Changes between two versions
What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text
From · plenary report· 26 Mar 2026
on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section X – European External Action Service
To · adopted text· 29 Apr 2026
Discharge 2024: EU general budget - European External Action Service
AI:What changed, in short
Changes the approach to Georgia, limiting contacts with authorities and focusing on civil society.5 Adds a paragraph on Ukraine support with strict controls and anti-fraud measures.6 Adds a paragraph on religious hatred and intolerance, and updates the EPPO investigation details.7810 Deletes a paragraph on the use of Signal chat by the Vice-President/High Representative.11 Other changes are formal: splitting paragraphs, updating titles, and correcting punctuation.1234
6 changes of substance · 6 formal · 0 of wording only
Written by AI from the two texts only · read the changes before relying on it · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Changes to the text itself, in document order. Cover page, citations and punctuation-only edits are left out; they are under “Every difference”.
Changes of substance · 6
Change 5 Substance
AI summary:Replaces the call to maintain engagement with Georgia with a call to limit political contacts with Georgian Dream authorities and strengthen engagement with civil society.
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Removed:25. Calls on the EEAS to maintain, especially considering the current geopolitical situation, its engagement with Georgia in support of democratic reforms and the country’s European perspective;
Added:25. Calls on the EEAS to limit political contacts with the Georgian Dream authorities to matters of strict necessity, while maintaining and strengthening engagement with Georgian civil society, independent media, and academic institutions; stresses the importance of continuing to promote European norms, democratic values and the European path among the Georgian population and political forces committed to democratic principles;
Change 6 Substance
AI summary:Adds a paragraph on Ukraine support with controls and anti-fraud safeguards, and renumbers the following paragraph, also dropping 'green diplomacy'.
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Removed:27. Recalls that is crucial to further strengthen our support for human rights, democracy and development in third countries through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe financial framework; highlights that maintaining specific funding for human rights and democracy, as well as a human rights-based approach and mainstreaming of human rights in our third-country support and partnerships, can serve to strengthen the Union’s standing globally and back up Union values; underlines that resources to the Union’s Digital Diplomacy should be further increased given the current context of rapid technological advancements and geopolitical competition, in particular to counter digital authoritarianism, foreign interference and the misuse of emerging technologies; invites the EEAS to systematically conduct risk assessments on civic-space restrictions in partner and third countries, in order to ensure that Union funding reaches relevant stakeholders; insists that ‘green diplomacy’ and the green transition should be backed by adequate financial and human resources in the EEAS and Union delegations, and be consistently integrated into political dialogues, partnerships and external spending, including in third countries, while ensuring coherence with competitiveness, energy security and economic resilience of partner countries;
Added:27. Reaffirms that the Union's continued political, military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine remains a strategic priority and a moral obligation in the face of Russia's illegal war of aggression; underlines, however, that the unprecedented scale of Union assistance to Ukraine must be accompanied by equally unprecedented controls, traceability and anti-fraud safeguards in order to maintain the long-term political and public support of Union taxpayers; calls on the EEAS, in close cooperation with OLAF, the EPPO and the Court, to ensure full, real-time access to information on the use of all Union funds disbursed in support of Ukraine, and to report annually to the discharge authority on detected irregularities, recoveries and corrective measures;
Added:28. Recalls that is crucial to further strengthen our support for human rights, democracy and development in third countries through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe financial framework; highlights that maintaining specific funding for human rights and democracy, as well as a human rights-based approach and mainstreaming of human rights in our third-country support and partnerships, can serve to strengthen the Union’s standing globally and back up Union values; underlines that resources to the Union’s Digital Diplomacy should be further increased given the current context of rapid technological advancements and geopolitical competition, in particular to counter digital authoritarianism, foreign interference and the misuse of emerging technologies; invites the EEAS to systematically conduct risk assessments on civic-space restrictions in partner and third countries, in order to ensure that Union funding reaches relevant stakeholders; insists that the green transition should be backed by adequate financial and human resources in the EEAS and Union delegations, and be consistently integrated into political dialogues, partnerships and external spending, including in third countries, while ensuring coherence with competitiveness, energy security and economic resilience of partner countries;
Change 7 Substance
AI summary:Moves the paragraph on Hamas documents and religion or belief, splitting them and renumbering.
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Changed:31.32. Expresses deep concerns over the report, on internal suspected Hamas documents, dated between 2018 and 2022, originally found by the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza strip and later declassified and disseminated through NGO Monitor, which allegedly indicate attempts of Hamas’ infiltration and monitoring through so-called ‘guarantors’ of international NGOs including within Union-funded humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip; recalls that, largely in response to the demands of Parliament, verification mechanisms have been further reinforced since 2023, including specific audits, risk analyses and additional external monitoring; stresses that any claim on any misuse of Union taxpayer funds should be carefully verified and urges the Commission to investigate all allegations of any type of undue infiltration and influence within Union-funded humanitarian projects and to suspend or recover Union funding where breaches are confirmed; underlines that any allegation of misuse of Union funds indirectly diverted to terrorist organisations undermines the integrity of Union assistance; warns that in armed conflicts, disinformation and information warfare pursued for strategic purposes are common practices;32. Recalls that millions of people worldwide face discrimination, persecution or violence because of their religion or belief; encourages the Commission and the EEAS, within their respective competences, to continue ensuring balanced policy attention, coordination and transparency in addressing all forms of religious hatred and intolerance, including anti-Christian, anti-Islamism and anti-Semitism hatred, and to keep Parliament regularly informed about relevant measures taken and resources mobilised in this regard;practices;
Change 8 Substance
AI summary:Adds a paragraph on religious hatred and intolerance.
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Added:33. Recalls that millions of people worldwide face discrimination, persecution or violence because of their religion or belief; encourages the Commission and the EEAS, within their respective competences, to continue ensuring balanced policy attention, coordination and transparency in addressing all forms of religious hatred and intolerance, including anti-Christian, anti-Islamism and anti-Semitism hatred, and to keep Parliament regularly informed about relevant measures taken and resources mobilised in this regard;
2 more changes of substance
Change 10 Substance
AI summary:Updates the EPPO investigation paragraph: changes 'three' to 'several' suspects and rephrases descriptions of individuals.
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Changed:65.66. Notes with concern the European Public Prosecutor’s Office’s (EPPO) investigation launched in 2025 into a potential procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest and violation of professional secrecy case, involving strong suspicions of breaches of competition rules in connection with the award by the EEAS to the College of Europe, in the period 2021-2022, of a tender procedure for a nine-month training programme related to the implementation of a pilot project for the creation of the EU Diplomatic Academy; underlines that the creation of the EU Diplomatic Academy represents a strategic step towards strengthening the Union’s diplomatic capacity and developing a genuinely European diplomatic culture; notes that the investigation focuses on whether the College of Europe and/or their representatives were informed in advance about the selection criteria of the tender procedure and had sufficient reason to believe that they would be awarded the implementation of the project, prior to the official publication by the EEAS of the tender notice; further notes that following raids within the EEAS and the College of Europe, the Belgian police detained and then released threeseveral suspects in December 2025, i.e. a former Vice-President/High Representative, currentlyat the time Rector of the College of Europe and Director of the EU Diplomatic Academy, as well as at the currenttime director general of the Commission’s Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf, and a former Secretary-General of the EEAS; notes with concern that the Rector of the College of Europe and Director of the EU Diplomatic Academy resigned in the context of the ongoing investigation linked to procurement irregularities and the EU Diplomatic Academy; notes that such a situation, in which a public tender may have been rigged in favour of a higher education institution, risks undermining trust in Union institutions, as allegations of irregularities in public procurement can cast doubt on transparency, fairness, and equal treatment of candidates; understands nevertheless that facts related to the EPPO investigations are under strict confidentiality rules and cannot be disclosed in the context of the discharge procedure and emphasises that no conclusions should be drawn before the judicial process is concluded; welcomes that the EEAS committed to make the relevant documents available once the judicial investigations are closed; requests that any suspicion of fraud be duly investigated, with the full cooperation by the EEAS; demands the EEAS, without prejudice to ongoing investigations, to draw systemic lessons from this case, in order to provide serious guarantees that such cases will not be repeated in the future; asks that the discharge authority be kept informed accordingly on the subsequent developments; notes that under the grant agreement entrusting the EU Diplomatic Academy to the College of Europe, the College has an obligation to provide an expenditure verification report with its final report, prepared by an external auditor and to be submitted shortly for 2024, ensuring full transparency over the EUR 1,8 million spent across 2022–2024; also takes note that at the end of December 2025, the EEAS initiated the review process of Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1472 establishing the EU Diplomatic Academy by launching an independent external evaluation of the EU Diplomatic Academy and of the performance of the College of Europe in implementing the education and training activities of the EU Diplomatic Academy; calls on the EEAS to share with the discharge authority both the expenditure verification report and the external evaluation, to ensure accountability and transparency; calls on the EEAS to provide Parliament with detailed information on the implementation of the Internal Audit Service's procurement-related recommendations; requests that the EEAS publish the findings and recommendations of the Task Force established in 2024 to strengthen procurement processes, in order to allow public scrutiny of their implementation and to enable other Union institutions to benefit from the lessons learned by the EEAS in improving procurement procedures; notes furthermore the decision of the Steering Committee of the EU Diplomatic Academy in its 18 December 2025 meeting to request the College of Europe to ensure a transparent and competitive recruitment process, based on the publication of a vacancy notice, for the appointment of a new Director of the EU Diplomatic Academy; welcomes that the Steering Committee further requested that the function of Director of the EU Diplomatic Academy be separated from that of Rector of the College of Europe; underlines the need for vigilant and effective parliamentary oversight to safeguard procurement integrity, ethical standards, and the protection of Union financial interests and reputation; reiterates that transparency and sound financial management in the use of Union public funds must remain a core principle for all Union institutions and bodies, including the EEAS, and that this principle is a cornerstone to maintaining citizens’ trust in the Union’s external action; believes that the EPPO investigation should not be used to undermine the role of the EU Diplomatic Academy, whose added value is to be fully recognised, in particular in views of the consistently positive feedback received from participants and Member States;
Change 11 Substance
AI summary:Deletes a paragraph on the use of a Signal chat by the Vice-President/High Representative.
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Removed:73. Notes that during the Hearing, CONT Members expressed concerns with regard to the use of a Signal chat by the Vice-President/High Representative to communicate with Foreign Ministers of Members States; notes that such concerns were linked to the lack of transparency and risks of possible spying activities; notes from the EEAS replies to the Second questionnaire that the Signal chat in question is open to Member States’ Ministers for Foreign Affairs only, solely for informal exchanges, coordinating meetings or sharing updates and never as decision-making tool, whereas substantive discussions and the formulation of political positions occur within the relevant structures of the Council; recalls that even informal digital communication tools used at political level should be accompanied by clear guidance on cybersecurity, record-keeping and institutional memory, in order to safeguard transparency, accountability and the integrity of Union decision-making;
6 formal changes: legal basis, citations, references, corrections
Change 1 Formal
AI summary:Splits the discharge grant and the observations into separate paragraphs.
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Changed:1. Grants the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European External Action Service for the financial year 2024;2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;2024;
Change 2 Formal
AI summary:Adds a paragraph setting out observations in the resolution.
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Added:2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;
Change 3 Formal
AI summary:Updates the resolution title and adds the date and procedure reference.
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Removed:2. MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
Added:2. European Parliament resolution of 29 April 2026 with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section X – European External Action Service (2025/2150(DEC))
Removed:with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section X – European External Action Service
Change 4 Formal
AI summary:Corrects punctuation in the reference to the Internal Rules.
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Changed:FF. whereas under the Internal Rules, the Secretary-General of the EEAS acts as authorising officer by delegation for the EEAS and the director-general for resource management has the role of principal sub-delegated authorising officer;
Change 9 Formal
AI summary:Changes punctuation in the paragraph on social dialogue.
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Changed:52.53. Expresses serious concern regarding reports of insufficient social dialogue and the inclusion of protected staff representatives among local agents affected by redundancies in certain Union delegations; recalls that respect for local labour law, social dialogue obligations and the protection of staff representatives are essential elements of sound administration and the Union’s credibility as an employeremployer;
Change 12 Formal
AI summary:Corrects punctuation at the end of the paragraph on disinformation.
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Changed:101. Notes that the EEAS reached, through its EUvsDisinfo campaign, over 38 million users and documented more than 18 000 cases, demonstrating the scale and systemic nature of pro-Kremlin disinformation in 20242024.