PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the Translation Centre for the bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2007.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2009/657/EC of the European Parliament on the discharge for the implementation of the budget of the Translation Centre for the bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2007.

CONTENT: with the present decision, the European Parliament grants discharge to the Director of the Translation Centre for the implementation of the Centre's budget for the financial year 2007.

This decision is in line with the European Parliament’s resolution adopted on 23 April 2009 and comprises a series of observations that form an integral part of the discharge decision (please refer to the summary of the opinion of 23/04/2009). The decision to grant discharge is also an approval of the closure of the accounts of this EU agency.

The European Parliament adopted by 582 votes to 13, with 38 abstentions, a decision concerning the discharge to be granted to the Director of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2007. The decision to grant discharge is also an approval of the closure of the accounts of this EU agency.

In parallel, the European Parliament adopted a resolution with observations which are an integral part of the decision to grant discharge.

Parliament state that:

the Court of Auditors brought to light the fact that the Centre’s audit of procurement procedures showed that the evaluation of award criteria was not appropriately documented and that certain recruitment procedures lacked transparency. Noting the Centre's willingness to follow up on the problems detected by the ECA, Parliament calls on the Centre to report on the follow-up action taken and the results achieved in its activity report 2008.

In terms of the follow-up on previous discharge exercises , Parliament notes that, in 2007, the Centre refunded EUR 9.3 million to its clients from outturn carried over from previous financial years.

Parliament also regrets that, although this issue has been highlighted in discharge resolutions over many years, a solution concerning the conflict between the Centre and the Commission as to the employer's share of pension contributions for staff has still not been found. It therefore calls on the Commission and the Centre to strive to resolve the dispute quickly and to inform the discharge authority of the outcome of the negotiations.

Lastly, noting that the Centre’s annual accounts for the financial year 2007 are reliable, and the underlying transactions are legal and regular, the Parliament approves the closure of its accounts and refers, for other observations accompanying its decision on discharge, to its resolution on financial management and control of EU agencies - see 2008/2207(INI) - adopted in parallel.

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report drawn up by Christopher FJELLNER (EPP-ED, SE) on discharge to be granted to the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union, calling on the European Parliament to grant the Director of the Centre discharge in respect of the implementation of the its budget for the financial year 2007.

Noting that the Centre’s annual accounts for the financial year 2007 are reliable, and the underlying transactions are legal and regular, MEPs approve the closure of the Centre’s accounts.

However, they make a number of recommendations as part of the decision on discharge. In addition to the general recommendations appearing in the draft resolution on financial management and control of EU agencies (see 2008/2207(INI) ), MEPs make the following observations:

the ECA's observation that its audit of procurement procedures showed that the evaluation of award criteria was not appropriately documented; certain recruitment procedures lacked transparency.

Noting the Centre's willingness to follow up on the problems detected by the ECA, MEPs call on the Centre to report on the follow-up action taken and the results achieved in its activity report 2008.

In terms of the follow-up on previous discharge exercises , MEPs note that, in 2007, the Centre refunded EUR 9.3 million to its clients from outturn carried over from previous financial years. MEPs also regret that, although this issue has been highlighted in discharge resolutions over many years, a solution concerning the conflict between the Centre and the Commission as to the employer's share of pension contributions for staff has still not been found. They therefore call on the Commission and the Centre to strive to resolve the dispute quickly and to inform the discharge authority of the outcome of the negotiations.

Based on the observations contained in the revenue and expenditure account and the balance sheet of the European Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2007, as well as on the Court of Auditor’s report and the Centre’s replies to the Court’s observations, the Council recommends that the Parliament grant the Director of the Centre discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2007.

In doing so, the Council confirms that EUR 2.8 million (95.8%) of the appropriations carried over from 2006 to 2007 (EUR 2.9 million) were used, that the appropriations carried over from 2007 to 2008 amount to EUR 3.9 million and that a total of EUR 12.9 million was cancelled.

Recalling that the Court of Auditors was able to obtain reasonable assurance that the Centre’s annual accounts were, in all material aspects, reliable, the Council believes that there is a certain number of observations that must be taken into consideration when granting discharge in respect of the implementation of the 2007 budget, particularly regarding the following points:

Carry-over rates : the Council notes with concern the persistently high carry-over rates and, in particular, cancellation rates. It urges the Centre to make necessary improvements in the Centre's financial and budgetary management and to remedy this situation as soon as possible;

Procurement procedures : the Council takes note of the Court's observation in respect of procurement procedures and encourages the Centre to strengthen its ex-ante control by ensuring that cost/benefit analysis becomes an integral part of such procedures;

Recruitment procedures : lastly, the Council calls on the Centre to ensure the full transparency of all recruitment procedures.

PURPOSE: to present the report by the Court of Auditors on the 2007 annual accounts of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT).

CONTENT: the Court of Auditor’s report includes a detailed section on the Agency’s expenditure and an analysis of the expenditure, as well as the Agency’s replies.

Analysis of the accounts by the Court : in its report the Court makes a number of observations, particularly with regard to procurement procedures, which showed that the evaluation of the award criteria was not appropriately documented when making the final choice. Moreover, there was a lack of due diligence in the way in which one of the recruitment procedures audited was implemented. Overall, the procedures lacked transparency;

The Agency’s replies : the Centre notes that it will strengthen its ex-ante control by ensuring that cost-benefit analysis becomes an integral part of all activities that entail significant expenditure when different possible options are available. It also takes full note of the Court’s observation and the recruitment procedures will be adapted accordingly.

PURPOSE: to present the final accounts of the Translation Centre for the bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2007.

CONTENT: this document sets out a detailed account of the implementation of the 2007 budget. It notes that the final budget amounted to EUR 46.12 million in 2007 (compared to EUR 40.88 million in 2006).

As regards the staffing policy, the Centre, which is based in Luxembourg, officially set out 200 posts in its establishment plan. 176 posts are currently occupied and are assigned to operational and administrative duties. Staff expenditure amounted to EUR 15.430 million (final budget appropriations paid).

In 2007, the Centre’s main activities concentrated on translating texts from a number of bodies and institutions of the European Union.

In total, the Centre notes that in 2007 the number of pages translated amounted to 732 673 (a very large increase compared to 2006).

The number of pages translated by languages is as follows:

official languages: 729 286; other languages: 3 387 (this figure is significantly smaller than in 2006).

Lastly, the report notes the number of pages translated per client:

bodies: 711 131; institutions: 21 542 (a net increase).

In 2007, the number of pages translated freelance amounted to 395 701 (compared to 260 303 pages in 2006).

The complete version of the final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.cdt.europa.eu/cdt/ewcm.nsf/

PURPOSE: to present the final accounts of the Translation Centre for the bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2007.

CONTENT: this document sets out a detailed account of the implementation of the 2007 budget. It notes that the final budget amounted to EUR 46.12 million in 2007 (compared to EUR 40.88 million in 2006).

As regards the staffing policy, the Centre, which is based in Luxembourg, officially set out 200 posts in its establishment plan. 176 posts are currently occupied and are assigned to operational and administrative duties. Staff expenditure amounted to EUR 15.430 million (final budget appropriations paid).

In 2007, the Centre’s main activities concentrated on translating texts from a number of bodies and institutions of the European Union.

In total, the Centre notes that in 2007 the number of pages translated amounted to 732 673 (a very large increase compared to 2006).

The number of pages translated by languages is as follows:

official languages: 729 286; other languages: 3 387 (this figure is significantly smaller than in 2006).

Lastly, the report notes the number of pages translated per client:

bodies: 711 131; institutions: 21 542 (a net increase).

In 2007, the number of pages translated freelance amounted to 395 701 (compared to 260 303 pages in 2006).

The complete version of the final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.cdt.europa.eu/cdt/ewcm.nsf/