Activities of Bart STAES related to 2017/2154(DEC)
Reports (1)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (333 KB) DOC (69 KB)
Amendments (6)
Amendment 1 #
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 4 #
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, since the introduction of a new IT accounting system in 2011, reporting on commitment workflow and consumption has not been sufficiently transparent; regrets that, although the matter was repeatedly raised with the Agency, no corrective action has been taken; take note of the Agency's explanation that "[the Agency] is currently working to increase the reporting functionality of its financial system, in line with the recommendations by the Court"; calls on the Agency to implement corrective actions as soon as possible in 2018 and to report to the discharge authority on their implementation;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, since 2014 the Agency has undergone two major re-organisations including the internal re-allocation of top and middle management positions; notes moreover that the re-allocation of key staff in the area of IT and administration was not successful, causing material risk of instability to the Agency and its operations; notes however that the Agency considers that no instability was suffered by the Agency due to organisational changes which aimed at increasing operational efficiencies and improving delivery of strategic objectives and which were supported by the Agency’s Management Board; notes moreover that there is no system in place to analyse skills availability, identify gaps and to recruit and allocate appropriate staff; calls on the Agency to pay extra attention to these issues, improve its human resources management and report back to the discharge authority;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, in 2014 the Commission, on behalf of more than 50 Union Institutions and bodies (including the Agency) signed a framework contract with one contractor for the acquisition of software, licences and the provision of related IT maintenance and consultancy; notes that the framework contractor acts as an intermediary between the Agency and suppliers that can address the Agency’s needs; takes note that for these intermediary services, the framework contractor is entitled to a commission of two to nine percent of the suppliers’ prices; observes that in 2016, total payments to the framework contractor amounted to EUR 8 900 000; regrets that the Agency did not systematically check prices and uplifts charged with the suppliers’ quotes and invoices issued to the framework contractor; calls on the Agency to pay extra attention to such issues, to regularlnotes however that, following the Court's finding in October 2017, the Agency investigated the case which resulted in contractor's acknowledgment of their mistake and an expected recovery of approximately EUR 12 000; also notes that, since October 2017, specific internal guidance has been put in place by ctheck the prices and look at means of better economising on its operations Agency; that guidance includes systematic checks of product category and related uplift for every quotation received from Comparex with value above EUR 60 000;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistleblowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;