BETA


2011/2229(DEC) 2010 discharge: European Railway Agency (ERA)

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead CONT MACOVEI Monica (icon: PPE PPE) HERCZOG Edit (icon: S&D S&D), GERBRANDY Gerben-Jan (icon: ALDE ALDE), STAES Bart (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), CZARNECKI Ryszard (icon: ECR ECR), ANDREASEN Marta (icon: EFD EFD), EHRENHAUSER Martin (icon: NA NA)
Committee Opinion TRAN FLECKENSTEIN Knut (icon: S&D S&D) Jaromír KOHLÍČEK (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL), Gesine MEISSNER (icon: ALDE ALDE)
Lead committee dossier:

Events

2012/10/17
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the European Railways Agency in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2010.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2012/584/EU of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railways Agency for the financial year 2010.

CONTENT: with the present decision, and in accordance with Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the European Parliament grants discharge to the Executive Director of the European Railways Agency for the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2010.

This decision is in line with the European Parliament's resolution adopted on 10 May 2012 and comprises a series of observations that form an integral part of the discharge decision (please refer to the summary of the opinion of 10/05/2012).

A parallel decision, 2012/585/EU, adopted on the same day, approves the closure of this Agency's accounts for the 2010 financial year.

2012/05/10
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2012/05/10
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2012/05/10
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 525 votes to 81 with 22 abstentions, a decision concerning the discharge to be granted to the Executive Director of the European Railway Agency in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for 2010. The decision to grant the discharge also closes the accounts for the Agency for that year.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts for the financial year 2010 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 546 votes to 67, with 9 abstentions, a resolution containing a number of recommendations that need to be taken into account when the discharge is granted, in addition to the general recommendations that appear in the resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

Budget and Financial Management : Parliament notes the low rate of utilisation for payment appropriations, particularly for operational expenditure and appreciates the fact that the Agency provides information on the use of the appropriations carried forward from 2009 to 2010. It takes the view that it is extremely important to optimise the use of budgetary resources at a time of financial crisis and urges the Commission and the Agency to analyse and establish the real budgetary requirements in order for the Agency to be able to carry out all the tasks assigned to it. Transfers : Parliament regrets that the errors in budgetary forecasts resulted in the cancellation or delay of certain investments. It urges the Agency to inform immediately the discharge authority of the measures implemented in order to allow for better expenditure forecasts. Carryover of appropriations : once more, Parliament notes the significant carryover of credits. It acknowledges from the Court of Auditors that the appropriations carried forward to 2011 amounted to EUR 5 500 000, of which EUR 4 300 000 (78 %) are related to goods and services that were to be provided in 2011. It is of the opinion that the Agency did not adequately address the problem of appropriations being carried forward from one year to the next. It calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority about actions taken to improve this situation. It reminds the Agency that this request was already made during the previous discharge procedure; Performance : Parliament urges the Agency to create a Multi-Annual Plan translating long-term objectives into multi-annual tasks and associated Key Performance Indicators. This would better provide stakeholders with information on the objectives/activities, strategic priorities and resource allocation. Two locations : Parliament considers that using two locations (Lille and Valenciennes) for carrying out its activities exposes the Agency to additional costs. It notes, also, that this observation has been made since 2006 and that no action has been taken by the Council to change the situation. Internal audit : lastly, Parliament calls on the Agency to implement the Internal Audit Service (IAS) recommendations related to the audit on Human Resources (HR) management undertaken by the IAS in 2009.

Documents
2012/05/10
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2012/04/04
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Monica Luisa MACOVEI (PPE, RO) on discharge in respect of the budget of the European Railway Agency, and called on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the European Railway Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2010.

Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts for the financial year 2010 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members approve the closure of the accounts of the European Railway Agency for the financial year 2010. However, they make a number of recommendations that need to be taken into account when the discharge is granted, in addition to the general recommendations that appear in the draft resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:

Budget and Financial Management : Members note the low rate of utilisation for payment appropriations, particularly for operational expenditure and appreciate the fact that the Agency provides information on the use of the appropriations carried forward from 2009 to 2010. They take the view that it is extremely important to optimise the use of budgetary resources at a time of financial crisis and urges the Commission and the Agency to analyse and establish the real budgetary requirements in order for the Agency to be able to carry out all the tasks assigned to it. Transfers : Members regret that the errors in budgetary forecasts resulted in the cancellation or delay of certain investments. It urges the Agency to inform immediately the discharge authority of the measures implemented in order to allow for better expenditure forecasts. Carryover of appropriations : once more, Members note the significant carryover of credits and are of the opinion that the Agency did not adequately address the problem of appropriations being carried forward from one year to the next. They call on the Agency to inform the discharge authority about actions taken to improve the annual budget implementation and to decrease the carryovers of budget appropriations. Performance : the committee urges the Agency to create a Multi-Annual Plan translating long-term objectives into multi-annual tasks and associated Key Performance Indicators. This would better provide stakeholders with information on the objectives/activities, strategic priorities and resource allocation. Two locations : Members consider that using two locations (Lille and Valenciennes) for carrying out its activities exposes the Agency to additional costs. They note, also, that this observation has been made since 2006 and that no action has been taken by the Council to change the situation. Internal audit : lastly, Members call on the Agency to implement the Internal Audit Service (IAS) recommendations related to the audit on Human Resources (HR) management undertaken by the IAS in 2009.

Documents
2012/03/27
   EP - Vote in committee
2012/03/07
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2012/02/08
   CSL - Document attached to the procedure
Details

Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2010 and the balance sheet at 31 December 2010 of the European Railway Agency, as well as the Court of Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year 2010, accompanied by the Agency's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommends the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Executive Director of the Agency in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2010.

However, the Council considers that observations made in the Court of Auditor's report call for a certain number of remarks:

the Council welcomes the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Agency's annual accounts fairly present the financial position as at 31 December 2010 and the results of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Agency's Financial Regulation, and that the underlying transactions for that financial year are legal and regular; the Council regrets that the volume of appropriations carried over to the next financial year was again considerably high. Therefore, it reiterates its call on the Agency to improve its financial programming, in order to limit those carry-overs to the minimum necessary , in line with the budgetary principle of annuality.

Documents
2012/02/07
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2012/02/06
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2011/10/12
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2011/10/11
   EP - FLECKENSTEIN Knut (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in TRAN
2011/09/06
   CofA - Court of Auditors: opinion, report
Details

PURPOSE: presentation of the EU Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA), together with the Agency’s reply.

CONTENT: in accordance with the tasks conferred on the Court of Auditors by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Court presents to the European Parliament and to the Council, in the context of the discharge procedure, a Statement of Assurance as to the reliability of the annual accounts of each institution, body or agency of the EU, and the legality and regularity of the transactions underlying them, on the basis of an independent external audit.

This audit concerned, amongst others, the annual accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA).

In the Court’s opinion, the Agcncy’s Annual Accounts fairly present, in all material respects, its financial position as of 31 December 2010 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of its Financial Regulation.

The Court also considers that the transactions underlying the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year ended 31 December 2010 are, in all material respects, legal and regular.

The report confirms that the Agency’s 2010 budget amounted to EUR 24.1 million, and that the number of staff employed by the Agency at the end of the year was 142.

The report also makes a series of observations on the budgetary and financial management of the ERA, accompanied by the latter’s response. The main observations may be summarised as follows:

The Court’s observations :

budgetary and financial management: the appropriations carried forward to 2011 amounted to 5.5 million euro, of which 4.3 million euro (78%) are related to goods and services to be provided in 2011. This level of carryover is excessive and at odds with the principle of annuality.

The Agency’s reply :

the Agency is analysing the possibility to conclude framework contracts for studies, enabling it to sign specific contracts much sooner after the adoption of the budget. Furthermore, for the years 2011 and 2012, the Agency is reviewing its budget forecasts to better align them to its real needs and to optimise the use of its budgetary resources.

Lastly the Court of Auditors’ report contains a summary of the Agency’s activities in 2010. Its main tasks may be described as follows:

a series of recommendations concerning rail transport safety; recommendations regarding technical specifications in respect of interoperability; publication of a report on rail safety; provision of technical opinions; other activities designed to: i) set up and maintains a series of registers for interoperability; ii) acting as the system authority and change control manager for ERTMS (European Railway Traffic Management System); iii) drawing up of the reference document of national rules for vehicle authorisation.

2011/07/26
   EC - Non-legislative basic document
Details

PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010, as part of the 2010 discharge procedure.

Analysis of the accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA)

CONTENT: this Commission document sets out the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010 as prepared on the basis of the information presented by the institutions, organisations and bodies of the EU, in accordance with Article 129 (2) of the Financial Regulation applicable to the EU's General Budget, including the European Railway Agency (ERA).

In 2010, the tasks and budget of this agency were as follows:

description of ERA's tasks : ERA, which is located in Lille-Valenciennes, was created by Regulation (EC) No 881/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 . The Agency's aim is to enhance the level of interoperability of railway systems and to develop a common approach to safety in order to contribute to creating a more competitive European railway sector with a high level of safety; ERA's budget for the 2010 financial year : the Agency's 2010 budget amounted to EUR 24.1 million, compared with EUR 21 million the previous year. The number of staff employed by the Agency at the end of the year was 142, compared with 127 the previous year.

The complete version of ERA's final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.era.europa.eu/The-Agency/BudgetandAccounts/Pages/home.aspx

2011/07/25
   EC - Non-legislative basic document published
Details

PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010, as part of the 2010 discharge procedure.

Analysis of the accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA)

CONTENT: this Commission document sets out the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010 as prepared on the basis of the information presented by the institutions, organisations and bodies of the EU, in accordance with Article 129 (2) of the Financial Regulation applicable to the EU's General Budget, including the European Railway Agency (ERA).

In 2010, the tasks and budget of this agency were as follows:

description of ERA's tasks : ERA, which is located in Lille-Valenciennes, was created by Regulation (EC) No 881/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 . The Agency's aim is to enhance the level of interoperability of railway systems and to develop a common approach to safety in order to contribute to creating a more competitive European railway sector with a high level of safety; ERA's budget for the 2010 financial year : the Agency's 2010 budget amounted to EUR 24.1 million, compared with EUR 21 million the previous year. The number of staff employed by the Agency at the end of the year was 142, compared with 127 the previous year.

The complete version of ERA's final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.era.europa.eu/The-Agency/BudgetandAccounts/Pages/home.aspx

2011/03/03
   EP - MACOVEI Monica (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in CONT

Documents

Votes

A7-0118/2012 - Monica Luisa Macovei - Décision #

2012/05/10 Outcome: +: 525, -: 81, 0: 22
DE FR IT ES RO PL SE BE EL PT HU BG AT NL FI SK IE DK LV SI LT EE CY LU MT CZ GB
Total
80
56
64
44
25
48
20
20
18
18
16
17
17
24
12
10
10
13
7
7
8
5
5
4
4
18
57
icon: PPE PPE
228

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Czechia PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
158

Netherlands S&D

3

Finland S&D

1

Ireland S&D

2

Latvia S&D

1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
74

Greece ALDE

1

Slovakia ALDE

For (1)

1
3

Latvia ALDE

For (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

2

Lithuania ALDE

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
51

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Greece Verts/ALE

1

Portugal Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
27

Germany GUE/NGL

For (1)

5

Spain GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Greece GUE/NGL

2

Portugal GUE/NGL

For (1)

3

Netherlands GUE/NGL

2

Ireland GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Latvia GUE/NGL

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
21

France NI

Against (1)

1

Spain NI

1

Romania NI

For (1)

1

Belgium NI

Against (1)

1

Hungary NI

Abstain (1)

1

Bulgaria NI

2
icon: EFD EFD
31

France EFD

Against (1)

1

Belgium EFD

Against (1)

1

Greece EFD

2

Netherlands EFD

Against (1)

1

Finland EFD

Against (1)

1

Slovakia EFD

For (1)

1

Denmark EFD

Against (1)

1

Lithuania EFD

Abstain (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
37

Netherlands ECR

Against (1)

1

Denmark ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

A7-0118/2012 - Monica Luisa Macovei - Résolution #

2012/05/10 Outcome: +: 546, -: 67, 0: 9
DE IT FR ES RO PL SE NL BE EL PT HU BG AT IE FI DK SK SI LT LV EE LU MT CY CZ GB
Total
81
61
57
42
25
47
19
24
20
18
17
16
17
17
10
12
13
10
7
8
7
5
4
4
3
16
61
icon: PPE PPE
228

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2

Malta PPE

For (1)

1
2

Czechia PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
155

Netherlands S&D

3

Ireland S&D

2

Finland S&D

1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
73

Greece ALDE

1
3

Slovakia ALDE

For (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

2

Lithuania ALDE

1

Latvia ALDE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
51

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Greece Verts/ALE

1

Portugal Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
22

Spain GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Greece GUE/NGL

2

Portugal GUE/NGL

2

Ireland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Latvia GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1
icon: NI NI
22

France NI

Abstain (1)

1

Spain NI

1

Romania NI

For (1)

1

Belgium NI

Abstain (1)

1

Hungary NI

1

Bulgaria NI

2
icon: EFD EFD
30

France EFD

Against (1)

1

Netherlands EFD

Against (1)

1

Belgium EFD

Abstain (1)

1

Greece EFD

2

Finland EFD

Against (1)

1

Denmark EFD

Against (1)

1

Slovakia EFD

For (1)

1

Lithuania EFD

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
40

Netherlands ECR

Against (1)

1

Denmark ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
13 2011/2229(DEC)
2012/01/12 TRAN 2 amendments...
source: PE-478.689
2012/03/07 CONT 11 amendments...
source: PE-483.632

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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activities
  • date: 2011-07-26T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2011/0473/COM_COM(2011)0473_EN.pdf title: COM(2011)0473 type: Non-legislative basic document published celexid: CELEX:52011DC0473:EN body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas type: Non-legislative basic document published
  • date: 2011-10-12T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: HERCZOG Edit group: ALDE name: GERBRANDY Gerben-Jan group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta group: NI name: EHRENHAUSER Martin responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2011-03-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: PPE name: MACOVEI Monica body: EP responsible: False committee: TRAN date: 2011-10-11T00:00:00 committee_full: Transport and Tourism rapporteur: group: S&D name: FLECKENSTEIN Knut
  • date: 2012-03-27T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: HERCZOG Edit group: ALDE name: GERBRANDY Gerben-Jan group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta group: NI name: EHRENHAUSER Martin responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2011-03-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: PPE name: MACOVEI Monica body: EP responsible: False committee: TRAN date: 2011-10-11T00:00:00 committee_full: Transport and Tourism rapporteur: group: S&D name: FLECKENSTEIN Knut
  • date: 2012-04-04T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2012-118&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A7-0118/2012 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2012-05-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=21455&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20120510&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2012-179 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0179/2012 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2012-10-17T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal docs: url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32012D0584 title: Decision 2012/584 url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2012:286:TOC title: OJ L 286 17.10.2012, p. 0229
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2011-03-03T00:00:00
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docs
  • date: 2011-09-06T00:00:00 docs: url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C:2011:366:TOC title: OJ C 366 15.12.2011, p. 0100 title: N7-0016/2012 summary: PURPOSE: presentation of the EU Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA), together with the Agency’s reply. CONTENT: in accordance with the tasks conferred on the Court of Auditors by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Court presents to the European Parliament and to the Council, in the context of the discharge procedure, a Statement of Assurance as to the reliability of the annual accounts of each institution, body or agency of the EU, and the legality and regularity of the transactions underlying them, on the basis of an independent external audit. This audit concerned, amongst others, the annual accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA). In the Court’s opinion, the Agcncy’s Annual Accounts fairly present, in all material respects, its financial position as of 31 December 2010 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of its Financial Regulation. The Court also considers that the transactions underlying the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year ended 31 December 2010 are, in all material respects, legal and regular. The report confirms that the Agency’s 2010 budget amounted to EUR 24.1 million, and that the number of staff employed by the Agency at the end of the year was 142. The report also makes a series of observations on the budgetary and financial management of the ERA, accompanied by the latter’s response. The main observations may be summarised as follows: The Court’s observations : budgetary and financial management: the appropriations carried forward to 2011 amounted to 5.5 million euro, of which 4.3 million euro (78%) are related to goods and services to be provided in 2011. This level of carryover is excessive and at odds with the principle of annuality. The Agency’s reply : the Agency is analysing the possibility to conclude framework contracts for studies, enabling it to sign specific contracts much sooner after the adoption of the budget. Furthermore, for the years 2011 and 2012, the Agency is reviewing its budget forecasts to better align them to its real needs and to optimise the use of its budgetary resources. Lastly the Court of Auditors’ report contains a summary of the Agency’s activities in 2010. Its main tasks may be described as follows: a series of recommendations concerning rail transport safety; recommendations regarding technical specifications in respect of interoperability; publication of a report on rail safety; provision of technical opinions; other activities designed to: i) set up and maintains a series of registers for interoperability; ii) acting as the system authority and change control manager for ERTMS (European Railway Traffic Management System); iii) drawing up of the reference document of national rules for vehicle authorisation. type: Court of Auditors: opinion, report body: CofA
  • date: 2012-02-06T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE473.994 title: PE473.994 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2012-02-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE476.007&secondRef=02 title: PE476.007 committee: TRAN type: Committee opinion body: EP
  • date: 2012-02-08T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=6083%2F12&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 06083/2012 summary: Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2010 and the balance sheet at 31 December 2010 of the European Railway Agency, as well as the Court of Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year 2010, accompanied by the Agency's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommends the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Executive Director of the Agency in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2010. However, the Council considers that observations made in the Court of Auditor's report call for a certain number of remarks: the Council welcomes the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Agency's annual accounts fairly present the financial position as at 31 December 2010 and the results of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Agency's Financial Regulation, and that the underlying transactions for that financial year are legal and regular; the Council regrets that the volume of appropriations carried over to the next financial year was again considerably high. Therefore, it reiterates its call on the Agency to improve its financial programming, in order to limit those carry-overs to the minimum necessary , in line with the budgetary principle of annuality. type: Document attached to the procedure body: CSL
  • date: 2012-03-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE483.632 title: PE483.632 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
events
  • date: 2011-07-26T00:00:00 type: Non-legislative basic document published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2011/0473/COM_COM(2011)0473_EN.pdf title: COM(2011)0473 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2011&nu_doc=473 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010, as part of the 2010 discharge procedure. Analysis of the accounts of the European Railway Agency (ERA) CONTENT: this Commission document sets out the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2010 as prepared on the basis of the information presented by the institutions, organisations and bodies of the EU, in accordance with Article 129 (2) of the Financial Regulation applicable to the EU's General Budget, including the European Railway Agency (ERA). In 2010, the tasks and budget of this agency were as follows: description of ERA's tasks : ERA, which is located in Lille-Valenciennes, was created by Regulation (EC) No 881/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 . The Agency's aim is to enhance the level of interoperability of railway systems and to develop a common approach to safety in order to contribute to creating a more competitive European railway sector with a high level of safety; ERA's budget for the 2010 financial year : the Agency's 2010 budget amounted to EUR 24.1 million, compared with EUR 21 million the previous year. The number of staff employed by the Agency at the end of the year was 142, compared with 127 the previous year. The complete version of ERA's final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.era.europa.eu/The-Agency/BudgetandAccounts/Pages/home.aspx
  • date: 2011-10-12T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2012-03-27T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2012-04-04T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2012-118&language=EN title: A7-0118/2012 summary: The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Monica Luisa MACOVEI (PPE, RO) on discharge in respect of the budget of the European Railway Agency, and called on the European Parliament to grant the Executive Director of the European Railway Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2010. Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts for the financial year 2010 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members approve the closure of the accounts of the European Railway Agency for the financial year 2010. However, they make a number of recommendations that need to be taken into account when the discharge is granted, in addition to the general recommendations that appear in the draft resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies: Budget and Financial Management : Members note the low rate of utilisation for payment appropriations, particularly for operational expenditure and appreciate the fact that the Agency provides information on the use of the appropriations carried forward from 2009 to 2010. They take the view that it is extremely important to optimise the use of budgetary resources at a time of financial crisis and urges the Commission and the Agency to analyse and establish the real budgetary requirements in order for the Agency to be able to carry out all the tasks assigned to it. Transfers : Members regret that the errors in budgetary forecasts resulted in the cancellation or delay of certain investments. It urges the Agency to inform immediately the discharge authority of the measures implemented in order to allow for better expenditure forecasts. Carryover of appropriations : once more, Members note the significant carryover of credits and are of the opinion that the Agency did not adequately address the problem of appropriations being carried forward from one year to the next. They call on the Agency to inform the discharge authority about actions taken to improve the annual budget implementation and to decrease the carryovers of budget appropriations. Performance : the committee urges the Agency to create a Multi-Annual Plan translating long-term objectives into multi-annual tasks and associated Key Performance Indicators. This would better provide stakeholders with information on the objectives/activities, strategic priorities and resource allocation. Two locations : Members consider that using two locations (Lille and Valenciennes) for carrying out its activities exposes the Agency to additional costs. They note, also, that this observation has been made since 2006 and that no action has been taken by the Council to change the situation. Internal audit : lastly, Members call on the Agency to implement the Internal Audit Service (IAS) recommendations related to the audit on Human Resources (HR) management undertaken by the IAS in 2009.
  • date: 2012-05-10T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=21455&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2012-05-10T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20120510&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2012-05-10T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2012-179 title: T7-0179/2012 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 525 votes to 81 with 22 abstentions, a decision concerning the discharge to be granted to the Executive Director of the European Railway Agency in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for 2010. The decision to grant the discharge also closes the accounts for the Agency for that year. Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts for the financial year 2010 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 546 votes to 67, with 9 abstentions, a resolution containing a number of recommendations that need to be taken into account when the discharge is granted, in addition to the general recommendations that appear in the resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies: Budget and Financial Management : Parliament notes the low rate of utilisation for payment appropriations, particularly for operational expenditure and appreciates the fact that the Agency provides information on the use of the appropriations carried forward from 2009 to 2010. It takes the view that it is extremely important to optimise the use of budgetary resources at a time of financial crisis and urges the Commission and the Agency to analyse and establish the real budgetary requirements in order for the Agency to be able to carry out all the tasks assigned to it. Transfers : Parliament regrets that the errors in budgetary forecasts resulted in the cancellation or delay of certain investments. It urges the Agency to inform immediately the discharge authority of the measures implemented in order to allow for better expenditure forecasts. Carryover of appropriations : once more, Parliament notes the significant carryover of credits. It acknowledges from the Court of Auditors that the appropriations carried forward to 2011 amounted to EUR 5 500 000, of which EUR 4 300 000 (78 %) are related to goods and services that were to be provided in 2011. It is of the opinion that the Agency did not adequately address the problem of appropriations being carried forward from one year to the next. It calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority about actions taken to improve this situation. It reminds the Agency that this request was already made during the previous discharge procedure; Performance : Parliament urges the Agency to create a Multi-Annual Plan translating long-term objectives into multi-annual tasks and associated Key Performance Indicators. This would better provide stakeholders with information on the objectives/activities, strategic priorities and resource allocation. Two locations : Parliament considers that using two locations (Lille and Valenciennes) for carrying out its activities exposes the Agency to additional costs. It notes, also, that this observation has been made since 2006 and that no action has been taken by the Council to change the situation. Internal audit : lastly, Parliament calls on the Agency to implement the Internal Audit Service (IAS) recommendations related to the audit on Human Resources (HR) management undertaken by the IAS in 2009.
  • date: 2012-05-10T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2012-10-17T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the European Railways Agency in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2010. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2012/584/EU of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railways Agency for the financial year 2010. CONTENT: with the present decision, and in accordance with Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the European Parliament grants discharge to the Executive Director of the European Railways Agency for the implementation of its budget for the financial year 2010. This decision is in line with the European Parliament's resolution adopted on 10 May 2012 and comprises a series of observations that form an integral part of the discharge decision (please refer to the summary of the opinion of 10/05/2012). A parallel decision, 2012/585/EU, adopted on the same day, approves the closure of this Agency's accounts for the 2010 financial year. docs: title: Decision 2012/584 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32012D0584 title: OJ L 286 17.10.2012, p. 0229 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2012:286:TOC
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
procedure/Modified legal basis
Old
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
New
Rules of Procedure EP 150
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
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CONT/7/07254
New
  • CONT/7/07254
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http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32012D0584
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https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32012D0584
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  • 8.70.03.05 2010 discharge
New
8.70.03.07
Previous discharges
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MACOVEI Monica Luisa
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MACOVEI Monica
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MACOVEI Monica Luisa
New
MACOVEI Monica
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committees/0/rapporteur/0/name
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MACOVEI Monica Luisa
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MACOVEI Monica
activities
  • date: 2011-07-26T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2011/0473/COM_COM(2011)0473_EN.pdf title: COM(2011)0473 type: Non-legislative basic document published celexid: CELEX:52011DC0473:EN body: EC type: Non-legislative basic document published commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget Commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
  • date: 2011-10-12T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: HERCZOG Edit group: ALDE name: GERBRANDY Gerben-Jan group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta group: NI name: EHRENHAUSER Martin responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2011-03-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: PPE name: MACOVEI Monica Luisa body: EP responsible: False committee: TRAN date: 2011-10-11T00:00:00 committee_full: Transport and Tourism rapporteur: group: S&D name: FLECKENSTEIN Knut
  • date: 2012-03-27T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: HERCZOG Edit group: ALDE name: GERBRANDY Gerben-Jan group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta group: NI name: EHRENHAUSER Martin responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2011-03-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: PPE name: MACOVEI Monica Luisa body: EP responsible: False committee: TRAN date: 2011-10-11T00:00:00 committee_full: Transport and Tourism rapporteur: group: S&D name: FLECKENSTEIN Knut
  • date: 2012-04-04T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2012-118&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A7-0118/2012 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2012-05-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=21455&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20120510&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2012-179 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0179/2012 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2012-10-17T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal docs: url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32012D0584 title: Decision 2012/584 url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2012:286:TOC title: OJ L 286 17.10.2012, p. 0229
committees
  • body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: HERCZOG Edit group: ALDE name: GERBRANDY Gerben-Jan group: Verts/ALE name: STAES Bart group: ECR name: CZARNECKI Ryszard group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: ANDREASEN Marta group: NI name: EHRENHAUSER Martin responsible: True committee: CONT date: 2011-03-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Budgetary Control rapporteur: group: PPE name: MACOVEI Monica Luisa
  • body: EP responsible: False committee: TRAN date: 2011-10-11T00:00:00 committee_full: Transport and Tourism rapporteur: group: S&D name: FLECKENSTEIN Knut
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/ title: Budget commissioner: ŠEMETA Algirdas
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
CONT/7/07254
reference
2011/2229(DEC)
title
2010 discharge: European Railway Agency (ERA)
stage_reached
Procedure completed
Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
type
DEC - Discharge procedure
final
subject
8.70.03.05 2010 discharge