Article 116 Implementation and control of the budget

The executive director shall implement the Agency's budget.

By 1 March of a financial year N + 1, the Agency's accounting officer shall communicate the provisional accounts for the financial year N to the Commission's accounting officer and to the Court of Auditors. The Commission's accounting officer shall consolidate the provisional accounts of the institutions and decentralised bodies in accordance with Article 245 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046.

The Agency shall send a report on the budgetary and financial management for year N to the European Parliament, to the Council and to the Court of Auditors by 31 March of year N + 1.

The Commission's accounting officer shall send the Agency's provisional accounts for year N, consolidated with the Commission's accounts, to the Court of Auditors by 31 March of year N + 1.

On receipt of the Court of Auditors' observations on the Agency's provisional accounts for year N, pursuant to Article 246 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, the executive director shall draw up the Agency's final accounts under his or her own responsibility and forward them to the management board for an opinion.

The management board shall deliver an opinion on the Agency's final accounts for year N.

By 1 July of year N + 1, the executive director shall send the final accounts, together with the opinion of the management board, to the European Parliament, to the Council, to the Commission and to the Court of Auditors.

The final accounts for year N shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by 15 November of year N + 1.

The executive director shall send the Court of Auditors a reply to its observations by 30 September of year N + 1. He or she shall also send this reply to the management board.

The executive director shall submit to the European Parliament, at the latter's request, any information required for the smooth application of the discharge procedure for year N, in accordance with Article 261(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046.

On a recommendation from the Council acting by qualified majority, the European Parliament shall, before 15 May of the year N + 2, give a discharge to the executive director in respect of the implementation of the budget for the year N.