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Document 52016TA1201(13)
Report on the annual accounts of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2015, together with the Authority’s reply
Report on the annual accounts of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2015, together with the Authority’s reply
Report on the annual accounts of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2015, together with the Authority’s reply
OJ C 449, 1.12.2016, p. 72–76
(BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)
1.12.2016 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 449/72 |
REPORT
on the annual accounts of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2015, together with the Authority’s reply
(2016/C 449/13)
INTRODUCTION
1. |
The European Banking Authority (hereinafter ‘the Authority’, aka ‘EBA’), which is located in London, was established by Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1). The Authority’s task is to contribute to the establishment of high-quality common regulatory and supervisory standards and practices, to contribute to the consistent application of legally binding Union acts, to stimulate and facilitate the delegation of tasks and responsibilities among competent authorities, to monitor and assess market developments in the area of its competence and to foster depositor and investor protection. |
2. |
The table presents key figures for the Authority (2). Table Key figures for the authority
|
INFORMATION IN SUPPORT OF THE STATEMENT OF ASSURANCE
3. |
The audit approach taken by the Court comprises analytical audit procedures, direct testing of transactions and an assessment of key controls of the Authority’s supervisory and control systems. This is supplemented by evidence provided by the work of other auditors and an analysis of management representations. |
STATEMENT OF ASSURANCE
The management’s responsibility
The auditor’s responsibility
Opinion on the reliability of the accounts
Opinion on the legality and regularity of the transactions underlying the accounts
Other matter — event after balance sheet date
|
12. |
The comments which follow do not call the Court’s opinions into question. |
COMMENTS ON BUDGETARY MANAGEMENT
13. |
Carry-overs of committed appropriations for Title II (administrative expenditure) were high at 1 487 794 euro, i.e. 28 % of the total committed appropriations under this title (2014: 3 431 070 euro, i.e. 48 %). These include an unresolved issue regarding the outstanding VAT to be paid on the balancing charge of the Authority’s new building and an invoice concerning business rates by the UK Valuations Office (combined value 538 938 euro). |
14. |
Weaknesses were noted in the estimation of IT needs, in particular concerning outsourced services, which affect the Authority’s budgetary management of related expenses. |
FOLLOW-UP OF PREVIOUS YEARS’ COMMENTS
15. |
An overview of the corrective actions taken in response to the Court’s comments from previous years is provided in the Annex. |
This Report was adopted by Chamber IV, headed by Mr Baudilio TOMÉ MUGURUZA, Member of the Court of Auditors, in Luxembourg at its meeting of 4 October 2016.
For the Court of Auditors
Klaus-Heiner LEHNE
President
(1) OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 12.
(2) More information on the Authority’s competences and activities is available on its website: www.eba.europa.eu
(1) Staff includes officials, temporary and contract staff and seconded national experts.
Source: data provided by the Authority.
(3) These include the balance sheet and the statement of financial performance, the cash flow table, the statement of changes in net assets and a summary of the significant accounting policies and other explanatory notes.
(4) These comprise the budgetary outturn account and the annex to the budgetary outturn account.
(5) Articles 39 and 50 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1271/2013 (OJ L 328, 7.12.2013, p. 42).
(6) The accounting rules adopted by the Commission’s accounting officer are derived from the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) issued by the International Federation of Accountants or, where relevant, the International Accounting Standards (IAS)/International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
(7) Article 107 of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1271/2013.
(8) Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1).
(9) The Authority’s accountant signed the accounts on 24 May 2016.
ANNEX
Follow-up of previous years’ comments
Year |
Court's comment |
Status of corrective action (Completed/Ongoing/Outstanding/N/A) |
2012 |
In order to cover higher school fees, the Authority grants staff whose children attend primary or secondary school an education contribution in addition to the education allowances provided for in the Staff Regulations (1). Total 2012 education contributions amounted to some 76 000 euro. They are not covered by the Staff Regulations and therefore irregular. |
Ongoing (2) |
2014 |
Carry-overs of committed appropriations for Title II (administrative expenditure) were high at 3 431 070 euro, i.e. 48 % (2013: 1 974 511 euro, i.e. 35 %) and mainly related to the Authority’s move to its new premises in mid-December 2014. |
N/A |
(1) Article 3 of Annex VII provides for twice the basic allowance of 252,81 euro = 505,62 euro.
(2) As at the end of 2015 the Authority had signed contracts with 20 of the 21 schools attended by children of staff members.
THE AUTHORITY’S REPLY
11. |
The Authority has taken note of the Court’s report. |
13. |
The EBA puts considerable effort into minimising carry-overs for justified needs. The carry-over referred to was justified. |
14. |
Outsourced services are governed by properly procured framework contracts. The use of these services is driven by the EBA work programme and is continuously monitored by IT and Finance. The EBA has further improved the documentation of its estimation of needs for procurement procedures. Compared to the 2015 initial budgetary appropriations allocated to IT costs, the EBA reduced the IT appropriations by just 4,3 % over the course of the year. |