2020/2152(DEC) 2019 discharge: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
Lead committee dossier:
Progress: Procedure completed
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | CONT |
BRUDZIŃSKI Joachim Stanisław ( ECR)
|
ZDECHOVSKÝ Tomáš ( EPP),
RÓNAI Sándor ( S&D),
STRUGARIU Ramona ( Renew),
EICKHOUT Bas ( Verts/ALE),
OMARJEE Younous ( GUE/NGL)
|
| Committee Opinion | LIBE |
CHINNICI Caterina ( S&D)
|
Clare DALY ( GUE/NGL),
Peter KOFOD ( ID)
|
Lead committee dossier:
Subjects
Events
2021/09/24
Final act published in Official Journal
2021/04/28
EP - Decision by Parliament
Details
The European Parliament decided by 563 votes to 85, with 50 abstentions, to grant discharge to the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) for the financial year 2019 and to approve the closure of the accounts for the financial year in question.
Noting that the Court of Auditors has stated that it has obtained reasonable assurances that the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2019 are reliable and that the underlying transactions are legal and regular, Parliament adopted by 557 votes to 92 with 42 abstentions, a resolution containing a series of recommendations, which form an integral part of the decision on discharge and which add to the general recommendations set out in the resolution on performance, financial management and control of EU agencies:
Agency’s financial statements
The final budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2018 was EUR 22 871 576.30, representing a slight decrease of 0.39 % compared to 2018.
Budget and financial management
Budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2019 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 100 %, the same rate as in 2018. The payment appropriations execution rate was low at 78.20 %, representing an increase of 2.51 % compared to 2018.
Parliament noted that according to the Court’s report, carry-overs of committed appropriations were high for operating expenditure, mainly due to the nature of the activities which include financing studies that span several months and often beyond year-end. The Agency has introduced planning procedures to monitor the inevitable delays between the signing of contracts, deliveries and payments. Budget planning and its implementation cycle should be improved according to Parliament.
Other observati ons
Parliament made a series of observations regarding performance, conflicts of interest and internal controls.
In particular, it noted that:
- the performance measurement system and Key Performance Indicators should regularly review and updated with a view to improving its strategy and activity planning;
- the Agency should increase cooperation and exchanges of good practices with other EU agencies with a view to improving efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
- the Agency should be able to offer opinions on legislative proposals on its own initiative and to all areas of rights protected under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, including issues of judicial and police cooperation in criminal matters;
- on 31 December 2019, the establishment plan was 98.61 % implemented, with 71 temporary agents appointed out of 72 temporary agents authorised under the EU budget (compared to 72 authorised posts in 2018);
- gender balance was achieved among senior managers (3 men and 3 women) and staff in general (50 % male and 50 % female);
- a code of good administrative behaviour has been put in place for its staff as well as a practical guide on the management and prevention of conflicts of interest. Compulsory training is also provided on anti-harassment, ethics and integrity.
Documents
2021/04/27
EP - Debate in Parliament
Documents
2021/03/30
EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
Documents
2021/03/30
EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Documents
2021/03/22
EP - Vote in committee
2021/03/04
EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2021/02/25
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2021/02/05
CSL - Supplementary non-legislative basic document
Documents
2021/01/12
EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2020/10/01
EP - CHINNICI Caterina (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in LIBE
2020/09/15
EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2020/09/08
EP - BRUDZIŃSKI Joachim Stanisław (ECR) appointed as rapporteur in CONT
2020/06/29
EC - Non-legislative basic document
Documents
2020/06/28
EC - Non-legislative basic document published
Documents
Documents
- Decision by Parliament: T9-0176/2021
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A9-0086/2021
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A9-0086/2021
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE680.800
- Committee opinion: PE661.916
- Supplementary non-legislative basic document: 05793/2021
- Committee draft report: PE657.213
- Non-legislative basic document: COM(2020)0288
- Non-legislative basic document: EUR-Lex
- Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2020)0288
- Non-legislative basic document published: EUR-Lex
- Non-legislative basic document: COM(2020)0288 EUR-Lex
- Committee draft report: PE657.213
- Supplementary non-legislative basic document: 05793/2021
- Committee opinion: PE661.916
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE680.800
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A9-0086/2021
Votes
Décharge 2019 : Agence des droits fondamentaux de l'Union européenne - 2019 discharge: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights - Entlastung 2019: Agentur der Europäischen Union für Grundrechte - A9-0086/2021 - Joachim Stanisław Brudziński - Propositions de décision #
2021/04/27 Outcome: +: 563, -: 85, 0: 50
PPE
The Left
NIDécharge 2019 : Agence des droits fondamentaux de l'Union européenne - 2019 discharge: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights - Entlastung 2019: Agentur der Europäischen Union für Grundrechte - A9-0086/2021 - Joachim Stanisław Brudziński - Am 1/1 #
2021/04/28 Outcome: +: 598, 0: 57, -: 39
A9-0086/2021 - Joachim Stanisław Brudziński - Am 1/2 #
2021/04/28 Outcome: -: 420, +: 225, 0: 49
Décharge 2019 : Agence des droits fondamentaux de l'Union européenne - 2019 discharge: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights - Entlastung 2019: Agentur der Europäischen Union für Grundrechte - A9-0086/2021 - Joachim Stanisław Brudziński - Proposition de résolution #
2021/04/29 Outcome: +: 557, -: 92, 0: 42
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 23 |
2020/2152(DEC)
2021/01/19
LIBE
23 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets that the levels of commitment carry-overs for operational expenditure once again remained high at 60 %, which is a lower percentage than in 2018, but still indicates a structural problem; recalls
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets that the levels of commitment carry-overs for operational expenditure once again remained high at 60 %
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Welcomes that the Agency has attained 100% of the budgetary execution for committed appropriations and that it has surpassed its outturn target with a result of 99.43%;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the progress made by the Agency in relation to the recommendations of the Court on the introduction of e- tendering; calls on the FRA to
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Welcomes the launch of the European Union Fundamental Rights Information System (EFRIS) for the more systematic use of assessments of the Union’s and Member States’ international human rights obligations, also following the encouragement of the Parliament to develop such a tool;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Stresses the efforts to consolidate the Agency's new organisational structure; welcomes this reorganisation and the achievement of the objective of gender balance in management positions, as set by the Parliament;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Welcomes the fact that the Court's observation regarding the difficulties encountered by the Agency in procuring studies, due to unrealistic market estimation, has been acted upon and completed;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the role of the Fundamental Rights Agency (‘FRA’ or ‘the Agency’) in helping to ensure that the fundamental rights of people living in the Union are protected; recalls the importance of the Agency in promoting the reflection on the appropriate balance between security and fundamental rights; highlights, in particular, the value of the Agency’s studies and opinions for the development of Union legislation and its commitment to research and reporting all types of discrimination within the Union;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Acknowledges the complex nature of the studies carried out by the Agency, covering the law and practice of all Member States; highlights in particular the commitment of the Agency to the protection of vulnerable groups and on all types of discrimination within the Union; welcomes that the Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights1a clarifies that the scope of the Agency's activities covers the competences of the Union and therefore includes the thematic areas of police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. _________________ 1a COM(2020) 225 final
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Calls on the Agency to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other European agencies with a view to improving efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Notes the implementation of the Agency’s Anti-Fraud Strategy throughout 2019 with a special focus on the provisions of FRA guidelines on whistleblowing; encourages the Agency to continue its work in this regard.
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4 c. Underlines the important effect of turnover within the staff of the agencies of the European Union; calls for the implementation of human and social policies to remedy it.
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the role of the Fundamental Rights Agency (‘FRA’ or ‘the Agency’) in helping to ensure that the fundamental rights of people living in the Union are promoted and protected; recalls the importance of the Agency in promoting
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the important role of the Fundamental Rights Agency (‘FRA’ or ‘the Agency’) in helping to ensure that the fundamental rights of people living in the Union are protected; recalls the importance of the Agency in promoting the reflection
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the fact that the Court of Auditors (‘the Court’) has declared the transactions underlying the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year 2019 to be legal and regular in all material respects and that its financial position on 31 December 2019 is fairly presented; deplores the fact that the budget of the Agency of EUR 30 million decreased in 2019 to EUR 29 million and notes the slight staff increase from 110 to 114 in 2019; acknowledges the complex nature of the studies undertaken by the Agency, covering the law and practice of 27 Member States and the high number of publications produced and trainings delivered to ensure fundamental rights compliance that also contribute and feed into the work of different Union bodies and agencies; recommends to provide sufficient financial resources for a better performance of the duties entrusted to the FRA; welcomes the pro-active approach of the Agency towards the Parliament and considers that the Agency should be able to offer opinions on legislative proposals on its own initiative and to all areas of rights protected under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, including issues of judicial and police cooperation in criminal matters;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the fact that the Court of Auditors (‘the Court’) has declared the transactions underlying the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year 2019 to be legal and regular in all material respects and that its financial position on 31 December 2019 is fairly presented; deplores the fact that the budget of the Agency
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the fact that the Court of Auditors (‘the Court’) has declared the transactions underlying the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year 2019 to be legal and regular in all material respects and that its financial position on 31 December 2019 is fairly presented;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets that the levels of commitment carry-overs for operational expenditure once again remained high at 60 %, which is a lower percentage than in 2018, but still indicates a structural problem; calls on the Agency to further improve its financial planning and its implementation cycles; welcomes that the Agency has in the meantime implemented a new project management tool to better sustain the high amount of data and that this is expected to enable the Agency to better estimate its carry-overs to meet its stated Key Performance Indicators; recommends a re-evaluation of the situation until the percentage of carry- overs is reduced to an acceptable level;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets that the levels of commitment carry-overs for operational expenditure once again remained high at 60 %, which is a lower percentage than in 2018, but still indicates a structural problem; acknowledges that these carry- overs mainly reflect the nature of the agency’s core activities that include the financing of studies and other activities that span several months and eventually beyond year-end; welcomes that, since 2018, the Agency has aimed at improving the planning procedures to better monitor delays between the signature of contracts, deliveries and payments, and calls on the Agency to further improve its financial planning and its implementation cycles;
source: 663.239
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