Activites

• 2015/04/29 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T8-0153/2015 summary

    The European Parliament adopted by 558 votes to 132, with 2 abstentions, a decision to grant discharge to the Director of the European Training Foundation (ETF) for the financial year 2013. The vote on the discharge decision approved the closure of the accounts (in accordance with Annex VI, Article 5(1) of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament). Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Foundation for the financial year 2013 are reliable, and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 567 votes to 108, with 5 abstentions, a resolution containing a number of recommendations that form an integral part of the discharge decision and as well as the general recommendations that appear in the resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies: Foundation’s financial statements: Parliament noted that the final budget of the Foundation for the financial year 2013 was EUR 20 143 500, representing a decrease of 0.01% compared to 2012. The entire budget of the Foundation derives from the Union budget. Carryovers: Parliament noted that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2013 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99.78%, and that the payment appropriations execution rate was 95.72%. It noted from the Court's report that at the end of 2013, the Foundation had EUR 7 500 000 in accounts at a single bank with a low credit rating. However, it noted the Foundation's intention to participate in a joint procurement procedure for banking services launched by the Commission. Parliament also made a series of observations on the prevention and management of conflicts of interests, recruitment, procurement procedures and internal audits. With regard to performance, Parliament acknowledged from the Foundation that the general public was a key target of its communication activities. It observed that the first level of information on the Foundation's website was aimed at interested citizens and contained general information, concrete activities and results. The Foundation also used other channels of communication such as social media. It appreciated the progress made in the development of evidence-based European vocational education and training reform through the Torino Process and other specific policy analyses which were taken over by partner countries, leading to national policy developments which help to guarantee future sustainability. Lastly, Parliament welcomed the fact that an agreement on the Foundation's premises was concluded with the authorities of the Piedmont region, in Italy, which ensured the continuation of the Foundation's activities for the 2013-2015 period.

• 2015/04/28 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2015/03/30 Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • A8-0090/2015 summary

    The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted the report by Ryszard CZARNECKI (ECR, PL) on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation (ETF) for the financial year 2013. The committee recommended that the European Parliament grant the Director of the Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2013. Noting that the Court of Auditors stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the annual accounts of the Foundation for the financial year 2013 are reliable, and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Members called on the Parliament to approve the closure of the Foundation’s accounts. They made, however, a number of recommendations that needed 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. Foundation’s financial statements: Members noted that the final budget of the Foundation for the financial year 2013 was EUR 20 143 500, representing a decrease of 0.01 % compared to 2012. The entire budget of the Foundation derives from the Union budget. Carryovers: Members noted that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2013 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 99.78%, and that the payment appropriations execution rate was 95.72%. They noted from the Court's report that at the end of 2013, the Foundation had EUR 7 500 000 in accounts at a single bank with a low credit rating. However, they noted the Foundation's intention to participate in a joint procurement procedure for banking services launched by the Commission. Members also made a series of observations on the prevention and management of conflicts of interests, recruitment, procurement procedures and internal audits. With regard to performance, the committee acknowledged from the Foundation that the general public was a key target of its communication activities. It observed that the first level of information on the Foundation's website was aimed at interested citizens and contained general information, concrete activities and results. The Foundation also used other channels of communication such as social media. Lastly, Members welcomed the fact that an agreement on the Foundation's premises was concluded with the authorities of the Piedmont region, in Italy, which ensured the continuation of the Foundation's activities for the 2013-2015 period.

• 2015/03/23 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
• 2014/10/20 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2014/07/30 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(2014)0510 summary

    PURPOSE: presentation by the Commission of the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2013, as part of the 2013 discharge procedure. Analysis of the accounts of the European Training Foundation (ETF). CONTENT: this Commission document sets out the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2013 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 Training Foundation (ETF). The document contains the figures on which the discharge procedure is based. Discharge procedure of the EU agencies: the EU Budget finances a wide range of policies and programmes throughout the EU. In accordance with the priorities set by the European Parliament and the Council in the multi-annual financial framework (MFF), the European Commission carries out specific programmes, activities and projects in the field with the technical support of some specialised agencies. The consolidated annual accounts of the EU provide information on the activities of the institutions, agencies and other bodies of the EU from a budgetary and accrual accounting perspective. The consolidated reports on the implementation of the general budget of the EU include the budget implementation of all Institutions. Agencies do not have a separate budget inside the EU budget; and they are partially financed by a Commission budget subsidy. Each agency is subject to its own discharge procedure. ETF: in 2013, the tasks and budget of this agency were as follows: description of the Foundation's tasks: the European Training Foundation, which is located in Turin, was created by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1360/90. Its objective is to contribute to improving human capital development in the following countries: the countries eligible for support under Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 and Regulation No 1638/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council and subsequent related legal acts. The ETF aims particularly to: (i) provide information, policy analyses and advice on human capital development issues in the partner countries; (ii) promote knowledge and analysis of skills needs in national and local labour markets. the Foundation's budget for the financial year 2013: the Foundation’s budget for 2013, as presented in the Commission document on the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union, gives the following figures: §         Commitment appropriations: -  committed : EUR 22 million; -   paid : EUR 22 million; -   carried over : 0. §         Payment appropriations: -  committed : EUR 23 million; -   paid : EUR 21 million; -   carried over : EUR 2 million. Also see the final accounts of the Foundation.

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

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2014)0510
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A8-0090/2015
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T8-0153/2015

Amendments

Dossier

8

2014/2104(DEC) 2014/12/10 EMPL 2 amendments... Amendment 1 # Claude ROLIN Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Takes note of the Foundation’s reply concerning the high bank balance at the end of 2013; emphasises that, in investing its assets, the Foundation must use a number of banks – a particularly important consideration given that it has currently placed them with a single bank which has a low credit rating (BBB); Amendment 2 # Marian HARKIN Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Appreciates the progress made in the development of evidence based VET reform through the Torino Process and other specific policy analysis which has achieved ownership in the Partner countries leading to national policy developments andwhich helps to guarantee future sustainability. source: 544.285 2015/03/06 CONT 6 amendments... Amendment 1 # Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ Proposal for a decision 1 Paragraph 1 1. Grants the Director of the European Training Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2013 / Postpones its decision on granting the European Training Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation's budget for the financial year 2013; Amendment 2 # Richard ASHWORTH, Beata GOSIEWSKA, Richard SULÍK Proposal for a decision 1 Paragraph 1 1. Grants the Director of the European Training Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2013 / Postpones its decision on granting the European Training Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation's budget for the financial year 2013; Amendment 3 # Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ Proposal for a decision 2 Paragraph 2 2. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2013 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2013; Amendment 4 # Richard ASHWORTH, Beata GOSIEWSKA, Richard SULÍK Proposal for a decision 2 Paragraph 2 2. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2013 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2013; Amendment 5 # Zigmantas BALČYTIS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. AWelcomes the fact that an agreement on the Foundation's premises was concluded with the regional authorities in 2013, which ensures the continuation of the Foundation's activities for the 2013- 2015 period; acknowledges from the Foundation that negotiations were opened with the new government of the Piedmont region in Italy, where the Foundation’s seat is established, concerning the renewal of the service contract for its premises from 2015; Amendment 6 # Petri SARVAMAA Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Takes note from the Court's report that at the end of 2013, the Foundation had EUR 7 500 000 in accounts at a single bank with a low credit rating (F3, BBB); acknowledges from the Foundation that the high bank balance at the year-end occurred as a result of the first instalment of the 2014 subvention being paid in advance, as well as funds received for the new GEMM and FRAME projects; notes the Foundation's intention to participate in a joint procurement procedure for banking services launched by the Commission; calls on the Foundation to assess whether a review of its treasury policy is needed, and to report to the discharge authority on the results of this procurement procedure; source: 539.779

History

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