opinion parliamentary committee draft, 13 November 2023
On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation
Document EMPL-PA-752903 · (2023/2163(DEC))
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: Romana Tomc
AI:In short
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs gives its opinion on discharge for the European Training Foundation's 2022 budget. It asks the Committee on Budgetary Control to include its suggestions in the discharge resolution. It welcomes the Court of Auditors' finding that the Foundation's 2022 accounts are legal and regular, and praises its work on education, training and labour market reform in transition and developing countries. It notes the 2022 budget of EUR 25 million, executed by 97.7%, and welcomes cost-saving measures taken despite inflation and high utilities prices. It notes with concern weaknesses in some public procurement procedures and calls for improvements, and recommends granting discharge to the Director ad Interim for the 2022 budget.
Position. The committee recommends granting discharge to the Director ad Interim of the European Training Foundation for the 2022 budget, while calling for improvements in public procurement procedures.
Key points
- The committee calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the discharge motion for the European Training Foundation.
- It expresses satisfaction that the Court of Auditors declared the Foundation's 2022 transactions legal and regular and its financial position fairly represented.
- It appreciates the Foundation's work helping transition and developing countries reform education, training and labour market systems under the Union's external relations policies.
- It notes the Foundation's 2022 budget of EUR 25 million, up from EUR 21 million in 2021, and its 97.7% execution rate.
- It welcomes the Foundation's cost-saving measures and reprioritisation in 2022 despite inflation and high utilities prices, without major disruption to its work programme.
- It recognises the alignment of the Foundation's objectives with EU policies on vocational education and training, human development, skills and migration, and welcomes cooperation with Cedefop and Eurofound.
- It notes with concern the Court's reported weaknesses in some public procurement procedures and calls on the Foundation to improve them, ensure compliance and value for money, simplify its methodology and discuss alternative methods with Commission services.
- It recommends, on the facts available, that discharge be granted to the Director ad Interim of the European Training Foundation for the 2022 budget.
Who is affected
- The European Training Foundation, which is asked to improve its public procurement procedures and is recommended for discharge.
- The Committee on Budgetary Control, which is asked to include these suggestions in its discharge resolution.
- The Director ad Interim of the Foundation, to whom discharge for the 2022 budget would be granted.
Figures and deadlines
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Full text
Suggestions 11 paragraphs
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:
–having regard to the European Court of Auditors’ Annual report on the implementation of the EU budget for the 2022 financial year;
–having regard to the European Court of Auditors’ Annual report on EU agencies for the financial year 2022;
–having regard to the European Training Foundation’s Consolidated Annual Activity Report (CAAR) 2022;
1.Expresses its satisfaction that the European Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’) has declared the transactions underlying the European Training Foundation’s (Foundation’s) annual accounts for the financial year 2022 to be legal and regular and that its financial position as of 31 December 2022 is fairly represented;
2.Appreciates the Foundation’s activities in helping transition and developing countries harness the potential of their human capital through the reform of education, training, and labour market systems, in the context of the Union’s external relations policies;
3.Notes that, the budget of the Foundation for the financial year 2022 amounted to EUR 25 million (EUR 21 million in 2021); expresses its satisfaction that the Foundation’s budget for 2022 was executed by 97.7%;
4.Welcomes the fact that despite the budget crisis caused by inflation and utilities prices in 2022, the Foundation has been able to effectively manage its expenses, introduce cost-saving measures and reprioritise without major disruptions to is work programme;
5.Recognises that the Foundation’s objectives and actions are closely aligned with EU policies and activities in the field of vocational education and training, human development, skills and migration; welcomes the Foundation’s continued cooperation and sharing of resources with other agencies, in particular with Cedefop and Eurofound, which enables significant knowledge sharing;
6.Notes with concern that the Court reported weaknesses in some public procurement procedures; calls on the Foundation to further improve its public procurement procedures, ensuring full compliance with the applicable rules, to ensure they achieve the best possible value for money, notably by simplifying its methodology and together with relevant Commission services discuss possible alternative methods to implement activities in the Foundation’s partner countries;
7.Recommends, on the basis of the facts available, that discharge be granted to the Director ad Interim of the European Training Foundation’s in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2022.