PURPOSE: to grant discharge to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in respect of the implementation of the Institute's budget for the financial year 2010.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2012/576/EU of the European Parliament on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute for Gender Equality 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 Director of the EIGE 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, 2012/577/EU, adopted on the same day, approves the closure of the Institute’s accounts for the 2010 financial year.

The European Parliament adopted by 501 votes to 91, with 35 abstentions, a decision concerning the discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in respect of the implementation of the Institute'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, Parliament adopted by 528 votes to 81, with 23 abstentions, a resolution containing a number of general 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 : Parliament believes that a merger of the Institute and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights should be considered in order to avoid duplication and reduce overhead costs. It observes that within the limited period between six months after adoption of the Annual Work Programme 2010 and gaining administrative and financial independence, the Institute had a budget execution rate of 65% in terms of committed appropriations and 26 % in terms of paid appropriations. Parliament invites the Institute to take immediate steps to ensure a satisfactory budget execution rate in the future; Human resources : Parliament takes note that the Institute recruited 23 Temporary Agents and 6 Contract Agents, and reached 92.3 % of its Establishment Plan target. It underlines the need to fill all vacancies that are necessary for the effective functioning of the Institute and the fulfilment of its stated goals; Performance : Parliament reminds the Court of Auditors that the work of the Institute is of utmost importance for the promotion of gender equality in the Union. It notes, therefore, that future reports should reveal in detail whether the Institute's activity is hindered by difficulties at any stage of the budgetary procedure. It also points out that, at a time of economic crisis and austerity, it is vital that the Institute offers best value for money without jeopardising the successful fulfilment of its important remit; Geographical location : Parliament notes that on 1 March 2010 the Institute's staff was relocated from its temporary premises in Brussels to its permanent seat in Vilnius, Lithuania; Internal audit : Parliament notes that the first Internal Audit Service audit will be performed during 2012.

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Monica Luisa MACOVEI (EPP, RO) on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute for Gender Equality and called on the European Parliament to grant the Director of the Institute discharge in respect of the implementation of the Institute'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 Agency’s accounts. 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 believe that a merger of the Institute and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights should be considered in order to avoid duplication and reduce overhead costs. They observe that within the limited period between six months after adoption of the Annual Work Programme 2010 and gaining administrative and financial independence, the Institute had a budget execution rate of 65 % in terms of committed appropriations and 26 % in terms of paid appropriations. They invite the Institute to take immediate steps to ensure a satisfactory budget execution rate in the future; Human resources : the committee takes note that the Institute recruited 23 Temporary Agents and 6 Contract Agents, and reached 92.3 % of its Establishment Plan target. It underlines the need to fill all vacancies that are necessary for the effective functioning of the Institute and the fulfilment of its stated goals. Performance : Members remind the Court of Auditors that the work of the Institute is of utmost importance for the promotion of gender equality in the Union. They note, therefore, that future reports should reveal in detail whether the Institute's activity is hindered by difficulties at any stage of the budgetary procedure. They also point out that, at a time of economic crisis and austerity, it is vital that the Institute offers best value for money without jeopardising the successful fulfilment of its important remit. With regard to location, Members note that on 1 March 2010 the Institute's staff was relocated from its temporary premises in Brussels to its permanent seat in Vilnius, Lithuania. Internal audit : the committee notes that the first Internal Audit Service audit will be performed during 2012.

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

This recommendation is not accompanied by any further observations.

PURPOSE: presentation of the EU Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Institute for Gender Equality for the financial year 2010, together with the Institute’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 Joint Undertaking for the European Institute for Gender Equality

In the Court’s opinion, the Institute’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 Institute for the financial year ended 31 December 2010 are, in all material respects, legal and regular.

The report confirms that the Institute’s 2010 budget amounted to EUR 6.5 million and that the number of staff employed by the Institute at the end of the year was 29.

It should be noted that the report makes no observations on the budgetary and financial management of the Institute.

Lastly, the Court of Auditors’ report contains a summary of the Institute’s activities in 2010. This is focused on the following:

finalising administrative and financial independence and creating conditions for full functioning of the Institute; focal areas: (i) support for research and policy work, gender mainstreaming; (ii) awareness raising and networking; (iii) studies; (iv) meetings, conferences and events; cooperation with Member States and other institutions.

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 Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) .

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 Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).

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

description of the EIGE’s tasks : the Institute, which is located in Vilnius, was established by Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The Institute’s task is to collect, analyse and disseminate information as regards gender equality, develop, analyse, evaluate and disseminate methodological tools in order to support the integration of gender equality into all Union policies and the resulting national policies. The Institute became fully autonomous in 2010; the EIGE’s budget for the 2010 financial year : the Institute’s 2010 budget amounted to EUR 6.5 million and that the number of staff employed by the Institute at the end of the year was 29.

The complete version of the EIGE’s final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.eige.europa.eu/content/important-documents

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 Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) .

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 Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).

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

description of the EIGE’s tasks : the Institute, which is located in Vilnius, was established by Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The Institute’s task is to collect, analyse and disseminate information as regards gender equality, develop, analyse, evaluate and disseminate methodological tools in order to support the integration of gender equality into all Union policies and the resulting national policies. The Institute became fully autonomous in 2010; the EIGE’s budget for the 2010 financial year : the Institute’s 2010 budget amounted to EUR 6.5 million and that the number of staff employed by the Institute at the end of the year was 29.

The complete version of the EIGE’s final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.eige.europa.eu/content/important-documents