Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2017 and the balance sheet as at 31 December 2017 of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND), as well as the Court of Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Foundation for the financial year 2017, accompanied by the Foundation's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommended the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Director of the Foundation in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2017.
The Council welcomed the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Foundation's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2017 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Foundation's Financial Regulation, and that the underlying transactions for 2017 are legal and regular in all material respects.
Nevertheless, the following observations were made:
- accounting: the Council regretted the deficiencies found by the Court in the Foundation's accounting environment. It called on the Foundation to take appropriate actions mainly to ensure the accounting officer's independence;
- procurement: whilst taking note of the Foundation's reply and actions taken, the Foundation should ensure the full implementation without unjustified delay of electronic public procurement.