2016 discharge: European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)

2017/2176(DEC)

PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) for the financial year 2016.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2018/1385 of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for the financial year 2016.

CONTENT: the European Parliament decided to grant discharge to the Director of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology in respect of its 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 deeply regretted the number of outstanding issues and ongoing corrective measures in response to the Court’s comments in 2012, 2014 and 2015 related in particular to funding condition, ex-ante verification of cost statements, funding from public and private sources, unused appropriations, financial autonomy and the respect of the principle of sound financial management. It urged the Institute to complete the corrective actions as soon as possible in 2018.

It stated that the possibility to grant discharge in the coming years will be compromised if efficient actions are not taken and effective results are not achieved without further delay.

Parliament acknowledged that the Institute requested the Commission to re-launch the process leading to full financial autonomy. The Institute submitted a completed self-assessment to the Commission in October 2016 as regards this issue.

Lastly, Parliament noted that the Institute will put in place a detailed and proactive transparency policy related to its contacts with stakeholders as part of its annual work programme 2018.