EU discharge procedure from the perspective of the European Parliament

The European Parliament plays a crucial role in the democratic scrutiny and control of the implementation of the EU Budget. Within the annual discharge procedure it not only signs off the financial year, but also makes recommendations for improving the financial management and implementation of the EU Budget. After receiving a recommendation from the Council, it ascertains whether the European Commission upheld the principles of sound financial management, and abided by the applicable rules and regulations when implementing the budget. The Parliament grants separate discharge to the other EU institutions for the management of their sections of the general budget, and to the decentralised agencies and joint undertakings for their budgets.