Activites

• 2013/04/17 Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
  • T7-0151/2013 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a decision on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2011. The vote on the decision to grant discharge covers the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex VI, Article 5(1) of the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure). Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Centre for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted 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 draft resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies: Financing, budget and financial management: Parliament recalls that the overall budget of the Centre for the year 2011 was of 16.274 million, which represents an increase of 2.35%. They note that the contribution of the Union to the Centre's budget for 2011 was EUR 15.4 million. Implementation rate of appropriations: it acknowledges that the financial and budget management demonstrated by the Centre led to a budget execution of almost 100% in commitments and payments. Members are concerned that a significant number of appropriations carried over to 2012 were not related to existing legal commitments and should have been de-committed and paid back to the Commission by the end of 2011. Location: Parliament acknowledges from the Court of Auditors' report that the Centre currently bears the annual cost of about EUR 275 000 for unused office space in its former building and in the new headquarters. It calls on the Centre to continue, in cooperation with the Commission and national authorities, to seek adequate solutions for the unused office space and to keep the discharge authority informed. Lastly, Parliament made a series of observations as regards its performances, accounting and audit systems as well as the recruitment procedures of this Agency.

• 2013/04/16 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2013/03/21 Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • A7-0071/2013 summary

    The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ADLE, NL) on discharge to be granted to the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2011. Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Centre for the financial year 2011 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members approve the closure of the Centre’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: Financing, budget and financial management: Members recall that the overall budget of the Centre for the year 2011 was of 16.274 million, which represents an increase of 2.35%. They note that the contribution of the Union to the Centre's budget for 2011 was EUR 15.4 million. Implementation rate of appropriations: Members acknowledge that the financial and budget management demonstrated by the Centre led to a budget execution of almost 100% in commitments and payments. Members are concerned that a significant number of appropriations carried over to 2012 were not related to existing legal commitments and should have been de-committed and paid back to the Commission by the end of 2011. Lastly, Members made a series of observations as regards its performances, the location, accounting and audit systems as well as the recruitment procedures of this Agency.

• 2013/03/19 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
• 2013/02/27 Amendments tabled in committee
  • PE497.880
• 2013/02/01 Document attached to the procedure
  • 05753/2013 summary

    Having examined the revenue and expenditure accounts for the financial year 2011 and the balance sheet at 31 December 2011 of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, as well as the Court of Auditors' report on the annual accounts of the Centre for the financial year 2011, accompanied by the Centre's replies to the Court's observations, the Council recommends the European Parliament to give a discharge to the Director of the Centre in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2011. The observations in the Court of Auditors' report in relation to the financial year 2011 call for some comments by the Council, which may be summarised as follows: the Council welcomes the Court's opinion that, in all material respects, the Centre's annual accounts present fairly its financial position as at 31 December 2011 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the provisions of the Centre's Financial Regulation, and that the underlying transactions for that financial year are legal and regular; nevertheless, it urges the Centre to improve its internal budgetary procedures in order to ensure the adequate decommitment of appropriations not related to any existing legal obligation; the Council is also concerned about the unused office space both in the Centre's former building and in its new headquarters. It encourages the Centre to address this issue in cooperation with the Commission and National Authorities; regarding the Centre's supervisory and control systems, the Council regrets that neither a treasury policy nor a comprehensive policy on exceptions have been adopted; lastly, the Council encourages the Centre to pursue its efforts to address the shortcomings detected by the Court in its procurement and recruitment procedures.

• 2013/01/28 Committee draft report
  • PE497.832
• 2012/09/18 Court of Auditors: opinion, report
  • OJ C 388 15.12.2012, p. 0123
  • N7-0023/2013 summary

    PURPOSE: presentation of the EU Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2011, together with the Centre’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 Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). In the Court’s opinion, the Centre’s Annual Accounts fairly present, in all material respects, its financial position as of 31 December 2011 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 Centre for the financial year ended 31 December 2011 are, in all material respects, legal and regular. The report confirms that the Centre’s 2011 budget amounted to EUR 16.27 million and that the  number of staff employed by the Centre at the end of the year was 104. The report also makes a series of observations on the budgetary and financial management of the Centre, accompanied by the latter’s response. The main observations may be summarised as follows: Court’s observations: carry-overs: the Court identified 51 cases with a total value of EUR 90 053 in which appropriations carried over to 2012 were not related to existing legal committments and should have been decommitted and paid back to the Commission; building policy: the Centre currently bears the annual cost of about EUR 275 000 for unused office space in its former building and in the new Headquarters. The Centre should continue, in cooperation with the European Commission and National Authorities, to seek adequate solutions for the unused office space; recruitment: the Court considers that there is room to further improve the recruitment procedures. Centre’s replies: the EMCDDA will review its internal process to ensure that, as soon and as much as is possible, outstanding commitments which do not relate to legal obligations are decommitted before the end of the year, on the basis of the information available and foreseeable at that time; it is pursuing and increasing its efforts in this field, in line with the Court’s observation and recommendation. For this purpose specific initiatives have been taken with both the European Commission and the relevant National Authorities; further to the Court’s recommendation the EMCDDA will assess the possibility of an earlier definition of the questions for oral and written tests, by evaluating the possible risks, costs and benefits of such a measure. Lastly, the Court of Auditors’ report contains a summary of the Centre’s activities in 2011. This is focused on the following: running a computerised network for the collection and exchange of information called the ‘European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction’ (Reitox); various publications (e.g. annual report on the state of the drug problem in Europe; publication on selected issues; statistical bulletin and interactive website); setting-up/updating/content development of public EMCDDA website; publication of promotional brochures, media products, press releases and fact sheets; taking part in international conferences and organising scientific and technical meetings.

• 2012/09/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2012/07/25 Non-legislative basic document
  • COM(2012)0436 summary

    PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2011 as part of the 2011 discharge procedure. Analysis of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). CONTENT: this Commission document sets out the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2011 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 Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). In 2011, the tasks and budget of this agency were as follows: description of the Centre's tasks: the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, which is located in Lisbon, was established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 302/93 and its main task is to collect data on drugs and drug addiction in order to prepare and publish information at European level that is objective, reliable and comparable. The data will allow the analysis of the demand for drugs and the means of reducing it as well, in a general manner, the phenomena associated with the drug market; the Centre's budget for the financial year 2011: the Centre’s budget for 2011, as presented in the Commission document on the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union, gives the following figures: §         forecasted income budget: EUR 16 million; §         entitlements established: EUR 16 million; §         amounts received: EUR 16 million; §         outstanding: EUR 0 million. The complete version of EMCDDA's final accounts may be found at the following address: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/searchresults?action=list&type=PUBLICATIONS&SERIES_PUB=w219

  • DG {'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/budget/', 'title': 'Budget'}, ŠEMETA Algirdas

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2012)0436
• Court of Auditors: opinion, report: OJ C 388 15.12.2012, p. 0123
• Court of Auditors: opinion, report: N7-0023/2013
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T7-0151/2013
• Document attached to the procedure: 05753/2013
• Committee draft report: PE497.832
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A7-0071/2013
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Amendments tabled in committee: PE497.880

Amendments

Dossier

27

2012/2186(DEC) 2013/01/23 LIBE 14 amendments... Amendment 1 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Takes note that EMCDDA's budget amounted EUR 16 270 000 for the financial year 2011 with an Union subsidy amounting EUR 15 349 118; notes further that in 2011 the Centre committed respectively 99,83% and 97,18% of the appropriations received under Title 1 (Staff) and 2 (Administrative) and under Title 3 (Operations); observes that in terms of paid appropriations the Centre's execution rate stands at 99,86% under Title 1&2 and at 97,58% under Title 3; Amendment 10 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4 c. Notes that in 2011, the Internal Audit Service (IAS) performed an audit on 'Annual activity report and building blocks of assurance' and recommended to (i) include the Management Board's analysis and an assessment of the Authorising Officer's Annual Report in future annual activity reports, (ii) improve the accuracy of future declarations signed by the Authorising Officer, and (iii) include an assessment of effectiveness of the Centre's internal control system in future annual activity reports; calls on the Centre to inform the discharge authority on the measures undertaken to implement the IAS 2011 recommendations and those from prior IAS audits which remain open; Amendment 11 # Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Generally considers that there should beinvites the European Court of Auditors to further focus on auditing the Centre's sound financial management of the Centre, namely the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the Centre has used its appropriations in carrying out its responsibilities. Amendment 12 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5 a. Acknowledges that the third external evaluation of the Centre was launched by the European Commission in 2011 in accordance with Article 23 of EMCCDA's recast Regulation and was due to completion in 2012; calls on the Centre to inform the discharge authority on the conclusions and recommendations of the aforementioned external evaluation; Amendment 13 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5 b. Welcomes the mandate given in 2011 by the Management Board to the Director of the Centre in order to negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise cooperation between the Centre and the Republic of Moldova; Amendment 14 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 5 c (new) 5 c. Takes note of the action plan adopted and the initiatives undertaken to further develop the functioning, management and visibility of the Reitox network; notes in particular the development of the Reitox Focus Group Initiative and the Reitox Week; believes that this new strategy will enhance the Centre's efficiency in performing its responsibilities; Amendment 2 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Regrets that contrary to last year's report,Observes that the Court of Auditors made several critical comments covering a number of different issues; Amendment 3 # Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU, Salvatore IACOLINO Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. RegretObserves that contrary to last year's report, the Court of Auditors made severalome critical comments covering a number of different issues; Amendment 4 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Takes note of the comments made by the Court of Auditors regarding the costs of about EUR 275 000 for unused office space born by the Centre; takes note of the Centre's reply that it ‘"is pursuing and increasing its efforts in this field’;"; requests a more precise answer and concrete information; also requests that this matter be solved with urgency; Amendment 5 # Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Takes note of the comments made by the Court of Auditors regarding the costs of about EUR 275 000 for unused office space born by the Centre; takes note of the Centre's reply that it ‘is pursuing and increasing its efforts in this field’; requests to be thoroughly updated on further developments on the issue; requests that this matter be solved with urgency; Amendment 6 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Takes note of further comments made by the Court of Auditors regarding the decommittment of outstanding commitments which doIs concerned that the Court of Auditors identified 51 cases in which appropriations carried over to 2012 were not related to legal obligations, the lack of treasury policy and the lack of policy on exceptions, as well as the shortcomings regarding recruitment procedures and procurement files; welcomes the Centre's replies announcing action on all these matters; requests the Centre to take all remedial measures as announced without delayexisting legal commitments; notes that these cases represent a total value of EUR 90 053 which should have been decommitted and paid back to the Commission by the end of 2011; notes further that the Centre launched the decommittment process too late and that the funds will be blocked one year before been decommitted and paid back to the Commission; calls on the Centre to improve its planning in order to avoid such situations in the future; Amendment 7 # Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU, Salvatore IACOLINO Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Takes note of further comments made by the Court of Auditors regarding the decommittment of outstanding commitments which do not relate to legal obligations, the lack of treasury policy and the lack of policy on exceptions, as well as the shortcomingsexistence of further room for improvement regarding recruitment procedures and procurement files; welcomes the Centre's replies announcing action on all these matters; requests the Centre to take all remedial measures as announced without delay; Amendment 8 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Is concerned by the lack of treasury policy and the lack of policy on exceptions, as well as the shortcomings regarding recruitment procedures and procurement files; notes the Centre's replies announcing action on all these matters; requests the Centre to take all remedial measures as announced without delay; Amendment 9 # Monica MACOVEI Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Notes that an assessment of the procurement and contracting processes was carried out in 2011; takes note of the Centre's statement that it developed actions based on the results of the assessment, namely on (i) the rationalisation of the tendering procedures and the reduction of negotiated procedures, (ii) the implementation of specific measures to ensure the proper execution of contracts and (iii) the conduction of tendering processes earlier than in 2010; source: PE-504.052 2013/02/27 CONT 13 amendments... Amendment 1 # Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY Proposal for a decision 1 Paragraph 1 1. ...Grants the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre's budget for the financial year 2011; Amendment 10 # Monica MACOVEI Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Establishes fromIs concerned by the Court of Auditors' reportfinding that the Centre has not yet adopted and implemented a treasury policy to minimise and spread financial risk while aiming at adequate returns; calls on the Centrenotes the Centre's replies announcing action on all those matters; calls on the Centre to take all remedial measures as announced without delay and to inform the discharge authority of the actions taken to address that deficiency; Amendment 11 # Monica MACOVEI Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Takes noteIs concerned that the Centre has not yet adopted a comprehensive policy on exceptions and deviations from established processes and procedures; calls on the Centrenotes the Centre's replies announcing action on all those matters; calls on the Centre to take without delay all remedies as announced and to inform the discharge authority of the actions taken to address that deficiency; Amendment 12 # Maria do Céu PATRÃO NEVES Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Acknowledges from the Court of Auditors' report that the Centre could improve the recruitment procedures, creating a committee for this purpose and appointing an ethics adviser to monitor the whole process; calls on the Centre to inform the discharge authority of the taken actions to improve the recruitment procedures; considers that some of the provisions of the Staff Regulations may present a considerable administrative burden; therefore encourages the Commission to allow for a certain degree of simplification under Article 110 of the Staff Regulations in regard to the agencies; Amendment 13 # Monica MACOVEI Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Acknowledges that in 2011, the IAS performed a compliance audit on ‘"Annual Activity Report and building blocks of assurance’"; notes that based on the results of the abovementioned audit, the IAS raised eight recommendations, two of which rated as ‘"very important ’" and six as ‘"important’"; calls on the Centre to implement the 2011 IAS recommendations together with those from prior IAS audits which remain open and to keep the discharge authority informed; Amendment 2 # Inés AYALA SENDER Proposal for a decision 1 Paragraph 1 1. ...Grants the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre's budget for the financial year 2011; Amendment 3 # Ryszard CZARNECKI Proposal for a decision 1 Paragraph 1 1. ...Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre's budget for the financial year 2011; Amendment 4 # Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY Proposal for a decision 2 Paragraph 1 1. ...Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2011; Amendment 5 # Inés AYALA SENDER Proposal for a decision 2 Paragraph 1 1. ...Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2011; Amendment 6 # Ryszard CZARNECKI Proposal for a decision 2 Paragraph 1 1. ...Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2011; Amendment 7 # Monica MACOVEI Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Establishes from the AAR that an assessment of the procurement and contracting processes was carried out in 2011; takes note of the Centre's statement that it developed actions based on the results of the assessment, namely on (i) the rationalisation of the tendering procedures and the reduction of negotiated procedures, (ii) the implementation of specific measures to ensure the proper execution of contracts and (iii) the conduction of tendering processes earlier than in 2010; Amendment 8 # Monica MACOVEI Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Acknowledges that the third external evaluation of the Centre was launched by the Commission in 2011 in accordance with Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 and was due to completion in 2012; calls on the Centre to inform the discharge authority on the measures implemented in light of the recommendations made by the abovementioned external evaluation; Amendment 9 # Monica MACOVEI Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Takes noteIs concerned that the Court of Auditors identified 51 cases, with a total value of EUR 90 053, in which appropriations carried over to 2012 were not related to existing legal commitments and should have been de-committed and paid back to the Commission by the end of 2011; however, the Centre initiated the process too late and as a consequence, due to restrictions imposed by the IT system, the funds will be blocked for one year and will only be de-committed and paid back at the end of 2012; calls on the Centre to improve its planning in order to avoid such situations in the future; source: PE-497.880

History

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