Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control recommended to the plenary on Thursday 6 October not to give discharge on the implementation of the 2020 expenditure of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
They decided not to grant discharge for the implementation of the 2020 Frontex budget (15 votes against granting discharge and 12 votes in favour).
The Parliament plenary vote on whether or not to grant discharge to Frontex will take place during the 17-20 October session (see EUROPE 13014/22).
In adopting the report by Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP, Czech) (26 votes in favour, one against), MEPs referred to “the magnitude of the committed serious misconduct” by the Agency when it was still headed by Fabrice Leggeri, who has resigned. They say they are “shocked and deeply concerned about the case of suicide of a staff member, related to alleged practices of sexual harassment” and welcome the reopening of this case by the new Acting Executive Director of Frontex, Aija Kalnaja. In 2020, 17 cases of sexual harassment were reported in the Agency, 15 of which were closed without follow-up.
MEPs ask for: - the suspension of Frontex support-related activities in Hungary, given the Rule of law situation in the country; - a follow-up of its activities in Greece, where the Agency is reported to have carried out border surveillance operations in sections where illegal migrant pushbacks were taking place.
EESC and EU Council. With 17 votes in favour, six against and three abstentions, the Committee on Budgetary Control recommends Parliament grant discharge of the 2020 budget for the European Economic and Social Committee. Finally, MEPs once again recommended (25 votes in favour and one against) to refuse to grant discharge for the implementation of the EU Council and European Council’s 2020 budget. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)