ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
4.

Welcomes the increase in payment appropriations for Heading 1b which is the main area affected by the shortage of payments in the Union budget in general; considers nevertheless that this is the bare minimum to cover the actual needs until the end of 2014 and will not be sufficient to solve the recurrent snowball effect of unpaid bills that has been expanding since the 2010 budget; recalls, in particular, that the bulk of invoices under heading 1b are traditionally submitted by Member States towards the end of each financial year in order to prevent possible de-commitments due to the application of N+2 and N+3 rules;
10.

Acknowledges from the Centre that an updated state of implementation of its 3-year strategic audit plan for the period 2013-2015 was sent to the Commission's Internal Audit Service (IAS); notes furthermore that in 2013 the IAS carried out an audit on budgeting and monitoring within the Centre, which resulted in three very important recommendations; ascertains from the Centre that two recommendations were implemented, one of which is considered to be closed by the IAS, while the other awaits the IAS' review and recommendation for closure; notes furthermore that one recommendation is at an advanced stage of implementation;
2.

Acknowledges from the Authority that: — the local systems validation has been incorporated, where applicable, in the validation of the accounting systems of the Accounting Officer, along with the central ABAC and SAP Systems, — the monitoring of the budget execution level and of the overall level of carry-overs continues to be improved in order to keep the carry-overs in line with the budget execution objectives set for the operational activities, — the election of the Chair and the Vice-Chair of the Management Board is to be conducted in the audio streamed Open Session by secret ballot, as provided for in its Rules of Procedure, adopted in June 2013, — periodical dialogue with the Authority's stakeholders is a regular practice; notes the actions taken towards transparency, such as public consultation on the transformation to an ‘Open EFSA’ initiative or the EFSA specialist groups, — in the areas of data management, business continuity and IT security, the recommendations of the external consultant are being implemented; calls on the Authority to inform the discharge authority of the further results regarding corrective actions implementation, — the Authority has optimised it's webpage in order to make it more user friendly and to facilitate consultation about important aspects of scientific work, such as scientific expertise, data collection, risk assessment methodologies, risk assessment opinions and how they may impact on Union citizens through quick access to scientific advice, journal outputs or latest news;
RESOLUTION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

of 29 April 2015

with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2013

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

— having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2013,

— 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 (A8-0119/2015),

A. whereas, according to its financial statements, the final budget of the Euratom Supply Agency (‘the Agency’) for the financial year 2013 was EUR 104 000, representing the same amount as compared to 2012,

B. whereas the Court of Auditors, in its report on the annual accounts of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2013 (‘the Court's report’), has stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Agency are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular,

Follow-up of the 2012 discharge

1. Notes from the Court's report on the Agency's annual accounts that regarding one comment made in the Court's 2011 report and marked as ‘Ongoing’ in the Court's 2012 report, corrective actions were taken and the comment is now marked as ‘Completed’; notes furthermore that the comment made in the Court's 2012 report is now marked as ‘Outstanding’;

Comments on the reliability of accounts

2. Observes that according to the Agency's notes on its annual accounts, all salaries and some additional costs for administrative services were paid directly from the Commission's budget; notes that the costs incurred by salaries are disclosed,while no details are provided about the costs of the administrative services; expresses concern that this situation obscures the level to which the Agency is dependent upon the Commission; stresses that the Agency should have financial autonomy as laid down in its Statutes;

3. Acknowledges from the Agency that it will present to the discharge authority a more detailed report on its needs covered directly by the Commission;

Budget and financial management

4. Notes that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2013 resulted in a commitment appropriation rate of 95 %, and payment appropriation rate of 59,22 %;

Internal controls

5. Acknowledges from the Court's report that there is insufficient documentation on the main elements of the Agency's internal controls, such as risk management and control strategy, procedures to monitor performance, an assessment of the functioning of the internal control system and a code of professional standards;

6. Refers, for other observations of a cross-cutting nature accompanying its decision on discharge, to its Resolution of 29 April 2015 ( 1 ) on the performance, financial management and control of the agencies.

(1) Texts adopted of that date, P8_TA(2015)0130 (see page 431 of this Official Journal).
19.

Notes that the information provided on the coordinated package of personalised services to be funded from the EGF includes information on complementarity with actions funded by the Structural Funds; stresses that the French authorities confirm that the eligible actions do not receive assistance from other Union financial instruments; reiterates its call to the Commission to present a comparative evaluation of those data in its annual reports in order to ensure full respect of the existing regulations and that no duplication of Union-funded services can occur;
EN Official Journal of the European Union C 366/171

P8_TA(2015)0406

Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for payment of advances in the 2016 budget

European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2015 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, in accordance with point 11 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management to provide for payment of advances in the 2016 budget (COM(2015)0281 — C8-0133/2015 — 2015/2123(BUD))

(2017/C 366/26)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2015)0281 — C8-0133/2015),

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (1),

— having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (2), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

— having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (3), and in particular point 11 thereof,

— having regard to joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 14 November 2015 (14195/2015 — C8-0353/2015),

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0335/2015),

A. whereas, in line with Article 4a(4) of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, an amount of EUR 50 000 000 is made available for the payment of advances through appropriations in the general budget of the Union;

1. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

2. Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

3. Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884.

(3) OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
Official Journal of the European Union

P8_TA(2015)0245

Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund: Floods in Romania, Bulgaria and Italy

European Parliament resolution of 7 July 2015 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, in accordance with point 11 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (floods in Romania, Bulgaria and Italy) (COM(2015)0162 — C8-0094/2015 — 2015/2079(BUD))

(2017/C 265/28)

The European Parliament,

having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2015)0162 — C8-0094/2015),

having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (1) ,

having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (2) , and in particular Article 10 thereof,

having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (3) , and in particular point 11 thereof,

having regard to the letter from the Committee on Regional Development,

having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0211/2015),

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884.

(3) OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.

ANNEX

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund (floods in Romania, Bulgaria and Italy)

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2015/1180.)
1.

Notes that the Court's report emphasises the issues related to the valuation of the SIS II, VIS and EURODAC systems in the Agency’s accounts; notes that the systems were transferred from the Commission to the Agency in May 2013 by way of a non-exchange transaction; takes note that in the absence of reliable and complete information in respect of the total development cost of those systems, the value of the systems was recorded in the Agency’s accounts at their net book values as per the Commission’s books and updated at year-end; acknowledges the Agency's comment that as long as the book value of the assets transferred by the Commission to the Agency was established in line with the Commission’s internal accounting rules, there was no action that the Agency had to or could have performed in this respect; also acknowledges that the value of transferred assets is expected to become immaterial in the year 2015 due to the yearly application of depreciation of asset value and that as such, for future discharges, this comment will no longer be relevant;
8.

Recalls that, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC (3) (‘REACH Regulation’), the Agency is financed through fees paid by industry for the registration of chemical substances, and by a possible Union balancing subsidy, in accordance with Article 208 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (4) (‘the Financial Regulation’); notes, moreover, that in 2014, for the fourth consecutive year, the Agency was fully financed through fee income for its REACH and CLP operations;
8.

Notes with concern that the performance of operational ex ante controls on the payment of project costs was insufficiently documented; the ex ante control performed by the Joint Undertaking’s Scientific Project Officers (SPO) did not clearly identify and comment upon the status of the project (ongoing, ongoing subject to deficiencies, suspended/cancelled) and its deliverables (no reservations, reservations requiring clarification, major reservations); and payment was made without an official listing of deliverables accepted by the SPO and without any reference to the assessment of deliverables by the SPO; takes note that the Joint Undertaking has established an action plan to address auditors’ observations and enhance ex ante control system;
Official Journal of the European Union

P8_TA(2016)0470

Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany

European Parliament resolution of 1 December 2016 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany (COM(2016)0681 — C8-0423/2016 — 2016/2267(BUD))

(2018/C 224/49)

The European Parliament,

having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2016)0681 — C8-0423/2016),

having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (1) ,

having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (2) , and in particular Article 10 thereof,

having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (3) , and in particular point 11 thereof,

having regard to the letter from the Committee on Regional Development,

having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0352/2016),

Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

Official Journal of the European Union

Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union ;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884.

(3) OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.

ANNEX

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2017/340.)
EN Official Journal of the European Union C 215/250

P8_TA(2016)0365

Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece following the earthquake that affected the Ionian Islands in November 2015

European Parliament resolution of 4 October 2016 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (COM(2016)0462 — C8-0283/2016 — 2016/2165(BUD))

(2018/C 215/40)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2016)0462 — C8-0283/2016),

— having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (1),

— having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (2), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

— having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (3), and in particular point 11 thereof,

— having regard to the letter from the Committee on Regional Development,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A8-0270/2016),

1. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

2. Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union ;

3. Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884.

(3) OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1.
7.

Notes that the Foundation has not collected or published declarations of conflicts of interests of all of its governing board members; notes that there is no mechanism which obliges the members to provide such declarations; notes that even some of the available declarations and CVs on the Foundation's website are accessible only with a password; calls on the Foundation to adopt strict guidelines for a coherent policy on the prevention and management of conflicts of interest for members of the management board and to adopt and implement a clear policy on conflicts of interest, in accordance with the Roadmap on the follow-up to the Common Approach on EU decentralised agencies; calls on the Foundation to publish all such documents, in accordance with those guidelines, and allows the public the necessary overview on its senior management; welcomes the fact that all declarations of conflicts of interests of the Foundation's relevant staff have been collected;
14.

Takes note of the fact that the Agency has cooperated extensively on the operational level, in the field of maritime monitoring, surveillance and information sharing, with other Union agencies and bodies (EFCA, Frontex, EU NAVFOR, MAOC-N), in order to capitalise on existing expertise and services in mutually beneficial ways; notes that as from December 2014, the Agency has been hosting the Business Continuity Facility of the Fusion for Energy Joint Undertaking (F4E) in Madrid; takes note of the fact that the Agency has continued cooperating with European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) so that it can also use the Agency's business continuity centre; acknowledges the fact that it has worked closely with European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) to develop cooperation and synergies between the two agencies with a view to increasing effectiveness, efficiency and saving costs, given the geographical proximity of the agencies;
8.

Welcomes the fact that the level of funds carried forward from 2015 to 2016 decreased from 11 % to 7 % compared to 2014; notes that the rate of carryovers for Title II (administrative expenditure) was at 20 %, representing a decrease of 5 % compared to 2014 results; notes that the rate of carryovers for Title III (operational expenditure) was at 20 %, representing a decrease of 10 % compared to the level in 2014; notes moreover that carryovers may often be partly or fully justified by the multiannual nature of the agencies' operational programmes, and do not necessarily indicate weaknesses in budget planning and implementation, nor are they always at odds with the budgetary principle of annuality, in particular if they are planned in advance by the Agency and communicated to the Court;
48.

Believes that simplification of the rules of funds allocation is necessary to ensure better use of the funds and enhancing the effectiveness of the aid delivery; encourages the Commission to initiate simplification of the rules of funds allocation and to support local partners in the implementation of the projects; stresses, however, that simplification cannot be to the detriment of the current system of ex-ante and ex-post checks and balances, which are essential to comprehensive oversight; underlines that there are already persistent weaknesses in the ex-ante checks, an area where simplification needs to be carefully weighed against risks; reminds the Commission to stress the right balance between less administrative burden and effective financial control while simplifying the rules for the allocation of development funds;
ANNEX

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund following an application from Italy — EGF/2017/004 IT/Almaviva

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2017/2192.)
ANNEX

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund following an application from Finland — EGF/2017/002 FI/Microsoft 2

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2017/1600.)
21.

Notes from the Court's report that an external evaluation of the Foundation was carried out on behalf of the Commission in 2016 as the first step in a cross cutting evaluation of the four agencies working in the area of employment, social affairs and inclusion; notes, moreover, that the evaluation concluded that the considerable re-organisation of the Foundation since 2011 had no significant negative effects and has been viewed mainly positively by internal and external stakeholders, especially in terms of strategy and effectiveness; notes with appreciation that the governance of the Foundation was viewed as efficient and effective; notes that the evaluation also highlights that the Foundation has continued to enhance its monitoring capacity since 2011 but that there is still scope to present a clearer picture of its activities and achievements; observes that the Foundation prepared a plan to implement the evaluators’ recommendations;
2.

Notes that, according to the Court's report, for two framework contracts, with maximum values of EUR 135 000 and EUR 650 000, one of the Centre’s employees acted as authorising officer by delegation when appointing the evaluation committee, taking the award decisions and signing the contracts; notes, however, that the delegation granted by the authorising officer was limited to EUR 130 000 and did not explicitly refer to framework contracts; notes that, according to the Centre's reply, the maximum values of the two framework contracts indicated the total cumulative amount of the specific contracts likely to be concluded for their execution; notes with satisfaction that the Centre will adjust its decision on the delegation of the authorising officer’s powers in order to set out more explicitly the acts covered by this delegation;