On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the EU agencies for the financial year 2023

The Committee on Fisheries calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

1.Takes note of the report of the Court of Auditors (the ‘Court’) on the annual accounts of the European Fisheries Control Agency (the ‘Agency’) for the financial year 2023, the Agency’s 2023 annual activity report and the analysis and assessment of that report by the Agency’s Administrative Board;

2.Expresses its satisfaction concerning the activities carried out by the Court and the Court’s statement that the Agency’s accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 are in compliance with the Union’s Financial Regulation and with the accounting rules adopted by the Commission’s accounting officer; notes with concern the observations of the Court regarding some irregularities in the use of framework contracts and the reiterated use of carry-overs; invites the Agency to address this problem for the future;

3.Notes that the Agency received a EUR 30,1 million contribution under the general budget of the Union in 2023, representing an increase of 1 % in respect of 2022; points out that both the Agency’s annual budget and its complement of staff are among the lowest among Union agencies;

4.Acknowledges that in the financial year 2023 the Agency was able to implement 98 % of its annual work programme compared to 95,4% in 2022; notes that the Agency was able to carry out its operations and implement its budget as planned, with an overall budget implementation of 99,9 % in terms of commitments and 74,8 % in terms of payments, a figure which is represents a 29,3 % improvement compared the previous year;

5.Recalls the Agency’s vital contribution in the implementation of the common fisheries policy (CFP), in particular of fisheries control and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; welcomes the increase of the seaborne Offshore Patrol activities coupled and a intensification in its chartered Aerial Surveillance; notes that expenses for chartering Off-Shore Patrol Vessels augmented by 105 % while those for Aerial Surveillance chartering increased eight-fold staying within budget as foreseen in its Single Programming Document for 2023; stresses that this development is due to the augmentation of tasks and activities entrusted to the Agency;

6.Notes the successful conclusion of the PESCAO project which involved the Agency in major international coalitions against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Western Africa allowing a steady flow of revenue amounting to a total EUR 3,8 million since 2018; stresses the importance of the Agency’s further participation to similar projects, in particular projects related to the implementation of the recently reformed Fisheries Control Framework;

7.Stresses that it is the Member States that are primarily responsible for the control of fishing activities, while the Agency’s tasks are limited to support and coordination; stresses that the newly adopted revision of the Fisheries Control Regulations will increase the Agency’s supportive workload; emphasises the importance that growing obligations without sufficient resources to do so would be incoherent; stresses, therefore, that the financial and human resources available to the Agency need to be coherently adequate to the increase of the activities carried out in the coming years;

8.Notes that, in 2023, the Agency reported 44 993 inspections (at sea and ashore), which led to the detection of 4230 suspected infringements, collectively representing a slight decrease in the total number of inspections (5% less inspections compared with 2022), but a 3 % increase in the total number of detected suspected infringements; points out that inspections and other follow-up activities play a key role not only in the proper management of fish stocks but also in ensuring a level playing field for Union fishers;

9.Highlights, in relation to the fight against IUU fishing, that the agency has an important role to encourage an increased and harmonised application of the EU control systems in place to combat illegal fishing;

10.Takes note of the Agency’s continued cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to support national authorities carrying out coastguard functions in line with Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/473; considers that cooperation to be an example of synergy between Union agencies that should inspire agencies in other areas; calls on the Agency to continue its efforts in that regard and considers it appropriate also to increase the cooperation between the Agency and the European Environment Agency and the European Space Agency;

11.Highlights the role of the Agency in offering capacity-building and training to third countries and the Agency’s crucial role in securing a level playing field with all coastal states;

12.Notes that, on 31 December 2023, the establishment plan was fully filled, with 74 temporary agents appointed out of 77 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget; takes note of the increase of staff expenses by EUR 1,4 million in comparison with 2022;

13.Takes note of the Agency’s policy of promoting equal treatment of staff and of its goal of gender equality in terms both of numbers and of grades and responsibility levels; acknowledges with concern that women account for 38 % of staff employed at grade AD 8 or higher, with no change since 2021; notes that more must be done in order to attain parity at management level; reiterates its call on the Agency to step up its efforts with regard to its gender parity policy with a view to making progress towards parity at management level as well;

14.Underlines as well the importance of a balanced geographical representation among staff in order to meet one of the Commission’s fundamental goals, i.e. to be close to the citizens and to reflect the diversity of Member States;

15.Calls on the Agency to regularly update and publicly share information about executive director and staff meetings with stakeholders involved in EU policy-making and implementation to ensure transparency and trust in its activities;

16.Expresses its satisfaction regarding the advancements and achievements of 2023 in the areas of digitalisation of procedures and electronic workflows which continues to increase the efficiency and traceability of all administrative procedures;

17. Proposes that discharge be granted to the Executive Director of the Agency in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2023.