# L_2016246EN.01030401.xml

| 14.9.2016 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 246/304 |
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14.9.2016

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 246/304

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RESOLUTION (EU) 2016/1544 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

of 28 April 2016

with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2014

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

| — | having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2014, |
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having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2014,

| — | having regard to Rule 94 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure, |
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having regard to Rule 94 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A8-0098/2016), |
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having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A8-0098/2016),

| A. | whereas, according to its financial statements, the final budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (the ‘Agency’) for the financial year 2014 was EUR 9 708 297, representing an increase of 0,39 % compared to 2013; |
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A.

whereas, according to its financial statements, the final budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (the ‘Agency’) for the financial year 2014 was EUR 9 708 297, representing an increase of 0,39 % compared to 2013;

| B. | whereas the Union's contribution for the financial year 2014 to the Agency's budget amounted to EUR 8 820 666, representing an increase of 0,05 % compared to 2013; |
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B.

whereas the Union's contribution for the financial year 2014 to the Agency's budget amounted to EUR 8 820 666, representing an increase of 0,05 % compared to 2013;

| C. | whereas the Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’), in its report on the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2014 (the ‘Court's report’), stated that it had obtained reasonable assurances that the Agency’s annual accounts were reliable and that the underlying transactions were legal and regular; |
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C.

whereas the Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’), in its report on the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2014 (the ‘Court's report’), stated that it had obtained reasonable assurances that the Agency’s annual accounts were reliable and that the underlying transactions were legal and regular;

Budget and financial management

Budget and financial management

| 1. | Notes that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2014 resulted in a high budget implementation rate of 100 % and that the payment appropriations execution rate was 85,61 %; |
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1.

Notes that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2014 resulted in a high budget implementation rate of 100 % and that the payment appropriations execution rate was 85,61 %;

Commitments and carry-overs

Commitments and carry-overs

| 2. | Notes that, according to the Court’s report, the total amount of committed appropriations carried over to 2015 amounted to EUR 1 332 421 (15 % of total appropriations); takes note of the fact that the carry-overs were EUR 612 981 (49 %) for Title II (administrative expenditure), representing a decrease of 10 % compared to 2013; acknowledges the fact that those carry-overs related to investments in IT infrastructure ordered as planned near the year-end for the Agency’s two offices; |
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2.

Notes that, according to the Court’s report, the total amount of committed appropriations carried over to 2015 amounted to EUR 1 332 421 (15 % of total appropriations); takes note of the fact that the carry-overs were EUR 612 981 (49 %) for Title II (administrative expenditure), representing a decrease of 10 % compared to 2013; acknowledges the fact that those carry-overs related to investments in IT infrastructure ordered as planned near the year-end for the Agency’s two offices;

| 3. | Observes that an amount of EUR 717 927 was carried forward from the financial year 2013; notes that EUR 49 460 (6,89 %) of the 2013 carry-forwards were cancelled; |
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3.

Observes that an amount of EUR 717 927 was carried forward from the financial year 2013; notes that EUR 49 460 (6,89 %) of the 2013 carry-forwards were cancelled;

Transfers

Transfers

| 4. | Notes with satisfaction that, according to the Agency's Annual Report, as well as the Court’s audit findings, the level and nature of transfers in 2013 remained within the limits of the financial rules; |
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4.

Notes with satisfaction that, according to the Agency's Annual Report, as well as the Court’s audit findings, the level and nature of transfers in 2013 remained within the limits of the financial rules;

Procurement and recruitment procedures

Procurement and recruitment procedures

| 5. | Notes from the Agency’s Annual Activity Report that, at the end of 2014, 62 statutory staff were employed; notes, furthermore, that during 2014, three staff left the Agency, ten vacancy notices were published and seven staff were recruited; |
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5.

Notes from the Agency’s Annual Activity Report that, at the end of 2014, 62 statutory staff were employed; notes, furthermore, that during 2014, three staff left the Agency, ten vacancy notices were published and seven staff were recruited;

| 6. | Observes that the Agency experiences challenges in attracting and holding suitably qualified staff to support its activities, mainly due to the location of its office in Crete, where international education is a challenging factor; acknowledges the fact that the Agency concluded a service level agreement with each of the private schools being used by the children of the staff in the Athens office, as no European schools are based there; notes, furthermore, that a new mandate and service agreement was concluded between the Commission and the Agency which provides the detail of the funding for European schools used by the children of Agency’s staff; |
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6.

Observes that the Agency experiences challenges in attracting and holding suitably qualified staff to support its activities, mainly due to the location of its office in Crete, where international education is a challenging factor; acknowledges the fact that the Agency concluded a service level agreement with each of the private schools being used by the children of the staff in the Athens office, as no European schools are based there; notes, furthermore, that a new mandate and service agreement was concluded between the Commission and the Agency which provides the detail of the funding for European schools used by the children of Agency’s staff;

| 7. | Notes that, according to the Agency’s Annual Activity Report, the Agency conducted a job-screening exercise using the common methodology adopted for the Agencies for the first time in 2014; notes, furthermore, that, according to that exercise, 68 % of the Agency’s staff were in the operational functions category, 22 % were in the administrative support and coordination category and 10 % were employed in relation to neutral functions; |
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7.

Notes that, according to the Agency’s Annual Activity Report, the Agency conducted a job-screening exercise using the common methodology adopted for the Agencies for the first time in 2014; notes, furthermore, that, according to that exercise, 68 % of the Agency’s staff were in the operational functions category, 22 % were in the administrative support and coordination category and 10 % were employed in relation to neutral functions;

Internal audit

Internal audit

| 8. | Takes note of the fact that at the beginning of 2014, the Agency had 25 open recommendations from previous reports of the Commission’s Internal Audit Service (‘IAS’); acknowledges the fact that 24 recommendations were closed during 2014 as confirmed by the IAS in its ‘on-the-spot’ visit to the Agency in November 2014; notes that one remaining open recommendation was closed in 2015, after the tool for e-workflows had been implemented; |
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8.

Takes note of the fact that at the beginning of 2014, the Agency had 25 open recommendations from previous reports of the Commission’s Internal Audit Service (‘IAS’); acknowledges the fact that 24 recommendations were closed during 2014 as confirmed by the IAS in its ‘on-the-spot’ visit to the Agency in November 2014; notes that one remaining open recommendation was closed in 2015, after the tool for e-workflows had been implemented;

Other comments

Other comments

| 9. | Acknowledges the fact that the Agency adopted internal policies in order to improve cost-effectiveness and the environmental friendliness of its facilities; notes that an important step towards satisfying both requirements was the adoption of a ‘paperless’ platform serving as workflow and storage of internal documents; notes with satisfaction that the Agency has practically eliminated all paper-based workflows, including financial transactions and human resources files and documents, and has replaced them with electronic documents and workflows in an effort to achieve a paperless office environment; acknowledges the fact that this tool was successfully introduced in January 2015; |
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9.

Acknowledges the fact that the Agency adopted internal policies in order to improve cost-effectiveness and the environmental friendliness of its facilities; notes that an important step towards satisfying both requirements was the adoption of a ‘paperless’ platform serving as workflow and storage of internal documents; notes with satisfaction that the Agency has practically eliminated all paper-based workflows, including financial transactions and human resources files and documents, and has replaced them with electronic documents and workflows in an effort to achieve a paperless office environment; acknowledges the fact that this tool was successfully introduced in January 2015;

| 10. | States that the annual reports of the Agency could play an important role in compliance regarding transparency, accountability and integrity; calls on the Agency to include a standard chapter on those components in its annual report; |
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10.

States that the annual reports of the Agency could play an important role in compliance regarding transparency, accountability and integrity; calls on the Agency to include a standard chapter on those components in its annual report;

| 11. | Acknowledges the fact that, as a follow up from the 2013 discharge of the Agency, according to the lease agreement between the Greek authorities, the Agency and the landlord, rent for the offices in Athens is paid by the Greek authorities; is concerned about the constant late payment of rent, which continued in 2014 and 2015 and which presents significant reputational, financial and business-continuity risks for the Agency; notes with concern that in 2015, the payment of the instalment for the first six months of the year was made on 27 August 2015 and only after the Agency received a warning that litigation would be launched by the landlord of the Athens office; urges the Commission, the Agency and the Greek authorities to find a solution for this issue in order to reduce significantly the risks to which the Agency is exposed; |
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11.

Acknowledges the fact that, as a follow up from the 2013 discharge of the Agency, according to the lease agreement between the Greek authorities, the Agency and the landlord, rent for the offices in Athens is paid by the Greek authorities; is concerned about the constant late payment of rent, which continued in 2014 and 2015 and which presents significant reputational, financial and business-continuity risks for the Agency; notes with concern that in 2015, the payment of the instalment for the first six months of the year was made on 27 August 2015 and only after the Agency received a warning that litigation would be launched by the landlord of the Athens office; urges the Commission, the Agency and the Greek authorities to find a solution for this issue in order to reduce significantly the risks to which the Agency is exposed;

| 12. | Refers, for other observations of a cross-cutting nature accompanying its decision on discharge, to its resolution of 28 April 2016 (1) on the performance, financial management and control of the agencies. |
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12.

Refers, for other observations of a cross-cutting nature accompanying its decision on discharge, to its resolution of 28 April 2016 (1

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(1)  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0159 (see page 447 of this Official Journal).

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