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opinion parliamentary committee draft, 25 October 2023

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2022

Document ENVI-PA-754679 · (2023/2151(DEC))

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Pascal Canfin

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AI:In short

This is a draft opinion by Parliament's Environment Committee on granting discharge to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its 2022 budget. It welcomes EFSA's food safety work, notes its EUR 149,76 million budget and 100% commitment implementation, and recommends discharge.

Position. The committee recommends granting discharge to the Executive Director of EFSA for the 2022 budget, and asks the Budgets Committee to include its suggestions in the discharge resolution.

Key points

  1. The committee calls on the Budgets Committee to include its suggestions in the discharge resolution.
  2. It welcomes EFSA's contribution to food and feed safety, its independent scientific advice, public communication and cooperation with partners.
  3. It notes EFSA's final 2022 budget of EUR 149,76 million, 16% more than 2021, with 100% commitment and 90% payment implementation.
  4. It notes 2022 was the first year of Strategy 2027, focused on the Transparency Regulation and new EU policies such as the Farm to Fork Strategy.
  5. It highlights that EFSA finalised 586 questions in 2022, 118 fewer than in 2021 and 115 less than the planned 701.
  6. It notes that EFSA's ability to provide timely advice remains a point of attention according to its Annual Strategy Survey.
  7. It notes EFSA received 31 new staff posts and 15 additional contract agents, reaching 572 statutory posts, with 571 of 587 posts occupied on 31 December 2022.
  8. It recommends granting discharge to EFSA's Executive Director for the 2022 budget.

Who is affected

  • EFSA and its Executive Director, who would receive discharge for the 2022 budget.
  • The Budgets Committee, which is asked to incorporate these suggestions into its discharge resolution.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 149,76 million: EFSA's final budget for 2022.
  • 16%: increase in EFSA's 2022 budget compared to 2021.
  • 100%: implementation rate for commitment appropriations in 2022.
  • 90%: implementation rate for payment appropriations in 2022.
  • 586: questions finalised by EFSA in 2022.
  • 118: fewer questions finalised in 2022 than in 2021.
  • 115: fewer questions finalised than the initial plan of 701.
  • 31 new staff posts and 15 additional contract agents; 572 statutory posts; 571 of 587 posts occupied on 31 December 2022.

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Full text

Suggestions 8 paragraphs

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

1.Welcomes the European Food Safety Authority's ('EFSA's') contribution to the safety of the Union food and feed chain, and its considerable efforts in providing risk managers with comprehensive, independent and up-to-date scientific advice on questions linked to the food chain, communicating clearly to the public on its outputs and the information on which they are based, and cooperating with interested parties and institutional partners to promote coherence and trust in the food safety system;

2.Notes that EFSA's final budget for 2022 was EUR 149,76 million representing an increase of 16 % compared to 2021; notes that the budget monitoring efforts during 2022 resulted in an implementation rate of 100 % for commitment appropriations and 90 % for payment appropriations;

3.Notes that the 2022 has been the first year of implementation of the Strategy 2027, focused on the implementation of the Transparency Regulation in the short term and on addressing new evolving EU policies, such as the Farm to Fork Strategy, in the longer term; notes that the implementation of the Transparency Regulation induced considerable investment in terms of organisational changes, including the development of new processes, a reviewed organisational design and the leveraging of EFSA’s technology and information management capabilities;

4.Highlights the fact that, in 2022, the Authority finalised 586 questions through scientific opinions, technical reports and supporting publications, 118 fewer than the questions finalised in 2021 and 115 less than the initial plan of 701;

5.Notes that, according to the Annual Strategy Survey launched by EFSA asking for feedback from its customers, partners, and stakeholders who are directly or indirectly involved in the delivery of EFSA’s scientific opinions, EFSA’s ability to provide its advice in a timely manner remains a point of attention;

6.Notes that EFSA has been given 31 new staff posts for the implementation of the new Transparency Regulation as well as 15 additional CAs, reaching a total capacity of 572 statutory staff posts; notes that 571 of the available 587 posts were occupied (including officials, temporary agents, contract agents and seconded national experts) on 31 December 2022;

7. Recommends, based on the facts available, that discharge be granted to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2022.