Discharge 2020: Presentation of the ECA Annual Reports
27-10-2021 - 15:58
On 26 October 2021, Mr Klaus-Heiner Lehne, President of the European Court of Auditors (ECA), presented the main conclusions of the annual reports of the Court as to the financial year 2020. The ECA is an institution of the European Union and the external auditor of the EU’s finances. In this capacity, the ECA act as the independent guardian of the financial interests of all EU citizens, notably by helping to improve the EU’s financial management.
According to Art. 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the ECA draws up an annual report after the close of each financial year. This report, including the statement of assurance (DAS - Déclaration d'Assurance) concerning the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions, is considered by the Council and the Parliament in the framework of the discharge procedure. The presentation of the ECA Annual Report marked the beginning of the discharge cycle related to the year 2020.
The EU's general budget is examined annually by the Council and the European Parliament. The ECA annual report, combined as appropriate with special reports, provides a basis for the discharge procedure in which the Parliament, acting on a recommendation from the Council, decides whether the Commission has satisfactorily met its budgetary responsibilities.
The EU's general budget is examined annually by the Council and the European Parliament. The ECA annual report, combined as appropriate with special reports, provides a basis for the discharge procedure in which the Parliament, acting on a recommendation from the Council, decides whether the Commission has satisfactorily met its budgetary responsibilities.