2016 discharge: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for the financial year 2016.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2018/1367 of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2016.

CONTENT: the European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2016.

This decision is accompanied by a resolution of the European Parliament containing the observations which form an integral part of the discharge decision in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2016 (please refer to the summary dated 18.4.2018).

In this resolution, Parliament noted with satisfaction that the Agency:

• has included in its 2016 annual report a separate chapter on transparency, accountability and integrity;
• redesigned its dissemination portal and a microsite for informing consumers about chemicals;
• started together with EFSA to draft guidance in identifying chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties.

Parliament noted that a future decrease of the Agency’s revenue resulting from the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the Union is possible. Therefore, it called on the Agency to report to the discharge authority on the mitigating measures that may be adopted. It noted that the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the Union also poses operational risks for the Agency since the Union chemicals legislation which the Agency manages are also internal market regulatory laws.

The Agency is urged to take all measures in order to be sufficiently prepared to minimise any negative operational or financial impact that may occur.