----

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

of 12 April 2005

on the discharge to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2003

(2005/549/EC)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

having regard to the Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the 2003 financial year together with the Authority’s replies (1),

having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 8 March 2005 (6857/2005 — C6-0066/2005),

having regard to the EC Treaty, and in particular Article 276 thereof,

having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (2) and in particular Article 185 thereof, and to Regulation (EC) No 1642/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (3) and in particular Article 44 thereof,

having regard to Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002 of 19 November 2002 on the framework Financial Regulation for the bodies referred to in Article 185 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (4) and, in particular, Article 94 thereof,

having regard to Rules 70 and 71 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

having regard to the Report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A6-0074/2005),

The President

Josep BORRELL FONTELLES

The Secretary-General

Julian PRIESTLEY

----

(1)OJ C 324, 30.12.2004, p. 39.

(2)OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

(3)OJ L 245, 29.9.2003, p. 4.

(4)OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 72.

----

RESOLUTION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

containing the comments accompanying the decision on the discharge to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority in respect of the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2003

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

having regard to the Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the 2003 financial year together with the Authority’s replies (1),

having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 8 March 2005 (6857/2005 — C6-0066/2005),

having regard to the EC Treaty, and in particular Article 276 thereof,

having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (2) and in particular Article 185 thereof, and to Regulation (EC) No 1642/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (3) and in particular Article 44 thereof,

having regard to Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002 of 19 November 2002 on the framework Financial Regulation for the bodies referred to in Article 185 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (4) and, in particular, Article 94 thereof,

having regard to Rules 70 and 71 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

having regard to the Report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A6-0074/2005),

1.   Notes the following figures for the accounts of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the financial year 2003:

Revenue and expenditure account for the financial year 2003

2.   Notes the observations of the ECA in relation to problems encountered as regards compliance with the Financial Regulation (for example, on the lack of segregation of duties between financial actors or on delays in systems’ validation for supplying accounting information); also notes the ECA’s findings with regard to deficiencies in the application of the rules concerning the determination of remuneration and entitlements of recruited staff;

3.   Notes the Authority’s replies indicating the measures taken in order to comply with the Court’s observations;

4.   Takes the view that such deficiencies largely related to the fact that the Authority was in its start-up phase; invites the Authority to take further remedial action, where appropriate, so as to fully comply with the Court’s observations;

5.   Regrets the absence of an equality plan and expects the Authority to develop a plan shortly in order to become an equal opportunities employer; expects the Authority not only to consider equality issues at the stage of recruitment but also to work proactively and on a long-term basis to promote gender equality;

6.   Expects EFSA to apply the same philosophy concerning the sharing of results of animal testing as is proposed in REACH, in order to avoid animal suffering;

7.   Expects the Authority to interpret the wording ‘overriding public interest’ as set out in Articles 1(a), 4(2) and 4(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) on public access to documents in the broadest possible way when dealing with requests for information to make sure that consumers have all information possible to make their choices as consumers;

8.   Welcomes the Authority’s commitment to communicate to key target groups but hopes to see further measures taken to develop and strengthen its strategies, especially those concerning information and communication to the citizens;

9.   Expects the Authority to fully report on progress made in the Annual Activity Report for the financial year 2004;

General points addressed to the Commission and the Agencies

General points addressed to the Agencies

General points addressed to the ECA and the Agencies

----

(1)OJ C 324, 30.12.2004, p. 39.

(2)OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

(3)OJ L 245, 29.9.2003, p. 4.

(4)OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 72.

(5)OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43.

(6)  As set out in Annex 1 to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament ‘Building our common future, Policy challenges and Budgetary means of the Enlarged Union 2007-2013’, (COM(2004) 0101, p. 38).

(7)  See Annex to the Commission’s report on the follow-up to 2002 discharges (COM(2004) 0648, p. 108).

(8)OJ L 269, 5.10.2002, p. 15.

----