Where the law stands, Dossier 2024/2021(DEC)
2023 discharge: General budget of the EU - European Council and Council
Discharge procedure · First reading
Parliament checks how an EU institution or agency spent a past year’s budget and signs it off — or refuses to.
Where it stands
Parliament’s position
Completed: published in the Official Journal on 8 October 2025 and now EU law.
- Referred to committee(done) 17 September 2024
- Committee work(done) Report adopted 24 September 2025
- Tabled for plenary(done) 26 September 2025
- Plenary vote(done) Adopted 22 October 2025
- Parliament’s position(done) Final
Decided in plenary
22 October 2025 · decision 4
EU budget & funds, Budget decision
Discharge 2023: EU general budget – European Council and Council
Discharge decision adopted On the proposal for a discharge decision: 441 for · 125 against · 73 abstained by a large majority
AI summary:Parliament set out its observations in a resolution and instructed its President to forward the decision to the European Council, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors.
7 May 2025 · decision 5
EU budget & funds, Budget decision
Discharge 2023: EU general budget – European Council and Council
Discharge decision adopted On the proposal for a discharge decision: 588 for · 62 against · 16 abstained by an overwhelming majority
AI summary:The decision postpones granting discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council and includes observations in a resolution.
What changed
Tabled for plenary → Tabled for plenary
AI summary:The main change is that Parliament now refuses discharge to the Council instead of postponing the decision. The resolution adds new paragraphs expressing regret and frustration over the Council's non-cooperation, including specific references to the questionnaire and hearing. It also updates the reference to the Ombudsman's findings, shifting from general criticism to a specific strategic inquiry. Other changes are formal or wording adjustments, such as fixing a typo and rephrasing time references.
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary
AI summary:The decision changes from refusing discharge to postponing it, and the resolution adds new sections on budget, management, and other topics. The resolution now includes performance-based budgeting and replaces the Ombudsman reference with a general transparency requirement. The other changes are formal or wording updates, such as rephrasing durations and clarifying the Secretariat's name.
Committee draft → Committee draft
AI summary:The main change is that Parliament now refuses discharge to the Council for 2023, instead of granting or postponing it. The resolution is restructured to focus on the Council's non-cooperation, omitting detailed budget figures and administrative observations. Adds a recital on the Ombudsman's finding of maladministration and drops a reference to performance-based budgeting. Other changes are wording adjustments, such as 'almost twenty years' and 'since 2009'.
Who works on it
- Lead committee
- Budgetary Control
- The MEP who drafts the report and negotiates it on behalf of the committee.
- Joachim Stanisław Brudziński (ECR)
- An MEP who follows a report on behalf of their own group when another group holds the rapporteur.
- Andrey Kovatchev (EPP), Csaba Molnár (S&D), Virginie Joron (Patriots), Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (Renew), Damian Boeselager (Greens), Pasquale Tridico (The Left), Alexander Jungbluth (ESN)
- Committees giving an opinion
- Legal Affairs
- Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
- Culture and Education
- Security and Defence
- Budgets
- Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
- Constitutional Affairs· rapporteurSven Simon (EPP)
- Economic and Monetary Affairs
- Regional Development
- Internal Market and Consumer Protection
- Development
- Agriculture and Rural Development
- International Trade
- Environment, Climate and Food Safety
- Employment and Social Affairs
- Fisheries
- Public Health
- Industry, Research and Energy
- Foreign Affairs
- Transport and Tourism
The text, version by version
Newest first.
Adopted by Parliament· 22 Oct 2025
AI summary:Parliament refuses to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2023 budget, citing the Council's continued non-cooperation since 2009.
Adopted by Parliament· 7 May 2025
AI summary:Parliament postpones granting discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2023 budget, citing the Council's continued refusal to cooperate in the discharge procedure since 2009.
Tabled for plenary· 26 Sept 2025
AI summary:Parliament refuses to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2023 budget, citing the Council's continued non-cooperation since 2009.
Tabled for plenary· 1 Apr 2025
AI summary:Parliament postpones its decision on granting discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council for the 2023 budget and sets out observations in a resolution.
Committee draft· 12 Aug 2025
AI summary:This draft report concerns the discharge for the 2023 budget of the European Council and Council. It refuses discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council due to lack of cooperation and includes a resolution with observations.
Committee draft· 16 Jan 2025
AI summary:This draft report concerns the discharge for the European Council and Council budget for 2023. It proposes granting or postponing discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council and includes observations.
Committee opinions: Draft opinion (AFCO), Opinion (AFCO)
Timeline
Newest first.
Plenary stage 2 steps
22 October 2025
Plenary vote
Sitting of 22 Oct 2025 Adopted text TA10-0245/2025Report A10-0167/2025
14 October – 15 October 2025
4 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
Outcome 1 step
8 October 2025
Published in the Official Journal
The act is now EU law.
Plenary stage 1 step
26 September 2025
Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
Committee stage 3 steps
24 September 2025
Committee vote: report adopted
CONT (Budgetary Control) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
10 September 2025
Amendments tabled in committee
Members of CONT (Budgetary Control) proposed changes to the draft.
12 August 2025
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in CONT (Budgetary Control). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
Plenary stage 4 steps
7 May 2025
Plenary vote
6 May 2025
Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
Sitting of 6 May 2025 Council / Commission text C10-0067/2024Council / Commission text C10-0068/2024Council / Commission text C10-0069/2024Council / Commission text C10-0070/2024Council / Commission text C10-0071/2024Council / Commission text C10-0072/2024Council / Commission text C10-0073/2024Council / Commission text C10-0074/2024Council / Commission text C10-0075/2024Council / Commission text C10-0076/2024Council / Commission text C10-0077/2024Council / Commission text C10-0078/2024Council / Commission text C10-0079/2024Report A10-0046/2025Report A10-0047/2025Report A10-0050/2025Report A10-0051/2025Report A10-0052/2025Report A10-0053/2025Report A10-0054/2025Report A10-0055/2025Report A10-0056/2025Report A10-0062/2025Report A10-0065/2025Report A10-0069/2025Report A10-0074/2025
30 April 2025
12 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
1 April 2025
Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
Committee stage 6 steps
18 March 2025
Committee vote: report adopted
CONT (Budgetary Control) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
11 February 2025
Amendments tabled in committee
Members of CONT (Budgetary Control) proposed changes to the draft.
29 January 2025
AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
16 January 2025
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in CONT (Budgetary Control). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
18 November 2024
Draft opinion from AFCO (Constitutional Affairs)
An associated committee gives its view to the lead committee.
17 September 2024
Referred to the CONT (Budgetary Control) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; JURI (Legal Affairs), LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs), CULT (Culture and Education), SEDE (Security and Defence), BUDG (Budgets), FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality), AFCO (Constitutional Affairs), ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs), REGI (Regional Development), IMCO (Internal Market and Consumer Protection), DEVE (Development), AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development), INTA (International Trade), ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety), EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs), PECH (Fisheries), SANT (Public Health), ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy), AFET (Foreign Affairs), TRAN (Transport and Tourism) give an opinion.
Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2024/2021(DEC)