Based on the observations contained in the revenue and expenditure account and the balance sheet of the European Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2008, as well as on the Court of Auditor’s report and the Centre’s replies to the Court’s observations, the Council recommends that the Parliament grant the Director of the Centre discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2008.
The Council welcomes the Court's opinion that, on the one hand, the Centre's annual accounts present fairly, in all material aspects, the financial position as at 31 December 2008 and the results of operations and cash-flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Centre's Financial Regulation, and that, on the other hand, the underlying transactions for the financial year ended on 31 December 2008 are, in all material respects, legal and regular.
However, the Council considers that observations made in the Court of Auditor’s report call for a certain number of observations to be taken into account when granting discharge, particularly on the following points:
- high surplus: the Council notes with concern the persistently high surplus and urges the Centre to remedy this situation as soon as possible;
- recruitment procedures: the Council calls on the Centre to ensure, in line with the Court's observations, a better planning of recruitment procedures.