after the time limit set in the Financial Regulation, representing an increase of 10.6 % compared to 2013. It noted with concern the late payments situation and called on the Office to report to the discharge authority on measures taken in order to tackle this issue. It also noted from the Office that it would review its annual budget at least twice a year with the aim of improving budget planning and the implementation process, as well as reducing the disproportionate amount of carry-overs.

Parliament also made a series of observations regarding commitments and carryovers, the prevention and management of conflicts of interest, as well as on contract award, recruitment and internal audit and control procedures.

Lastly, Parliament acknowledged the difficulties in managing the current refugee crisis. It acknowledged, in addition, that the tasks of the Agency are likely to increase further and its budget and staffing levels will need to increase correspondingly. It requested the Agency, therefore, to increase its efforts and to improve its budgetary management and to present an action plan to perform optimally in the coming years.