REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) for the financial year 2017

1.3.2019 - (2018/2191(DEC))

Committee on Budgetary Control
Rapporteur: Petri Sarvamaa

Procedure : 2018/2191(DEC)

Document stages in plenary

Document selected :

A8-0134/2019

Texts tabled :

A8-0134/2019

Debates :

PV 26/03/2019 - 12
CRE 26/03/2019 - 12

Votes :

PV 26/03/2019 - 13.22

Texts adopted :

P8_TA(2019)0263

1. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

1. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017

(2018/2191(DEC))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017,

– having regard to the Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017, together with the Centre’s reply[1],

– having regard to the statement of assurance[2] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2017, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 12 February 2019 on discharge to be given to the Centre in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2017 (05825/2019 – C8‑0081/2019),

– having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to 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[3], and in particular Article 208 thereof,

– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[4], and in particular Article 70 thereof,

– having regard to Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 establishing a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control[5], and in particular Article 23 thereof,

– having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1271/2013 of 30 September 2013 on the framework financial regulation for the bodies referred to in Article 208 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council[6], and in particular Article 108 thereof,

– having regard to Rule 94 of and Annex IV 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 (A8-0134/2019),

1. Grants the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2017;

2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

3. Instructs its President to forward this decision, and the resolution forming an integral part of it, to the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

2. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

on the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017

(2018/2191(DEC))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017,

– having regard to the statement of assurance[8] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2017, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 establishing a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control[11], and in particular Article 23 thereof,

– having regard to Rule 94 of and Annex IV 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 (A8-0134/2019),

1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017;

2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

3. MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017

(2018/2191(DEC))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017,

– having regard to Rule 94 of and Annex IV 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 (A8-0134/2019),

A. whereas, according to its statement of revenue and expenditure[13], the final budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (the ‘Centre’) for the financial year 2017 was EUR 58 042 653, representing a slight decrease of 0,35 % compared to 2016; whereas 97,80 % of the Centre’s budget derives from the Union budget;

B. whereas the Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’), in its report on the annual accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017 (the ‘Court's report’), states that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the Centre’s annual accounts are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular;

Budget and financial management

1. Notes with satisfaction that the budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2017 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99,78 %, representing an increase of 1,76 % compared to 2016; notes that the payment appropriations execution rate was 81,71 %, representing an increase of 2,45 % compared to the previous year;

2. Recalls that, as a Union agency, the Centre has a budget which is denominated in euro; however, since its seat is outside the Euro-zone (in Sweden), a lot of its expenses are incurred in Swedish krona (SEK); furthermore, the Centre is exposed to exchange rate fluctuations since not only does it have bank accounts in Swedish krona, it also carries out certain transactions in other foreign currencies;

Cancellation of carry-overs

3. Notes with concern that the cancellations of carry-overs from 2016 to 2017 amounted to EUR 953 754, representing 8,73 % of the total amount carried over, showing however a decrease of 3,11 % compared to 2016;

Performance

4. Notes with satisfaction that the Centre uses several key performance indicators (KPIs) in order to evaluate the added value provided by its activities and the list of KPIs comprised in the Commission Staff Working Document of 13 March 2015[14] among others to improve its budget management;

5. Acknowledges that the Centre finalised the roadmap for the reengineering of its disease surveillance systems, published evaluations addressing new health threats in the Union, and continued to support the monitoring of microbiology laboratories capabilities in the Union;

6. Recalls that the Centre’s mission is to identify, assess and communicate current and emerging threats to human health from communicable diseases; stresses that in 2017 the Centre responded to 59 formal scientific requests, 35 of which came from Parliament, and published a total of 210 reports (compared to 158 in 2016), including 38 rapid risk assessments addressing new disease threats in Europe, and 78 surveillance reports;

7. Notes that the Centre also launched the EPHESUS project, aimed at evaluating all infectious disease surveillance systems in the Union/EEA public health sector, and started evaluating its disease programmes;

8. Welcomes that the Centre has prioritised activities addressing the threats posed by antimicrobial resistance and the rise of vaccine hesitancy in the Union;

9. Notes with satisfaction that the Centre shares best practice and regularly works with other agencies, most notably the European Food Safety Authority, the European Medicines Agency and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction; acknowledges furthermore that the Centre participates in inter-institutional procurements organised by other agencies; stresses that the Centre should continue promoting cooperation with other Union agencies and international organisations, and foster dialogue with stakeholders and citizens;

10. Takes note that an external evaluation for the period 2013-2017 will be carried out in 2018-2019; calls on the Centre to report to the discharge authority on its outcome;

Staff policy

11. Notes that, on 31 December 2017, the establishment plan was 91,21 % executed, with 166 temporary agents appointed out of 182 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget (compared with 186 authorised posts in 2016); notes that in addition, 97 contract agents and three seconded national experts worked for the Centre in 2017;

12. Notes that the Centre has adopted a policy on protecting the dignity of the person and preventing harassment; acknowledges that it offers confidential counselling as well as training sessions; notes that two cases of harassment were reported and investigated in 2017;

Procurement

13. Acknowledges that the use of electronic workflows for procurement, based on the Commission’s DG DIGIT application e-PRIOR, in addition to the improvements in procurement monitoring, improved the Centre’s procurement processes; acknowledges furthermore that the Centre completed 316 procurement procedures in 2017;

Prevention and management of conflicts of interest and transparency

14. Notes that the declaration of interest and the CV of the Director are published on the Centre’s website; notes with concern that some declarations of interest and CVs of the management board and of the advisory forum are missing; calls on the Centre to report to the discharge authority on the measures taken in this regard;

15. Acknowledges the Centre’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevention, management of conflicts of interest, and whistle-blower protection; notes that, according to the Centre, the European Anti-Fraud Office closed one case of whistleblowing in 2017 without further action; notes that six potential conflicts of interest were identified and further investigated in 2017, out of which one conflict of interest was identified, resulting in a person being asked to abstain from discussion on a specific agenda point;

Internal controls

16. Notes with concern that 26 overrides of controls and deviations from established processes and procedures occurred in 2017, representing however 14 fewer than in 2016; acknowledges that an action plan to reduce the number of such overrides was adopted; calls on the Centre to report to the discharge authority on the results of the corrective actions taken in this regard;

17. Observes that, in addition to the internal procedure on meetings with the pharmaceutical industry, an internal procedure on the conclusion of memoranda of understandings and collaboration agreements with third parties is under development; calls on the Centre to report to the discharge authority on the progress made in this regard;

Other comments

18. Notes that in July 2016, the Centre signed a new lease agreement for its new premises, that took effect at the end of February 2018, and that the duration of the new lease agreement is 15 years; notes that the Centre moved to the new premises in April 2018;

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19. Refers, for other observations of a cross-cutting nature accompanying its decision on discharge, to its resolution of ... 2019[15] on the performance, financial management and control of the agencies.

24.01.2019

OPINION of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

for the Committee on Budgetary Control

on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2017

(2018/2191(DEC))

Rapporteur for opinion: Adina‑Ioana Vălean

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

1. Notes that the final budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (“the Centre”) for the financial year 2017 was EUR 58 042 653, representing a slight decrease of 0,35 % compared to 2016; notes that 97,80 % of the Centre budget derives from the Union budget;

2. Notes that the budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2017 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99,78 %, representing an increase of 1,76 percentage point compared to 2016; notes that the payment appropriations execution rate was 81,71 %, representing an increase of 2,45 percentage points compared to 2016;

3. Recalls that, as a Union agency, the Centre has a budget which is denominated in euro; however, since its seat is outside the Euro-zone (in Sweden), a lot of its expenses are incurred in Swedish krona (SEK); furthermore, the Centre is exposed to exchange rate fluctuations since not only does it have bank accounts in Swedish krona, it also carries out certain transactions in other foreign currencies;

4. Recalls that the Centre’s mission is to identify, assess and communicate current and emerging threats to human health from communicable diseases; stresses that in 2017 the Centre responded to 59 formal scientific requests, 35 of which came from Parliament, and published a total of 210 reports (compared to 158 in 2016), including 38 rapid risk assessments addressing new disease threats in Europe, and 78 surveillance reports;

5. Notes that in 2017 the management board launched the preparation for the third external evaluation of the Centre, covering the period from 2013 to 2017, and which started in September 2018; notes that the Centre also launched the EPHESUS project, aimed at evaluating all infectious disease surveillance systems in the Union/EEA public health sector, and started evaluating its disease programmes;

6. Welcomes that the Centre has prioritised activities addressing the threats posed by antimicrobial resistance and the rise of vaccine hesitancy in the Union;

7. Underlines that the Centre has implemented new IT tools to improve the planning and monitoring of the procurement process, correcting significant weaknesses identified by a recent audit;

8. Stresses that the Centre should continue promoting cooperation with other Union agencies and international organisations, and foster dialogue with stakeholders and citizens;

9. Highlights that two harassment cases were reported and investigated in 2017;

10. Welcomes that the Court of Auditors has stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the Centre’s annual accounts for 2017 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular;

11. Recommends, based on the facts available, that discharge be granted to the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in respect of the implementation of the Centre's budget for the financial year 2017.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	22.1.2019
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	46 6 1
Members present for the final vote	Margrete Auken, Pilar Ayuso, Ivo Belet, Simona Bonafè, Biljana Borzan, Paul Brannen, Soledad Cabezón Ruiz, Nessa Childers, Birgit Collin-Langen, Miriam Dalli, Seb Dance, Angélique Delahaye, Mark Demesmaeker, Stefan Eck, Bas Eickhout, José Inácio Faria, Francesc Gambús, Elisabetta Gardini, Arne Gericke, Jens Gieseke, Julie Girling, Sylvie Goddyn, Françoise Grossetête, Jytte Guteland, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Jean-François Jalkh, Benedek Jávor, Kateřina Konečná, Urszula Krupa, Peter Liese, Valentinas Mazuronis, Susanne Melior, Miroslav Mikolášik, Rory Palmer, Gilles Pargneaux, Bolesław G. Piecha, Pavel Poc, John Procter, Frédérique Ries, Annie Schreijer-Pierik, Ivica Tolić, Nils Torvalds, Adina-Ioana Vălean, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Damiano Zoffoli
Substitutes present for the final vote	Cristian-Silviu Buşoi, Christophe Hansen, Martin Häusling, Anja Hazekamp, Tilly Metz, Bart Staes, Tiemo Wölken
Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote	Olle Ludvigsson

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

46	+
ALDE	Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Valentinas Mazuronis, Frédérique Ries, Nils Torvalds
ECR	Mark Demesmaeker
GUE/NGL	Stefan Eck, Anja Hazekamp, Kateřina Konečná
PPE	Pilar Ayuso, Ivo Belet, Cristian Silviu Buşoi, Birgit Collin Langen, Angélique Delahaye, José Inácio Faria, Francesc Gambús, Elisabetta Gardini, Jens Gieseke, Julie Girling, Françoise Grossetête, Christophe Hansen, Peter Liese, Miroslav Mikolášik, Annie Schreijer Pierik, Ivica Tolić, Adina Ioana Vălean
S&D	Simona Bonafè, Biljana Borzan, Paul Brannen, Soledad Cabezón Ruiz, Nessa Childers, Miriam Dalli, Seb Dance, Jytte Guteland, Olle Ludvigsson, Susanne Melior, Rory Palmer, Gilles Pargneaux, Pavel Poc, Tiemo Wölken, Damiano Zoffoli
VERTS/ALE	Margrete Auken, Bas Eickhout, Martin Häusling, Benedek Jávor, Tilly Metz, Bart Staes

6	-
ECR	Arne Gericke, Urszula Krupa, Bolesław G. Piecha, John Procter
ECR	Jadwiga Wiśniewska
ENF	Jean‑François Jalkh

1	0
EFDD	Sylvie Goddyn

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted	20.2.2019
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	21 1 0
Members present for the final vote	Nedzhmi Ali, Inés Ayala Sender, Zigmantas Balčytis, Dennis de Jong, Tamás Deutsch, Martina Dlabajová, Ingeborg Gräßle, Jean-François Jalkh, Wolf Klinz, Monica Macovei, Georgi Pirinski, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Petri Sarvamaa, Claudia Schmidt, Bart Staes, Marco Valli, Derek Vaughan, Tomáš Zdechovský, Joachim Zeller
Substitutes present for the final vote	Karin Kadenbach, Marian-Jean Marinescu
Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote	Petra Kammerevert

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

21	+
ALDE	Nedzhmi Ali, Martina Dlabajová, Wolf Klinz
ECR	Monica Macovei
EFDD	Marco Valli
GUE/NGL	Dennis de Jong
PPE	Tamás Deutsch, Ingeborg Gräßle, Marian-Jean Marinescu, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Petri Sarvamaa, Claudia Schmidt, Tomáš Zdechovský, Joachim Zeller
S&D	Inés Ayala Sender, Zigmantas Balčytis, Karin Kadenbach, Petra Kammerevert, Georgi Pirinski, Derek Vaughan
VERTS/ALE	Bart Staes

1	-
ENF	Jean-François Jalkh

0	0

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

[1] OJ C 434, 30.11.2018, p. 128.
[2] OJ C 434, 30.11.2018, p. 128.
[3] OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1.
[4] OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1.
[5] OJ L 142, 30.4.2004, p. 1.
[6] OJ L 328, 7.12.2013, p. 42.
[7] OJ C 434, 30.11.2018, p. 128.
[8] OJ C 434, 30.11.2018, p. 128.
[9] OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1.
[10] OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1.
[11] OJ L 142, 30.4.2004, p. 1.
[12] OJ L 328, 7.12.2013, p. 42.
[13] OJ C 108, 22.03.2018, p. 213.
[14] Commission Staff Working Document of 13 March 2015, ‘Guidelines on key performance indicators (KPI) for directors of EU decentralised agencies’, SWD(2015)0062.
[15] Texts adopted, P8_TA-PROV(2019)0000.

Last updated: 12 March 2019

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