2017 annual activity report - european commission · 2018. 6. 6. · 2017 annual activity report dg...

2017

Annual Activity Report

DG Interpretation

Ref. Ares(2018)1680872 - 27/03/2018

scic_aar_2017 final of 111

Table of Contents

THE DG IN BRIEF 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

A) KEY RESULTS AND PROGRESS TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF GENERAL AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE DG (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OF SECTION 1) .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 B) KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIS) ......................................................................................................................... 5 C) KEY CONCLUSIONS ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL CONTROL ............................................................................ 8 D) PROVISION OF INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSIONER ...................................................................................................... 9

1. KEY RESULTS AND PROGRESS TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF GENERAL AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE DG 10

2. ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL CONTROL 14

2.1 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL CONTROL ................................................................................................ 14 2.1.1 CONTROL RESULTS ........................................................................................................................................... 15 2.1.2 AUDIT OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................... 26 2.1.3 ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEMS .................................................................. 28 2.1.4 CONCLUSIONS AS REGARDS ASSURANCE ................................................................................................................ 29 2.1.5 DECLARATION OF ASSURANCE ............................................................................................................................ 30

DECLARATION OF ASSURANCE 31

2.2 OTHER ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT DIMENSIONS ............................................................................................ 32 2.2.1 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ...................................................................................................................... 32 2.2.2 BETTER REGULATION ........................................................................................................................................ 32 N/A 32 2.2.3 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ASPECTS ................................................................................................................ 32 2.2.4 EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................... 32

ANNEXES 33

ANNEX 1: STATEMENT OF THE RESOURCES DIRECTOR .............................................................................................. 33 ANNEX 2: REPORTING – HUMAN RESOURCES, BETTER REGULATION, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND EXTERNAL

COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................................................................................... 34 A. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: INTERNAL CONTROL AND RISK MANAGEMENT ................................................................ 37 B. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 40 C. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION ............................................................................................................................. 41 ANNEX 3: DRAFT ANNUAL ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS ................................................................................ 44 ANNEX 4: MATERIALITY CRITERIA ......................................................................................................................... 45 ANNEX 5: INTERNAL CONTROL TEMPLATE(S) FOR BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION (ICTS) .................................................... 46 GRANT MANAGEMENT: ............................................................................................................................................... 51 PROCUREMENT DIRECT ................................................................................................................................................ 57 NON-EXPENDITURE ITEM – REVENUE COLLECTION ............................................................................................................ 65 ANNEX 6: IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC-SECTOR BODIES AND BODIES GOVERNED BY

PRIVATE LAW WITH A PUBLIC SECTOR MISSION (IF APPLICABLE) ........................................................................................... 68 ANNEX 7: EAMR OF THE UNION DELEGATIONS (IF APPLICABLE) ............................................................................... 69 ANNEX 8: DECENTRALISED AGENCIES (IF APPLICABLE) .............................................................................................. 70 ANNEX 9: EVALUATIONS AND OTHER STUDIES FINALISED OR CANCELLED DURING THE YEAR .............................................. 71 ANNEX 10: SPECIFIC ANNEXES RELATED TO "FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT" ....................................................................... 72 ANNEX 11: SPECIFIC ANNEXES RELATED TO "ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEMS" ........ 74 ANNEX 12: PERFORMANCE TABLES ........................................................................................................................ 75


THE DG IN BRIEF

The purpose of DG Interpretation (DG SCIC) is to facilitate the democratic EU decision-making process, through provision of high quality conference interpretation, corporate

conference organisation services and meeting room management, including audio-visual

equipment and services.

DG SCIC interpreters are on average assigned to 40 meetings per day or approximately

10.000/year, ranging from bilateral encounters between high-ranking officials in consecutive interpretation to high level conferences in simultaneous interpretation into

23 languages of the EU and non-EU languages. DG Interpretation sends its interpreters to meetings in Brussels as well as around Europe and beyond, and covers not only EU

languages but also all the main international conference languages and even sign language.

DG SCIC thereby serves the Commission but also other Institutions like the Council of

the European Union, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the European Extenal Action Service, the European Investment Bank, as

well as European offices and agencies. In this context and in order to constantly improve the quality of the interpretation provided and to cater for the availability of adequate

numbers of staff and freelance interpreters through its called succession planning, DG Interpretation provides continuous professional support for its interpreters and

cooperates with universities, both in the EU and in third countries

Following the Communication adopted in 2016 (Synergies and Efficiencies Review – New

Ways of working), DG Interpretation is also the "corporate domain leader" in the areas of

conference management and meeting rooms management. In this context, the DG provides conference organisation capability, technological solutions for multilingual

communication and daily technical support to the Commission's meetings and conference facilities under its management. It also manages the Commission's "Event register" and

provides framework contracts for conference/event organisation as well as for audio visual equipment and services.

Out of the total staff, almost 85% are conference interpreters or work in areas directly related to interpretation such as professional support and meeting preparation,

programming, managing freelance interpreters' accreditation, recruitment and payments,

as well as helping train future interpreters. A further 10% of staff members are assigned to corporate domain services in the area of conferences and meeting rooms management

and the remaining staff are assigned to corporate management tasks as well as policy strategy, coordination and communication.

In addition, DG Interpretation manages an inter-institutional list of about 3000 free-lance interpreters spread all over the world, out of which around 1000 interpreters work

alongside its permanent staff on a regular basis, as they are based in Europe and cover the most commonly requested languages.

DG SCIC operates under administrative expenditures (Heading 5), with a significant

share of its budget accruing from revenues from interpretation services users outside the Commission (in 2017, 64.72% of total payment appropriations of EUR 78.02 M). These

services operate also under “heading 5”.

With its demand-driven business model depending on the institutions' political cycle and

priorities which determine the need for interpretation, DG SCIC's main challenge is to ensure optimal use of interpretation resources throughout the year by using a mix

between statutory staff and freelancers at an average of 50/50%. Another challenge is to further develop DG SCIC's corporate role in providing high quality and modern

conference organisation and meeting room management services across the Commission,

under limited resources and high dependence on other Central Services and corporate domain leaders.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Annual Activity Report is a management report of the Director-General of DG Interpretation to the College of Commissioners. Annual Activity Reports are the main

instrument of management accountability within the Commission and constitutes the

basis on which the College takes political responsibility for the decisions it takes as well as for the coordinating, executive and management functions it exercises, as laid down in

the Treaties1.

a) Key results and progress towards the achievement of general and specific objectives of the DG (executive

summary of section 1)

2017 was marked by a sustained increase in demand for interpretation. The global output

was up by 4%, with the sharpest rise in interpretation provided to the Council of 9%. This trend was spread over all EU languages reflecting a boost in the number of meetings

organised as well as wider language regimes.

Although DG Interpretation sometimes reached the limits of its delivery capacity for

some languages, it was able to globally satisfy the demand to last year's level of 96%.

Quality of interpretation remained high, with a slight increase in overall customer

satisfaction to 90%, according to the results from the 2017 survey.

To take full advantage and its know-how and manage knowledge in a more modern and

dynamic way, in 2017 DG Interpretation also launched an ambitious project, the creation of a Knowledge Centre on Interpretation, a single go-to space to manage and exchange

knowledge, create synergies and disseminate globally followed standards on interpretation.

The DG further made a number of significant achievements in the Synergies and

Efficiencies Review, ranging from the setting up of a new Event Database, the Network of Conference Correspondents and an online toolkit on event organisation, to further

Commission-wide standardisation of meeting rooms and the new interinstitutional framework contract for audio-visual services/and equipment, a Catalogue of Meeting

1 Article 17(1) of the Treaty on European Union.

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Payments and revenues (m€)

Payments Revenues


Room Services and Incident Management system, as well as a new Memorandum of Understanding to better structure the cooperation with OIB, create a meeting room

community and an overall increase in the use and occupancy rate of corporate meeting

rooms through a better overview and improved distribution of meetings.

b) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Result/Impact

indicator (description)

Trend

Latest known results as per Annual Activity Report

KPI 1: Coverage of

i-slot cost by

i-slot price

(%)

(Source: Budget &

Finance Unit)

The final calculation of the 2017 real i-slot cost (being a lump sum unit cost for a half day/interpreter) is 507€ against an nominal i-slot price set at 465€, which represents a

cost 9% higher than the actual price charged to the paying customer. A number of factors have been identified, they are further detailed into annex 12.

Among key factors, SCIC has identified the unavoidable delays in incorporating last years unexpected salary adjustments into the i-slot price, a reduction of the number of staff

interpreters, a general increase in demand (2016: 248.912 i-slots; 217: 253.8272 i-slots; +2%), and the changes into the demand patterns, both in terms of repartition of the

langues requested and the uneven spreading of demand accross week days. As side

effect, these factors also lead to an increase of the average cost of a contract day (2016: 755€, 2017: 790€), combined with a general increase of the number of contract days by

12%.

To reduce the gap between the i-slot price and cost, DG SCIC:

increased the 2018 i-slot price to €488 to factor in the full impact of the 2016 salary adjustments including the career progression effect.

will continue streamlining its ACIs recruitment policy and closely monitoring the cost of the ACI recruitment.

2 This figure for the number of i-slots in 2017 includes not only the interpretation i-slots, but also takes

into account the last minute cancellation and travel costs that have been charged to our customers

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2015 2016 2017

92,3% 92,4% 91,7%

Coverage of i-slot cost by i-slot price

Target: between98% and 102%


KPI 2: Standby

rate3 and reserve of

interpreters (staff and ACIs),

excluding

periods of low interpretation

activity (as % of available

working time) (Source:

SCICView)

The overall standby rate in 2017 remained stable at the same level with 2016 (16,1%).

It is an aggregate indicator which captures the following operational situations:

10% of time on standby is generated by DG SCIC's legal obligations arising from the application of the Agreement on the interpreters'

working conditions which adapts the Staff regulation to the specific circumstances of interpretation. In this framework, interpreters can work for up to

18 sessions (a session corresponds to roughly half a day) over a two-week period. If the maximum number of sessions is reached, interpreters cannot be assigned to

other interpretation activities during this period.

DG SCIC also expresses as time on standby the operational reserve which is

needed to respond to unscheduled last minute requests and replacement of

unexpectedly unavailable interpreters.

Finally, a significant share of standby is due to late cancellations of meetings by

organisers (or to meetings being called off earlier than planned). In 2017, it is estimated that almost 60% of the overall number of days spent on standby4 were

on days where meetings were cancelled.

It has to be noted that the Service Level Agreements in place between DG SCIC and its

paying customers allow for full cancellation or modification of language regimes until two weeks before a meeting is scheduled so as to give them the possibility to order and

receive interpretation services in accordance with their changing political priorities.

However, this provision, which ensures maximum flexibility for the users, is likely to lead to an increased standby rate of interpreters in particular from less used languages

because late modifications of language regimes often make reprogramming of these

3 The standby indicator is defined in DG SCIC's Strategic Plan and Management Plan. It includes the standby of

both staff interpreters and ACIs and considers only the days on which activity is above 150 interpreter-days

provided. Standby is a job-specific term to define the working time during which staff interpreters and ACIs are

not assigned to interpretation or other linked professional activities (travelling for missions, working as jury

members for competitions and accreditation tests etc), which by definition have to be scheduled in their

programme.

4 This is an estimate based on the number of i-slots (half days of an interpreter’s assignment) resulting

from the reprogramming costs invoiced to clients.

0,0%

5,0%

10,0%

15,0%

20,0%

2014 2015 2016 2017

17,3% 18,5%

16,1% 16,1%

target (15%)

result


interpreters impossible within a two- week deadline. DG SCIC invoices to the paying customers cancellations which occur after the two-weeks cut-off point and so the

financial risk is partially transferred to them. However, the reported standby rate remains

unchanged.

KPI 3: Overall

satisfaction with

interpretation

(in %) (Source:

Customer Satisfaction

Survey 2017)

.

The overall satisfaction with the quality of interpretation reported by DG Interpretation's

customers in the 2017 customers' satisfaction survey on interpretation already remained significantly higher than the target and even increased slightly in comparison to

2015 to reach 90%. This result reflects the constant efforts of DG SCIC's interpreters to provide high quality interpretation, thus ensuring multilingual communication at the

meetings serviced by DG SCIC.

KPI 4: Overall

satisfaction with DG

Interpretation

’s support to conferences,

events and meetings

(in %) (Source:

Customer Satisfaction

Survey 2017)

.

In parallel to the Customer Satisfaction Survey on interpretation, DG Interpretation

organised its Customer Satisfaction Survey on the conference services it provides in Commission premises. The overall satisfaction rate of meeting participants remains

considerably higher than the target of 85%.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2013 2015 2017

85% 89% 89% 90%

target

results

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2015 2017

85% 91% 90%

target

result


c) Key conclusions on financial management and internal

control

In accordance with the governance arrangements of the European Commission, DG Interpretation conducts its operations in compliance with the applicable laws and

regulations, working in an open and transparent manner and meeting the expected high level of professional and ethical standards.

The Commission has adopted a set of internal control standards/principles, based on international good practice, aimed to ensure the achievement of policy and operational

objectives. The financial regulation requires that the organisational structure and the internal control systems used for the implementation of the budget are set up in

accordance with these principles. DG Interpretation has assessed the internal control

systems during the reporting year and has concluded that the internal control principles are implemented and function as intended. Please refer to AAR section 2.1.3 for further

details.

In addition, DG Interpretation has systematically examined the available control results

and indicators, as well as the observations and recommendations issued by internal auditors and the European Court of Auditors. These elements have been assessed to

determine their impact on the management's assurance as regards the achievement of control objectives. Please refer to Section 2.1 for further details. In conclusion,

management has reasonable assurance that, overall, suitable controls are in place and

working as intended; risks are being appropriately monitored and mitigated; and necessary improvements and reinforcements are being implemented. The Director

General, in her capacity as Authorising Officer by Delegation has signed the Declaration of Assurance.


d) Provision of information to the Commissioner

In the context of the regular meetings during the year between the DG and the

Commissioner on management matters, also the main elements of this report and

assurance declaration, have been brought to the attention of Commissioner Oettinger, responsible for Budget and Human Resources.


1. KEY RESULTS AND PROGRESS TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF GENERAL AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE DG

In 2017, DG Interpretation was able to lay the foundations to ensure that the DG's strategic and annual objectives are met in 2017 and beyond. Drawing on the DG's triple

mandate which combines different capacities on conference organisation, meeting rooms and interpretation services, DG Interpretation has been able to offer tailor made

support and integrated services to its stakeholders.

Through cooperation with other Commission DGs, DG Interpretation has helped to

increase corporate efficiency, in particular through its active participation in a number of

projects, detailed in this report, which take advantage of each DG's core skills and create a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

The Call for Interest for the Conference

Centre 2.0 was launched in December 2017 and marked the successful culmination of

the first phase of the flagship project of the future Conference Centre for the

European Commission. With the

Borschette Conference Centre approaching the end of its lifespan, it is the

Commission’s responsibility to ensure that an alternative conference and meeting

venue is available in due time to ensure business continuity for over 4000 meetings

a year. The future centre will be a modular and multi-purpose building designed to host

larger events, which at present are taking

place in rented venues outside the European Quarter.

.

The replacement of the Borschette Centre, which will need to be phased out due to safety

and security reasons, has been identified as an important risk for DG SCIC in its 2018

Management Plan. There is a serious business continuity risk for the DG and for the Commission as a whole, should further delays in the future conference project result in

the inability to meet the continuing demand for interpretation and meeting/conference rooms.

With the current ambitious political agenda and the subsequent increase in demand for interpretation and meeting facilities, the Commission must remain adequately equipped

to bring together its stakeholders, both internal and external, to allow for the multi-lingual discussion of policies fit for this century in a purpose-built conference centre.

SCIC has pursued the development of its role as domain leader for meeting room management by leveraging on its expertise and know how, while having to rely on

existing human resources and a non increased budget. In particular, SCIC continued to

The end of 2017 saw the successful culmination of

the first phase of the design and construction

of a flagship Conference Centre for the European

Commission

Conference Centre 2.0

… improvements in the domain of meeting room management…

…


foster a Commission-wide standardisation of meeting rooms, covering the audio-visual and conference equipment, their maintenance and the related support services.

In this domain, a first important milestone has been reached with the new inter-

institutional framework contract5 for the purchase of audio-visual and conference equipment and services which enables major synergies and efficiencies gains in

terms of savings on costs and improving effective delivery of audio-visual and conference equipment and services across the Commission services, and other EU institutions and

bodies.

Furthermore, the new Catalogue of Meeting Room Services together with the

implementation of a standard Incident Management system, both of which were rolled out in 2017, will provide more transparent and more responsive meeting room

services to meeting organisers and end users.

Moreover, the Memorandum of Understanding signed with OIB in 2017 will structure the

cooperation between SCIC and OIB. This cooperation will be instrumental in order to

create a meeting room community and will allow an increase of the use of meeting rooms through a better overview and an improved distribution of meetings.

Until the end of 2016, no overview existed of conferences and public events organised by Commission Services nor of the related expenditure. As required in the DG's mandate as

corporate domain leader, DG Interpretation put in place a corporate events database

and has been collecting information on corporate events since 1 January 2017.

In 2017, 215 conferences were registered, encompassing a total of over 93,000

participants and budget of just under 38 million EUR. These data offer for the first time an insight into the corporate needs and trends in this area within the Commission and

will allow DG Interpretation to further tailor the services provided to Commission services in the area of conference organisation. A quarterly overview of Commission-wide

conference activity is published on the Events Database page on the Commission's intranet site.

In addition, DG Interpretation has acquired considerable expertise in conference

organisation over the years. In order to multiply the impact of our know-how and to ensure that Commission services not benefitting from our direct support can also tap into

this knowledge, the DG compiled a practical and easy-to-use conference organisation toolkit, which is available in the same on-line site.

DG Interpretation has further established a network of conference correspondents throughout the European Commission. The network's mission is to exchange best

practises and experiences as well as seeking harmonisation of procedures where possible and thereby professionalising the community of practice. The first meeting of the new

network took place on 5 October 2017.

The network will also collect and disseminate information on conference-related services and tools available in the European Commission, seeking further synergies. Another core

task is to identify needs and exchange ideas as well as collect best practice for integration into new framework contracts which will become available in 2018.

Interpretation

5 Ares(2017)3717336

… improvements in the domain of conference organisation in meeting

Commission needs…

…


Increased demand, led to an increase in the provision of interpretation by 4% in 2017…

Compared to 2016 the overall number of interpretation i-slots6 provided increased

by 4% from 194 877 to 202 089 i-slots.

The number of i-slots delivered to the Council increased by 9%, whereas the

interpretation output in the Commission decreased by 4%. With 63% of the total interpretation output in 2017, the Council was again by far DG Interpretation's biggest

customer. The Commission totalled 27% of the output, the EESC 6%, the CoR 2% and the two rotating Presidencies and other clients also accounted for 2%.

6 This figure refers to production i-slots only. For invoicing purposes, SCIC does not only count the time spent

in the booths (the "production" i-slot) but also the cost of last minute changes into the programme and the time

spent by interpreters on travelling.

180000

185000

190000

195000

200000

205000

2015 2016 2017

Overall number of i-slots provided

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

2015

2016

2017

i-slots by Institution

… but real costs incurred are only partially offset by revenues


As mentioned in the Key Performance Indicators, in 2017 DG Interpretation invoiced the

i-slot at 465€ whereas the actual cost was 507€. This means that 91.7% of the i-slot

cost was covered by the i-slot price in 2017, compared to 92.4% in 2016.

This results from delays for the inclusion of the unexpected 2016 salary adjustment into

the i-slot price, the uneven patterns of demand and a broader use of the freelance community to satisfy the increasing demand, especially with regard to certain languages.

A more detailed explanation can be found in Annex 12.

This highly successful result is the result of DG SCIC's commitment to providing high quality interpretation in all languages and at all levels of meetings for different internal

and external customers. DG SCIC interpreters are highly specialised professionals in

interpretation and linked activities. High interpretation quality is the result of a common effort which extends from succession planning, appropriate staffing and planning of

interpreters' teams to meeting preparation, terminology work and life-long learning.

The professional support for interpreters offered by DG Interpretation enabled staff

interpreters to add 27 passive languages and 4 active languages and ACIs to add 15 passive and 1 active language with SCIC support. 639.5 interpreter days were devoted to

language maintenance and 803 to thematic and professional skills learning.

DG Interpretation contributed at its level to the economic, political and cultural objectives of the EU as global actor, engaging and cooperating with international partners, providing

pedagogical assistance and support to develop interpretation capacity in partner countries and giving visibility to EU action in cooperation with the DGs in charge of

international cooperation (see annex 12).

In 2017, DG Interpretation also looked at ways to increase its standard setting role by

launching the required conceptual and project management work for an online,

interactive Knowledge Centre for Interpretation, which will be rolled out in 2018. It also set up an internal Digital Transformation Task Force to monitor and explore

developments in the field of digital technologies relevant to the work of DG Interpretation and to enhance the services it offers and improve the technological environment in which

the DG operates and delivers its services in key areas such as interpretation, room management or conference organisation.

… 27 passive languages added by staff

…

… excellent results in the 2017 Customer Satisfaction Survey

90% customer satisfaction with the overall quality of interpretation (2017 Customer Satisfaction Survey).

…

… and DG Interpretation gave visibility to EU action through flanking international

cooperation projects in capacity building in China, Macao, Cuba and in Africa.

…


2. ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL CONTROL

This section answers to the question how the achievements described in the previous

section were delivered by the DG. This section is divided in two subsections.

The first subsection reports the control results and all other relevant information that

support management's assurance on the achievement of the financial management and internal control objectives. It includes any additional information necessary to establish

that the available evidence is reliable, complete and comprehensive; appropriately covering all activities, programmes and management modes relevant for the DG.

The second subsection deals with the other components of organisational management: human resources, better regulation principles, information management and external

communication.

2.1 Financial management and internal control

Assurance is an objective examination of evidence for the purpose of providing an assessment of the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes.

This examination is carried out by management, who monitors the functioning of the internal control systems on a continuous basis, and by internal and external auditors. Its

results are explicitly documented and reported to the Director-General. The reports produced are:

- the contribution of the director in charge of Risk Management and Internal Control

(RMIC), including the results of internal control monitoring at the DG level;

- the reports by AOSDs;

- the limited conclusion of the internal auditor on the state of control and the observations and recommendations reported by the Internal Audit Service (IAS);

- The observations and the recommendations reported by the European Court of Auditors (ECA).

These reports result from a systematic analysis of the evidence available. This approach provides sufficient guarantees as to the completeness and reliability of the information

reported and results in a complete coverage of the budget delegated to the Director-

General of DG Interpretation.

This section reports the control results and other relevant elements that support

management's assurance. It is structured into (a) Control results, (b) Audit observations and recommendations, (c) Effectiveness of the internal control system, and resulting in

(d) Conclusions as regards assurance.


2.1.1 Control results

This section reports and assesses the elements identified by management that support

the assurance on the achievement of the internal control objectives7. The DG's assurance

building and materiality criteria are outlined in the AAR Annex 4. Annex 5 outlines the main risks together with the control processes aimed to mitigate them and the indicators

used to measure the performance of the control systems.

DG Interpretation operates under administrative expenditure (Heading 5) implemented

under centralised direct management.

In 2017, DG Interpretation managed:

55M€ of expenditure (payments made), out of which over 94% were related to interpretation expenditure (remuneration of non-permanent interpreters, or ACIs)

and supporting activities (interpreters' professional support, grants, IT).

In addition to that figure, 6.07M€ was co-delegated expenditure related to conferences and events organisation on behalf of other Commission services;

Of the 101.5M€ cashed revenue reported in Annex 3, Table 7, 89M€ of the revenue was

collected from external clients. 85.9M€ result from the provision of interpretation services, and 3.1M€8 result from other services delivered in 2017. From the 85.9M€

revenue, 48.2M (47.5%) were assigned to the PMO. The 12.5M balance corresponds to the taxes on revenue collected on the payment of the salaries ACIs recruited by the 3

European interpretation services and paid on their behalf by SCIC. Those 12.5 M€ are

part of the general revenue of the European Union.

In total the interinstitutional payment office processed ACI payments for a total value of

97.3M€. 46.1M correspond to SCIC contracts, paid from SCIC budget, plus 2.3M€ for the ACIs recruited by the court of Justice and 48.9M€ for the ACIs recruited by he European

Parliament. Such payments are made from "Hors Budget" accounts financed from advances paid by these Institutions. All payments to ACIs are processed by applying the

same internal controls regardless the recruiting Institution.

7 Effectiveness, efficiency and economy of operations; reliability of reporting; safeguarding of assets

and information; prevention, detection, correction and follow-up of fraud and irregularities; and adequate management of the risks relating to the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions, taking into account the multiannual character of programmes as well as the nature of the payments (FR Art 32).

8 The remaining amount corresponds to amounts collected as domain leader for meeting rooms with a

view to refurbish some agencies's meeting rooms. As SCIC does not have a cost model yet to finance such non-baseline services, SCIC simply relies on external service providers to perform those tasks.


Coverage of the Internal Control Objectives and their related main indicators

Control effectiveness as regards legality and regularity

DG Interpretation has set up internal control processes aimed to ensure the adequate

management of the risks relating to the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions, taking into account the nature of the financial transactions concerned.

DG Interpretation has two separate financial circuits for its expenditure, one decentralised in Unit SCIC.B4, Joint Management of Conference Interpreting Agents, for

the remuneration of ACIs and the other, centralised in Unit SCIC.C2, Budget and Financial Management, for all other expenses, regardless of their funding (basic

appropriations, revenue, co-delegations, crossed sub-delegations and hors budget accounts). For both circuits, all financial transactions are subject to the 4-eyes principle

via ex ante controls supported by checklists.

Regular ex post controls are performed in areas where ex-ante control is decentralised, i.e. expenses related to non-local ACIs managed by SCIC.B4 (travel and accommodation,

ad hoc allowances, on a sample-based basis) and those with a higher risk of errors or irregularities, in particular grants, on an ad-hoc basis.

Whatever the concerned activity or nature of financing (budgetary appropriations, assigned revenue, subdelegated or codelegated funds), the internal control system

applied to procurement operations is the same. Only for additional or specific types of transactions, additional measures to the standard internal control system in place are

taken and are described in this document.

For its 3 strands of activities, DG SCIC collects assigned revenue, along the lines set out in the charge back guidance annexed to the Commission's internal rules.

For all its activities, recovery orders are issued as soon as the conditions for their issuance are met. All revenue operations are subject to a number of ex ante controls

supported by checklists. The four eyes principle applies to all transactions. Specific additional controls are described below, where applicable.

The risks identified in the Internal Control Templates related to public procurement are effectively mitigated through ex-ante verifications covering 100% of the transactions.

All procedures regarding procurement are documented and 100% of the tender

documents of procedures above 15,000€ are reviewed by Unit C2, Budget and Financial Management and approved by the responsible AOSD before they are published. Tenders

are assessed by evaluation committees as foreseen by the Financial Regulation and the absence of conflicts of interest of the committees members is ensured. The control

activities in place and outlined in Annexe 5 revealed no errors in 2017.

SCIC's procurement typology includes 50% of negotiated procedures, which is a

relatively high percentage compared to other Directorates-General. The underlying reason is that SCIC manages the organisation of conferences on budget lines co-

delegated by other DGs. In this area SCIC takes over services – and related procurement

procedures - that had previously been reported by the DGs when they were organising their conferences themselves.

Most negotiated procedures are low to very low value contracts needed to purchase very low value local services, such as hiring a photographer, or some speakers. In these

cases, the minimum competition requirements set out in the financial regulation are strictly observed. In total, negotiated procedures equated to only 2% when calculated

using the value of the contracts awarded which is by far below Commission average.


On other occasions, DG Interpretation had to conclude contracts with a single economic operator for acquiring certain services in the area of conference organisation. This is in

line with Article 134.b of the Financial Regulations when, for reason of technical of

operational exclusivity, no open competition can be organised. In all cases, evidence of the exclusivity is fully documented. The rest of the purchases are based on framework

contracts concluded by DG Interpretation (conference organisation, meeting rooms management) or by other DGs (IT contracts concluded by DIGIT, training contracts

concluded by DG HR, etc).

Following a cost benefit analysis, considering the limited number of transactions, the

intensive use of framework contracts, the structure of the financial circuits and the results of the ex ante controls, no ex-post controls are performed on procurement and

therefore there is no detected error rate for procurement transactions.

SCIC public procurement procedures were audited by the Internal Auditor in 2016 and it

was concluded that the internal control system in place in DG Interpretation for the

procurement process provides reasonable assurance regarding its compliance with the Financial Regulation and its Rules of Application as well as its efficient and effective

management.

In 2017 DG Interpretation conducted 50 different accounting controls on a monthly,

quarterly or yearly basis in the area of expenditure, pre-financing, assets, guarantees and income, which we complemented with an ad-hoc control at the end of the year

examining commitments and contracts. As a result of them the DG performed 80 corrections, out of which 25 had no financial impact on financial statements. The global

impact of corrections with a financial impact represents 0.06% of the total financial

statements, which is well below 2% materiality threshold. In addition, DG Budget performed an assessment of the DG Interpretation accounting quality programme, result

of which the accounting risk for the DG was assessed as low9.

A simplified table supports this information:

Interpretation and linked activities

Expenditure

In order to support this activity, DG Interpretation manages a total budget of

51,928,427.84 € under direct centralised mode. The control objective is to ensure that

9 Ares (2017)5490017


the residual error rate does not exceed 1% annually.

The budget for this ABB is distributed between

Staff expenditure (payment of ACIs, individual professional support actions,

mission expenses – 91.3% or 47,385,624.07€)

Procurement (7.5% or 3,905,240.15€in 2017) which includes expenditures

linked to IT and professional support

Grants (1.2% or 637,563.62€ in 2017), which cover scholarships and grants

awarded to students studying conference interpretation and to universities.

The bulk of expenditure is linked to the payment of ACIs. ACIs are employed when

needed by the DG on a day-by-day contract basis to ensure it can meet demand for interpretation and achieve its mission and strategic objectives.

Payments to ACIs are, for the most part, a fully automated and repetitive procedure, with all relevant data managed through a single, integrated information system (Management

of Interpretation and Meetings -MIM) which ensures a high level of data integrity.

Within this activity, the payment of some allowances and reimbursement of transport and accommodation costs of ACIs on mission is an area where fraud and/or errors could

occur with smaller, one-off payments. However, access to prepaid travel tickets, implementation of the APR system (web-based expenses claims for non-permanent

interpreters) and various automated checks considerably circumvent risk of error.

In all cases where reimbursements are paid to ACIs, 100% of all requests are subject to

an ex ante control before payment. They are also subject to random ex post controls (a sampling of 1.2% of payments in value), where the average error rate found is

continuously far under the materiality threshold, in 2017, this figure was 0.002%.

The other staff expenditure are either processed by PMO (mission expenses) or via the usual SCIC centralised financial circuit. Grants and procurement operations are also

processed by the Budget and Finance Unit, SCIC.C2.

The intrinsic risks associated with staff expenditure, procurement and grant management

expenditure managed by DG Interpretation are considered relatively low.

In terms of Grant Management, the application of evaluation and award criteria ensure

that only universities and students offering or starting courses for languages where there is an identified need, receive funding from the DG. The list of current priority language

profiles is provided for potential candidates and universities on the Interpreting for

Europe pages. Grants are awarded by the responsible AOSD, on the basis of announced evaluation and award criteria verified by a designated evaluation committee. Ad hoc ex

post controls are also carried out on some grants.

In line with the templates in Annex 5, no exceptions were registered for this area and the

DG received no complaints related to the grant procedure. The controls and monitoring activities in place and outlined in Annex 5 have revealed no errors and have remained

consistent with regards to previous years.

Revenues

For the provision of interpretation services, DG Interpretation has set up a uniform and

automatic compensation mechanism with a unique compensation rate, the “i-slot”. The i-slot corresponds to the average cost of a half day of an interpreter, making the

compensation system transparent for our fee-paying users.

In 2017, DG Interpretation banked 85.9M€ in revenues from its fee-paying


interpretation users. Revenue collection is supported by the DG's single, integrated management system and is monitored on a daily basis by SCICView (the DG's reporting

and monitoring tool). Errors detected in the course of the invoicing procedure are

corrected immediately.

In accordance with the inter-institutional charge back guidance, 48.2M€ of the revenue

was assigned to PMO to compensate for the salary of interpreters having worked for the other Institutions.

Support to Meetings, Conferences and Events

Expenditure

The budget managed by the DG in 2017 for its other strategic activities (Support to

Meetings, Conferences and Events), is €3.1M and is used for procurement related to SCIC's role as corporate domain leader for meeting rooms management.

In addition, in 2017, the amount of 6.1 M€ was entrusted to DG Interpretation under the

co-delegation regime for the organisation of conferences on behalf of other Commission services, which is related to its role as corporate domain leader for conference

organisation.

Revenue

In 2017, SCIC concluded a limited number of agreements in order to build or refurbish meeting rooms belonging to EU Agencies. Once the agreement was signed, a recovery

order was issued to collect the amounts needed to purchase the equipment and outsource the installation of the meeting room, SCIC's task being mostly to give guidance

and technical support in the process. Ordering of equipment and installation services

starts only once the revenue is cashed, as SCIC does not have enough resources to frontload such expenses.

In 2017 SCIC did not charge back the use of its own resources.

Overall Conclusion

In conclusion, the analysis of the available control results, the assessment of the weaknesses identified and that of their relative impact on legality and regularity has not

unveiled any significant weakness which could have a material impact as regards the legality and regularity of the financial operations and it is possible to conclude that the

control objective as regards legality and regularity has been achieved.

In the context of the protection of the EU budget, at the Commission's corporate level, the DGs' estimated overall amounts at risk and their estimated future corrections are

consolidated.

For DG Interpretation, the estimated overall amount at risk at payment10 for the 2017

payments is 0.3M€. This is the AOD's best, conservative estimation of the share of relevant expenditure11 during the year (60.97M€) that might not be in conformity with

the applicable contractual and regulatory provisions at the time the invoice is registered into SCIC's accounts.

10 In order to calculate the weighted average error rate (AER) for the total relevant expenditure in the

reporting year, the detected, estimated or other equivalent error rates have been used.

11 "Relevant expenditure" during the year = payments made, minus new pre-financing paid out,plus previously paid pre-financing which was cleared in the reporting year.


Given the nature of its expenditures (mostly remunerations), all errors detected by ex post controls are corrected immediately. The residual error rate (based on the guidance

from DG BUDGET) is 0.5%. However for the main expenditure for DG SCIC, the

payments of freelance contracts, the actual detected error rate for 2017 is 0.002% on 85% of the total budget. The average of the two rates is 0.0767% of the total payments.

This leads to the estimated overall amount at risk at closure of 0.3M€ based on an 0.5% error rate. The same figure based on a 0.0767% error rate is 0.047M€.


Estimated overall amount at risk at closure

DG

Interpretati

on

"payments

made" (FY;

m€)

minus newa

prefinancing

[plus

retentions

madeb] (in

FY; m€)

plus clearedc

prefinancing

[minus

retentions

releasedb and

deductions of

expenditure

made by MS]

(in FY; m€)

= "relevant

expenditure"d

(for the FY; m€)

Average Error

Rate (weighted

AER; %)

estimated

overall

amount at

risk at

payment

(FY; m€)

Average

Recoveries

and

Corrections

(adjusted

ARC; %)

estimated

future

corrections

[and

deductions]

(for FY; m€)

estimated

overall

amount at

risk at

closuree

(m€)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Programme,

Budget

Line(s), or

other relevant

level f

as per AAR

annex 3,

table 2 f

as per ABAC

DWH BO

report on

prefinancing f

-

as per ABAC

DWH BO

report on

prefinancing f

= (2) –/+ (3) +/-

(4)

Detected error

rates, or

equivalentg

estimates f

= (5) x (6) based on 7Y-

avg historic

H-ARC (as

per ABAC

DWH BO

report on

corrective

capacity)

= (5) x (8) = (7) – (9)

Total budget

where SCIC is

AOSD for

payments

61.07m€12 0.7m€ 0.6m€ 60.97m€ 0.5%13 0.3 0% 0 0.3m€

a New PF actually paid by out the DG itself during the FY (i.e. excluding any PF received as transfer from another DG)

12 The outstanding pre-financing amount is already included in the figure in table 2, Annex 3

13 Following the recommendation given by DG BUDGET, DG Interpretation has used a conservate estimate for the error rate of 0.5%, although the actual detected error rate is

0.002% on 85% of the DG's budget related to the payments of non-permanent interpreters’ remunerations. Taking this into consideration, the final overall amount at risk

amounts 0.047m€.


Cost-effectiveness and efficiency

Based on an assessment of the most relevant key indicators and control results,

DG Interpretation has assessed the cost-effectiveness and the efficiency of the

control system and has reached a positive conclusion.

Cost-effectiveness of controls

The principle of efficiency concerns the best relationship between resources

employed and results achieved. The principle of economy requires that the resources used by the institution in the pursuit of its activities shall be made

available in due time, in appropriate quantity and quality and at the best price.

DG Interpretation quantifies the costs of the resources and inputs required for

carrying out the controls described in annex 5 and estimates, in so far as

possible, their benefits in terms of the amount of errors and irregularities prevented, detected and corrected by these controls.

The mandatory indicators for grants are shown in the table below and compared to previous years, DG SCIC has maintained its performance in this area:

Indicator Results 2017

Ex-ante

controls

Average time to inform applicants (art 128 FR)

44 days

Average time to sign grant agreements or

notify grant decisions (art 128 FR)

20 days

Average time to pay (% on time) (art 92

FR)

10 days (100% on

time)

Average evaluation benefit per proposal Non–quantifiable (preventive)

Average project management benefit per

proposal

Non–quantifiable

(preventive)

Average cost of ex-ante control 617,2€

There are no systemic ex-post controls for grants

With most interpretation users, DG Interpretation has concluded Service Level

Agreements (SLAs), in particular where there is a significant volume or frequency of the use of interpretation. The fee paying users have an access to a portal with

all information related to their meeting requests and subsequent compensation calculation. Transparency and automation of the system allows for an effective

and timely collection of the payments for the provision of interpretation services. On 31/12/2017, SCIC had 20 SLAs in place with other Institutions, Agencies or

Member States for the provision of interpretation. Except those with the Presidencies, such agreements have no limitation in time.

Depending on the details of the SLA, interpretation is paid per month or per

quarter. As assigned revenue represent 2/3 of the financing of the interpretation


activity, it is essential to ensure that at least one quarter of the yearly assigned

revenue is already collected at the start of the year and that, all the year long, revenues are cashed regularly. The average time from the issuing of recovery

orders and their cashing for the 3 most important service users is therefore a

very important indicator of effectiveness. It was 58.9 days, below SCIC target of 65 days on average.

To manage conferences under codelegation regime, SCIC also concluded agreements with 20 Commission DGs. When the DG needs to organise a

conference, it can agree with SCIC to entrust it with the logistical and financial management of the event. In this case, corresponding funds for the organisation

the conference are transferred to DG Interpretation who manages them as AOD. As conferences are funded via codelegations, no recovery orders are issued for

this activity.

SCIC has also concluded framework agreements allowing it to assist 6 DGs and Agencies to build or refurbish their meeting rooms. Once a specific project is

agreed, a specific agreement specifies the details of the project, especially its schedule, the roles and responsibilities of the parties and its cost. Once a specific

agreement is signed, the corresponding recovery order is issued. As mentioned earlier, for the time being, only the external costs are charged to the DGs or

agencies.

The data for Average Payment Times displayed in Table 6, in Annex 3, does not

include payments to freelance interpreters. These payments are processed via

DG Interpretation's local system, Grif. This does not distort average figures as these payments are subject to specific deadlines.

In terms of overall control cost-effectiveness, the cost of FTE staff involved in financial management and control of the grant programme represents 9.6% of

the total value of operational payments made. This has decreased from the previous year due increased interpretation activities and the budget for co-

delegated conferences in 2017 doubled compared to 2016.

Compared to other DGs, relative cost of control can appear to be high for

individual processes (such as Grant Management) but this is due to the fact that

irrespective of the (very low) individual value of transactions, they are subject to the same control rules (eg 4 eyes principle cannot be modulated according to the

transaction value) and to the same number of encoding data.

Cost of controls

Total

Cost of Controls

Payments

made/ Revenue

Payment of ACI Contracts (consisting of processes 1 & 2 , Annex 5)

1,841,480€

Totals Costs 1,841,480€ 51.9M€ 3.55%

Revenue Collection 308,880€

Total Costs 308,880€ 89M€ 0.35%

Grant Management

Stage 1 – Programming, evaluation and selection

214,500€


Stage 2 – Contracting 214,500€

Stage 3 – Monitoring the execution (financial circuits)

159,016€

Total ex-ante = 588,016€

Total ex-post = No ex-post controls €0

Total costs = 588,016€ 0.64M€ 92%

Direct Procurement

Stage 1 – Programming, evaluation and selection

2,019,050€

Stage 2 – Contracting 983,840€

Stage 3 – Monitoring the execution (financial circuits)

574,860€

Total ex-ante = 3,577,750€

Total ex-post = No ex-post controls 0

Total costs = 3,577,750€ 10M€ 35.78%

• Control efficiency

DG Interpretation quantifies the costs of the resources and inputs required for carrying out the controls described in annex 5 and estimates, in so far as

possible, their benefits in terms of the amount of errors and irregularities prevented, detected and corrected by these controls (as per Annex 3, table 8). In

addition, there are also a number of non-quantifiable but undeniable benefits resulting from the controls operated. DG Interpretation considers that the

necessity of these controls is undisputable, as the totality of the appropriations

would be at risk if the above controls were not in place.

In 2017 1510 payments were processed in ABAC within an average 17.09 days

excluding suspension periods. The Average Payment Time includes an average of 4.9 days for the processing time of the payments in the horizontal services.

Statistics report that 64 payments were late (4.24%). 12 were related to a specific type of processing where central service take on average 12.6 days for

processing them and 19, from transactions on codelegated budget lines. Experience has shown that for the latter, it is often the result of the payment of

invoices received at the very end of the year and payable from payment

appropriations. To avoid loosing payment appropriations, SCIC requests their transfer only once the invoice is ready for payment and at the beginning of the

year, with the accounting closure operations, transfers may take a bit longer.

Conclusion(s)

Based on the review undertaken, controls are cost-effective and efficient, no revisions were considered needed.

Fraud prevention and detection

DG Interpretation has developed and implemented its own anti-fraud strategy

since 2014, elaborated on the basis of the methodology provided by OLAF. DG


Interpretation conducted an in-depth review of the Anti-fraud risks assessment

and updated its Anti-Fraud Strategy in 2015 and found no indication of an increased risk of fraud. With these elements in mind, the DG focussed on

updating the Ethics Guide for all staff and raising awareness on key issues

through various lunchtime sessions. Another review of the Anti-fraud Strategy was started in 2017 and a complete report will be published in 2018.

The DG's anti-fraud strategy highlights the fact that the nature and individual value of the transactions, the types of contracting modalities and the internal

organisation of DG Interpretation (systematic segregation of duties, effective automated monitoring tools, etc) result in a low level of risk exposure to fraud.

The main focus is on the coordination between the DG's ethics policy and its anti-fraud strategy and to ensure that the two sectors continue to work towards

producing a comprehensive and coherent message for all stakeholders, especially

staff and freelance interpreters assigned to sensitive meetings or possibly witness of unethical behaviours from participants. As the central ethics training is not

sufficiently attended by newcomers, and considering the specific needs of the interpreters'population, SCIC has now decided to develop a specific training

material to better cover its needs.

No instances of fraud have been detected or reported in 2017. Each time a

possible risk of fraud is identified as part of regular controls, especially in the area of financial management, remedial actions are adopted. For instance in

2017, the finance unit and the operational unit in charge of professional

development have further clarified the nature of some supporting documents to be accepted as basis to justify cost claims, since the AOSDs for payments had

found that on certain occasions, documents were not sufficiently convincing.

Other control objectives: safeguarding of assets and information,

reliability of reporting

Due to the fact that DG Interpretation assumes a role similar to EPSO, PMO and HR, and therefore includes a number of their responsibilities for ACIs, the DG is

obliged to hold a great deal of personal information of the ACIs.

The DG is fully compliant with current Data Protection legislation14 and has ensured that sensitive information is protected and processed according to the

Notification in the Data Protection Register.

DG Interpretation manages tangible assets for operational purposes. The

tangible assets managed are the audio-visual equipment required in meeting rooms.

DG Interpretation has implemented multiple internal procedures in order to safeguard these assets. DG Interpretation tracks the location of all items

purchased as soon as they are delivered to its warehouse, after its installation

and any subsequent movement, for example, when they are sent for repair.

Since the DG has been designated domain leader for meeting rooms

management, it is responsible for the inventory of all audio visual equipment

14 45/2001


used in meeting rooms. DG Interpretation found that purchased equipment was

in the past not always registered in the Commission inventory. The use of the corporate e-procurement suite used for the management of the framework

contract should simplify all DGs to introduce equipment bought via the audio

visual framework contract to be added in the centralised inventory. The centralisation of all audio visual acquisitions and support services in DG

Interpretation should further help improving the audio visual inventory.

DG Interpretation performs an bi-annual tracking exercise of inventoried items in

meeting rooms managed by SCIC to ensure the maximum number of much items are identified.

Quantity controls of items in the DG Interpretation warehouse on assets (equipment, etc.) or on non-assets (consumables) are made regularly in order to

ensure minimum disruptions in meeting rooms.


2.1.2 Audit observations and recommendations

This section reports and assesses the observations, opinions and conclusions reported by auditors in their reports as well as the limited conclusion of the

Internal Auditor on the state of control, which could have a material impact on

the achievement of the internal control objectives, and therefore on assurance, together with any management measures taken in response to the audit

recommendations.

During the course of 2017, no new audits were performed by the Internal Audit

Service in DG Interpretation and the Court of Auditors did not report any observation as part of its DAS controls.

The DG had outstanding recommendations resulting from the IAS 2016 audit on the procurement process. Based on the results of the audit, the IAS concluded

that the internal control system in place in DG Interpretation for the procurement

process provides reasonable assurance regarding its compliance with the Financial Regulation and its Rules of Application as well as its efficient and

effective management except for one very important finding "Weaknesses in the procurement procedures", a compliance issue (observation number 1). The three

audit findings made by the IAS, (one very important and two important) were closed by management in the end of 2016 and during 2017. The IAS is currently

carrying out a follow-up engagement to assess the effective implementation.

With regards to the 2013 Audit for technical support provided to meetings and

conferences, carried out by the former IAC in 2013 and followed up by the IAS,

four recommendations remained outstanding at the beginning of 2017, one of which was rated as very important and the others, as important.

In 2016, the IAS acknowledged that the implementation of the audit recommendations was largely affected by Communication on Synergies and

Efficiencies Review, which explicitly clarified DG Interpretation's mandate with respect to events and meeting room management, including the assignment of

the ownership of the corporate process to DG Interpretation. The IAS considered that the original recommendation and related risks are still relevant but the

cirucmstances changed following the Synergies and Efficiency Review and the

target dates have bee superseded. Based on these audit conclusions, a new action plan addressing the outstanding issues was drawn up in 2016.

All four outstanding recommendations in the new action plan were closed by management in accordance with the dates set in the new action plan, i.e. by the

end of 2017 or even before. The actions were:

Establish a list of meeting rooms that will be managed by DG

Interpretation (recommendation no. 2, rated 'important') Define and validate a service management plan (recommendation no. 3,

rated 'very important')

The use of the IT tool for this process will need to be defined (recommendation no. 4, rated 'important')

A quality assurance and improvement programme for the provision of the technical services will need to be developed (recommendation no. 5, rated

'important').


Conclusion of the Internal Auditor on the state of internal control in DG

SCIC15

Based on all work undertaken by the IAS in the period 2015-2017, namely,

Audit on the procurement process (2016)

and taking into account that:

management has adopted action plans to implement recommendations

made by the IAS in 2015-2017 and accepted by management and which the IAS considers adequate to address the residual risks identified by the

auditors,

the implementation of these plans is monitored through reports by

management and follow-up audits by the IAS,

management has assessed a number of action plans as implemented

which have not yet been followed up by the IAS, and,

management has not rejected any 'critical' and/or 'very important' recommendations.

The Internal Auditor has concluded that the internal control systems audited are effective.

15 IAS contribution to the 2017 Annual Activity Report process (ARES (2018)

752145 - 08/02/2018


2.1.3 Assessment of the effectiveness of the

internal control systems

The Commission has adopted an Internal Control Framework based on

international good practice, aimed to ensure the achievement of policy and operational objectives. In addition, as regards financial management, compliance

with the internal control framework is a compulsory requirement.

DG Interpretation has put in place the organisational structure and the internal

control systems suited to the achievement of the policy and control objectives, in accordance with the standards and having due regard to the risks associated with

the environment in which it operates.

The assessment of the effectiveness of internal control systems in the DG has

been carried out through a review of the register of exceptions and the risk

assessment exercise in the DG. There was no internal control survey (ICAT) this year due to the implementation of the Commission's new Internal Control

Framework. This is planned for 2018.

The internal control assessment of the Director in charge of Risk management

and Internal Control (RMIC) examined all areas linked to the differentInternal Control Standards such as the follow-up of audits, implementation of the internal

control standards and a review of the actions taken related to the DG's anti-fraud strategy. No systemic weaknesses were identified or major improvements

required in the DG's internal control system

DG Interpretation has assessed its internal control system during the reporting year and has concluded that it is effective and that the components and

principles are present and functioning as intended.


2.1.4 Conclusions as regards assurance

This section reviews the assessment of the elements reported above (in Sections 2.1.1, 2.1.2 and 2.1.3) and draws conclusions supporting the

declaration of assurance and whether it should be qualified with

reservations.

The information reported in Section 2.1 stems from the results of management

and auditor monitoring contained in the reports listed. These reports result from a systematic analysis of the evidence available. This approach provides sufficient

guarantees as to the completeness and reliability of the information reported and results in a comprehensive coverage of the budget delegated to the Director-

General of DG Interpretation.

DG Interpretation's assessment on legality and regularity of the activities it

manages returns a low level of error. Given the nature of its expenditures

(mostly remunerations), all errors detected by ex post controls are corrected immediately. The residual error rate is 0.5%.

DG Interpretation has implemented all possible suitable ex-ante and ex-post controls, to the extent that they remain cost-effective and do not affect the other

policy/programme objectives nor abandon the financial scheme.

Therefore, under the prevailing risk environment and from a managerial point of

view, DG Interpretation's AOD can sign the Declaration.

Overall Conclusion

In conclusion, management has reasonable assurance that, overall, suitable controls are in place and working as intended; risks are being

appropriately monitored and mitigated; and necessary improvements and reinforcements are being implemented. The Director General, in his

capacity as Authorising Officer by Delegation has signed the Declaration of Assurance.


2.1.5 Declaration of Assurance


DECLARATION OF ASSURANCE

I, the undersigned,

Director-General of DG Interpretation,

In my capacity as authorising officer by delegation,

Declare that the information contained in this report gives a true and fair view16.

State that I have reasonable assurance that the resources assigned to the

activities described in this report have been used for their intended purpose and

in accordance with the principles of sound financial management, and that the

control procedures put in place give the necessary guarantees concerning the

legality and regularity of the underlying transactions.

This reasonable assurance is based on my own judgement and on the

information at my disposal, such as the results of the self-assessment, ex-post

controls, the limited conclusion of the Internal Auditor on the state of control

and the observations of the Internal Audit Service for years prior to the year of

this declaration.

Confirm that I am not aware of anything not reported here which could harm the

interests of the Commission.

Place: Brussels., date: 27/03/2018

(e-signed)

Florika Fink-Hooijer

16 True and fair in this context means a reliable, complete and correct view on the state of

affairs in the DG/Executive Agency.


2.2 Other organisational management dimensions

In 2017, DG SCIC has put in place a wide interinstitutional framework

contract for audiovisual equipment and services worth EUR 60 million.

With this new framework contract in place, DG SCIC estimates 10% of savings regarding audiovisual expenditures in the Commission. The framework contract

will also contribute to further professionalising the audio-visual services offered to line DGs.

For extensive reporting on all components (Human Resource Management, Information Management and External Communication Activities), please refer to

Annex 2.

2.2.1 Human resource management

2.2.2 Better regulation

n/a

2.2.3 Information management aspects

2.2.4 External communication activities


ANNEXES

ANNEX 1: Statement of the Resources Director

“I declare that in accordance with the Commission’s communication on

clarification of the responsibilities of the key actors in the domain of internal

audit and internal control in the Commission17, I have reported my advice and

recommendations to the Director-General on the overall state of internal control

in the DG.

I hereby certify that the information provided in Section 2 of the present AAR

and in its annexes is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate and complete.”

Date: Brussels, 27/03/2018

(e-signed)

Gianluca Pecchi

17 Communication to the Commission: Clarification of the responsibilities of the key actors in

the domain of internal audit and internal control in the Commission; SEC(2003)59 of 21.01.2003.


ANNEX 2: Reporting – Human Resources, Better

Regulation, Information Management and External

Communication

Objective: The DG deploys effectively its resources in support of the delivery of

the Commission's priorities and core business, has a competent and engaged

workforce, which is driven by an effective and gender-balanced management and

which can deploy its full potential within supportive and healthy working

conditions.

Indicator 1: Percentage of female appointed to their first management post by

end of 201918

Source of data: HR dashboard

Baseline

(2015)

1post

Target

(2020)

6 posts%

Latest known results

(2017)

2 posts

Further to the overall female

representation in middle

management jobs, SCIC has a

target to appoint 6 women to

their first management post by

end of 2019. At the end of 2017

this target was fulfilled to 33%,

meaning that 2 women were

selected for their first middle

management position between

1/5/2017 (implementation of the

Communication on the quota)

and the end of the year. In

addition, the selection procedure

for a third appointment was

finalised in 2017 as well as 1

person who had already been

appointed before an official cut-

off date

DG SCIC has reached its target in 2017 and beyond for female middle managers

and benefits from a gender-balanced management. Female ADs (69% of AD staff) were encouraged to take up managerial functions both on middle

management and senior management levels. The actions included formal and informal learning paths as well as appointment to AD interim managerial posts,

when available.

18 SEC(2017)359 final


The selection panels followed the corporate guidelines on equal opportunity.

Indicator 2 : Percentage of staff who feel that the Commission cares about their

well-being

Source of data: Commission staff survey

Baseline (2015)

43.3%

Target

(2020)

50%


(2016)

45%

SCIC's 2016 staff survey result is 10% above the Commission average. After the survey DG HR launched a Health and Wellbeing Action Plan for 2017-2020 which

identified 77 actions at corporate level and which aims to increase the health and wellbeing of staff. The corporate action plan includes new and existing initiatives,

many of which will be adapted or increased. The HR AMC promotes corporate initiatives to SCIC staff, also initiates local SCIC activities and is in regular

contact with the BC team to liaise on the needs of the DG.

Indicator 3: Staff engagement index

Source of data: Commission staff survey

Baseline

(2015)

74.2%

Target

(2020)

75%


(2016)

74%

Indicator 4: Average number of passive languages and retours per interpreter

Source of data: SCICview

Baseline

(2015)

4.2

Target

(2020)

4.2


(2017)

Main outputs in 2017:

Description Indicator Target Latest known

results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Equal opportunities (female representation in middle management)

Maintain the current

balanced representation rate

Representation rate 50% 55.9%

Well-being of staff Highlight the local

fit@work actions

Well-being rating in

Staff survey

Over 50% Next staff survey in October 2018.

Smooth transition to a

new office

Timely information

on leaving B100

100% 100%

Prior to the move staff was regularly


accommodation informed on their

new office space in various forms (

twice at DG breakfasts, mails

etc.). In addition a special Q&A session

between SCIC staff and OIB was

organised by SCIC

to present the new building, available

services nearby and timing.

Revamping DG

Interpretation's web

presence by better presenting its services

offered (interpretation, conference

organisation and room management)

Launch of the project Delivery by mid-

2017

Project launched

and ready for

implementation by mid 2018.

Available information relating

to conference organisation have

been improved and offer a more

complete view of

the integrated services offered by

the DG

Staff engagement All-staff event as follow up to reflection

groups

Percentage of staff who participate

40% 25% Follow up to the All

Staff day given on

SCICnet, in dedicated meetings

at RD and MM level. Awareness week on safety/security,

including ethics,

business continuity, IT and cyber security,

access to information, etc.

Satisfaction level of participants

85% 80% Topical and

interesting lunch

time training sessions provided

by HR, DS, medical service, also from

other institutions. All information

made available for all staff on SCICnet

and dedicated

information mail to all staff.

Strengthening of the

information flow and understanding of the

cross-cutting priorities

of the DG

Level of positive

responses in Staff Survey

75% Next Staff survey to

be organised in October 2018.


Strengthening of the

practice of "rotateurs" (staff interpreters

working part of their time in administrative

units) in order to widen their

professional perspectives and

motivation

Percentage of

rotateur posts filled

100% 100%

Professional support for interpreters Further reflection on

the possibility of creating a single

platform for DG Interpretation’s

e-learning tools and

activities.

Report by the

Reflection Group on e-learning and how it

feeds into the new Knowledge Centre

Delivery

(progress towards new platform in the

Knowledge Centre).

Completed

Succession planning

Adequate succession planning via the work

of the MARS group allowing for better

targeting of future

interpreter recruitments and

defining priorities for language learning

A list per interpreting unit of possible

departures and effects on language

coverage in the unit

23 lists Delivered. There is also a dynamic

summary MARS table which

indicates the ideal

range of permanent interpreter posts

per unit, follows up the evolution and

suggests required action.

In order to support the well-being of staff in terms of improving the internal communication channels, a new version of SCICnet, the DG's intranet site

will be opened up to all DGs, using the Commission's corporate look and feel and offering an improved structure and content. This has been extensively discussed

with all key actors and users and is ready for implementation (first half of 2018).

During the year, interviews have been conducted with all staff, including middle

and senior managers, in order to explain the various tasks in SCIC and to give a face behind each activity, have been published on (almost) weekly basis.

On the "My Intracomm" pages of the DG which are currently open to the rest of

the Commission, the presentation of conference organisation services has been fully revised. Pages on room management will be revised together with

the interpretation pages in 2018.

In terms of succession planning, the MARS strategy document, approved in

March, established the optimal staffing levels for each language unit and presented an overview of the scheduled departures, the foreseeable shortfalls

and the actions to be taken in order to address the problems identified in the 23


language units. Recruitments of Temporary Agents and EPSO competition

laureates proceeded subsequently throughout 2017 on this basis. In addition, and as agreed in the framework of this strategy, the organisation of 2 internal

competitions (1 general for interpreters and another for the post of HoU of the

Croatian unit) were requested to and agreed by DG HR. These competitions are scheduled to be launched in the course of 2018.

A. Financial Management: Internal control and Risk management

Overarching objective: The Authorising Officer by Delegation should have

reasonable assurance that resources have been used in accordance with the

principles of sound financial management, and that the control procedures put

in place give the necessary guarantees concerning the legality and regularity

of the underlying transactions including prevention, detection, correction and

follow-up of fraud and irregularities.

Objective 1: Effective and reliable internal control system giving the

necessary guarantees concerning the legality and the regularity of the

underlying transactions


Indicator 1: Estimated residual error rate

Based on a risk analysis, ex-post controls are performed on a sampling basis on non-local ACIs expenditure

(which accounted for 68% of DG Interpretation’s executed budget in 2017). Since the control procedures

apply indinstinctly to them as well, ex-post controls are also performed on ACI payments made on behalf of

the European Parliament and the Court of Justice. All errors detected in the course of these ex-post controls

are corrected immediately.

Given the limited number of expenditure transactions (grants, procurement), DG Interpretation’s financial

circuits are based on systemic ex-ante controls rather than ex-post controls.

Source of data: Ex-post control report on ACIs transactions(Budget and Finance Unit)

Baseline

(2015)

Target Latest known results

(situation on 31/12/2017)

0.048% <1% 0.002%

Indicator 2: Estimated overall amount at risk for the year for the entire budget under the DG's

responsibility

The overall amount at risk is related to the expenditures under management of the DG. It does not include

the payments made on behalf of the European Parliament and the Court of Justice (around €20M).

Source of data: Ex-post control report (Budget and Finance Unit)

Baseline

(2015)

Target Latest known results


25K 25K

Indicator 3: Estimated future corrections

Not relevant to the DG's activities which are not multi-annual




results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Implementation of

the ex-post control

strategy

Value of errors

detected on the

sampled transactions

<1% 0.002%

Updated internal

specific guidance for

financial transactions

Delivery and

distribution to staff

involved in financial

circuits

100% by October

2017

100% in February

2017

Objective 2: Effective and reliable internal control system in line with sound

financial management.

Indicator 1: Conclusion reached on cost-effectiveness of controls (Positive

conclusion = Yes)

Source of data: SCICView (on the basis of DG BUDG guidelines for the 2014 AARs)

Baseline (2015) Target Latest known result

Yes Yes Yes



results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Awareness campaign

on the use of notes

of exception and

non-compliance

Delivery 100% by end

2017

New draft

procedure

principles

approved in RD in

December 2017,

Presentation to

management in

January 2018.

Objective 3: Minimisation of the risk of fraud through application of effective anti-fraud measures, integrated in all activities of the DG, based on the DG's anti-fraud

strategy (AFS) aimed at the prevention, detection and reparation of fraud.

Indicator 1: Updated anti-fraud strategy of DG Interpretation elaborated on the

basis of the methodology provided by OLAF Source of data: Budget and Finance Unit


Date of the last update: 2015

Yearly update To be published in Q1 2018


Indicator 2: Fraud awareness is increased for target population(s) as identified in

the DG’s AFS

Source of data: DG's AFS


DG Interpretation’s management is informed of

updates of the AFS every year in a dedicated

management meeting

Dedicated management meeting once a year

To be presented to senior

management Q1 2018

Indicator 3: Regular monitoring of the implementation of the anti-fraud strategy

and reporting on its result to management

Source of data: Budget and Finance Unit


Before December 2016 Strategy implementation

monitored and DG Management informed

Presentation together with the

updated AFS strategy



results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Annual update of the

anti-fraud strategy

Updated strategy 100% To be published in

Q1 2018

Compulsory training

for specific functions as identified in the

DG's AFS.

Training followed by

this population within 6 months from entry

in service

100%

Regular participation

in meetings of the anti-fraud network

Presence at meetings > 80% 83%

B. Information management

Objective: Information and knowledge in your DG is shared and reusable by other

DGs. Important documents are registered, filed and retrievable.

Indicator 1: Percentage of registered documents that are not filed

Source of data: Hermes-Ares-Nomcom (HAN) statistics

Baseline 2015 Target Latest known results

5.98% 5% 0.1%

Indicator 2: Number of HAN files readable/accessible by all units in the DG


Source of data: Hermes-Ares-Nomcom (HAN) statistics

Baseline 2015 Target Latest known results

56% 70% 68.2%


Description Indicator (e.g.

adoption by the

Commission;

completion)

Target date Latest known

results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Paperless workflows

for administrative

documents

Percentage of

electronic dossiers

for administrative

notes that circulate

in the DG

100% end March

2017

Completed

Paperless workflows

for documents related

to calls for tender

Percentage of

electronic dossiers

for calls for tender

that circulate in the

DG

100% end July

2017

95% end of

December 2017

Paperless workflows

for budgetary

commitments and

payments files (except

blue ink documents)

Percentage of

electronic dossiers

for contracts and

payments that

circulate in the DG

>70% end July

2017

Pilot started in July

2017. All transactions

from 2 units fully paperless at year

end.

Revision of existing

notifications (retention

schedules and

conservation of

information) following

the revision of Data

Protection Regulation

1045/2001

Percentage of

notifications revised

100% by end of

2017

The revised Regulation (EC)

1045/2001 will not

be adopted until 2018; therefore

revisions of existing notifications will not

be possible. However, a study is

being undertaken looking at the

impact within the

DG which should be completed before

the end of 2018.

Monitoring of

awareness-raising

campaigns on

openness of

information to all –

request to all HoUs to

justify requests for

limited access for new

Percentage of files

open within DG

Interpretation

65% end of 2017 68.2%


files created in 2017

Work has progressed in 2017 on the paperless circuits within the DG and all

administrative notes use the standard electronic workflows. The pilots will

continue in 2018 for the financial workflows.

C. External communication

Objective: Citizens perceive that the EU is working to improve their lives and

engage with the EU. They feel that their concerns are taken into consideration in

European decision making and they know about their rights in the EU.

Indicator 1: Percentage of EU citizens having a positive image of the EU

Eurobarometer measures the state of public opinion in the EU Member States. This global

indicator is influenced by many factors, including the work of other EU institutions and

national governments, as well as political and economic factors, not just the communication

actions of the Commission. It is relevant as a proxy for the overall perception of the EU

citizens. Positive visibility for the EU is the desirable corporate outcome of Commission

communication, even if individual DGs’ actions may only make a small contribution.

Source of data: Standard Eurobarometer (DG COMM budget)

Baseline: November 2014 Target: 2020 Latest known result

(2017)

Total "Positive": 39% Neutral: 37 %

Total "Negative": 22%

Positive image of the EU ≥ 50%


Description Indicator Target date Latest know results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Building audience on social

media channels (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter) and

preparing for specific

communication campaigns related to interpreter

training and selection

Increase in

followers 10% by end

of year - Voted 11th best

language themed Twitter account in the World, by

users of bab.la

- DG SCIC's Facebook page has the 7th most

engaged fans of all the Commissions 430 social

media accounts (with no paid advertising)

- 110,000 views of our content about the

European Development

Days - 120,000 views of our

content about EU Open Day

- The video with end of year wishes by

interpreters performed


better than 90% of

content ever published on European Commission

corporate page (the video reached 421.738 people

and was viewed by 87.225 unique users.)

- Continued interaction with citizens, other DGs

and Commissioners

- Average 230,000 views of our content per month

across all 4 social media channels we use

Outreach activities, in

particular

Video on the history of interpretation as

contribution to celebration of 60 years

of the Treaty of Rome Participation in

exhibitions and fairs (Commission Open Day,

DRONGO Festival in

Utrecht, exhibition on the "History of

Interpretation in the EU")

Delivery

Delivery

100% by

February 2017

100% by

2nd half 2017

Video:SCIC decided, in

agreement with the two

partner institutions (EP and the CoJ) in the frame

of ECI, not to go further and to stop/postpone this

project.

Exhibitions/fairs: -Commission's Open

Doors' Day

-European Development Days

-Drongo Festival

Creation of exhibition on

the history, situation and

future trends of interpreting in

collaboration with our institutional partner

interpreting services

Organisation 100% SCIC decided, in

agreement with the two

partner institutions (EP and the CoJ) in the frame

of ECI, not to go further and to stop/postpone this

project.

On the occasion of the Commission's Open Doors' Day on 6th May, DG

Interpretation's Strategic communication and Outreach Unit organised a full day program with 15 presentations and with interpretation. DG Interpretation

participated in the European Development Days on 7th and 8th June in

Brussels, with a stand to present the PAMCIT programme (Pan-African Masters Consortium in Interpretation and Translation). DG SCIC participated at the

Drongo Festival (29-30 September) together with the other institutions (DG Interpretation also produced the back drop for the common stand).The

communication unit also organised the DG's end of the year event (8 December).

The strategic communication and outreach unit produced the following videos

which served both internal and external communication and have been published


on different platforms (including the DG's intranet site and social media) and

presented at different events (Cuban reception, EDD etc.):

International cooperation, Cuba:

- Cooperation in interpretation between the European Union and the Republic of Cuba: the video presents the first ever cooperation

programme between the EU and the Republic of Cuba

International cooperation, PAMCIT/EDD: - Graduates success stories: a video collecting 13 individual

testimonies, subtitled;

- PAMCIT 2017: a video collecting interviews with the PAMCIT teachers, recorded during SCIC universities, subtitled

- European Development Days: a reportage about the PAMCIT stand at the European Development days, subtitled

- Training for trainers – PAMCIT: a video about the training offered

by the European Commission to trainers in partner universities, with the emphasis being put on the African trainers, subtitled

EU Presidency (both videos were also published on MyIntracomm and were among the most popular videos on the Commission's intranet):

- Estonian Presidency: a video presenting Estonia for interpreters in

view of the Estonian presidency - Bulgarian Presidency: based on same idea as the Estonian video

DG Interpretation as domain leader in conference organisation

- Video clip published on MyIntracomm promoting the DG among all other DGs as domain leader and service provider in conference

organisation

End of the year wishes - Video produced in cooperation with DG COMM and published on the

Commission's and SCIC's social media accounts

Annual communication spending (based on estimated commitments):

Baseline (2016): Target (2017):

Total amount spent Total of FTEs working on external communication

5,870.00€ 3,500.00 €

3,289.34 €

External and internal

communication have been

merged since 1st January 2017.

Head of Unit+1 AD+ 6 AST


ANNEX 3: Draft annual accounts and financial

reports

Annex 3 Financial Reports - DG SCIC - Financial Year 2017

Table 1 : Commitments

Table 2 : Payments

Table 3 : Commitments to be settled

Table 4 : Balance Sheet Table 5 : Statement of Financial Performance

Table 5 Bis: Off Balance Sheet

Table 6 : Average Payment Times

Table 7 : Income

Table 8 : Recovery of undue Payments Table 9 : Ageing Balance of Recovery Orders Table 10 : Waivers of Recovery Orders

Table 11 : Negotiated Procedures (excluding Building Contracts)

Table 12 : Summary of Procedures (excluding Building Contracts)

Table 13 : Building Contracts

Table 14 : Contracts declared Secret


Additional comments

Table 1: The level of commitments appears to be lower than available appropriations for Title 31. Authorised

appropriations include EUR 19.66 M of assigned revenue which was cashed during 2017 but not used to

finance activities during the year. The largest part of this amount is explained by the fact that as assigned

revenue represents 2/3 of the overall financing of SCIC's interpreting activities, it is used as an 'anticipé' on

revenue which is mostly consumed for long-term recruitment of freelance interpreters at the beginning of the

year. Another part (approximately EUR 3 M of revenue) was collected at the end of 2017 from Agencies,

other Institutions and DGs for the provision and installation of audio-visual and conference equipment, which

shall be implemented in 2018. Finally, EUR 3.7 M is related to the transfer of budgetary appropriations at the

end of the year in order to finance activities related to the implementation of the Synergies and Efficiency

communication on the 31.010703 and 31.010304 budget lines.

Table 2: As mentioned for the previous table, payment appropriations authorised for Title 31 include the same

amount of EUR 19.66 M of assigned revenue which was not committed in 2017. For Titles 01 and 13 the

payment appropriations equal zero, while the payment execution is correctly displayed as EUR 0.15 M and

EUR 0.06 M respectively. DG Budget was informed of the fact that the payment appropriations do not appear

in the report. They confirmed that this is due to the fact that payment appropriations were not transferred to

the appropriate level by the codelegating DGs. This issue shall be addressed for the reception of new

payment credits in 2018. Table 6: The data for Average Payment Times displayed in Table 6 do not include

payments to freelance interpreters that are processed via DG Interpretation's local system, Grif. This does not

distort average figures as these payments are subject to specific deadlines. It has to be noted that the figure

of 17.09 days for Average Payment Time includes an average of 4.92 days for the processing time in the

horizontal services. According to a detailed analysis of the report, for certain payments the latter figure was

significantly higher than the average. Out of the 64 payments noted as late 15 would have been made in time

if processing time of the horizontal services had not been higher than 5 days. It also has to be mentioned that

for the only invoice where a minor amount had to be paid as late interest the delay was due to a technical

problem in ABAC Assets.

Table 8: The amount initially mentioned in the 'Total undue payments recovered' field of the expenses budget

is not correct as it includes all credit notes which were requested to correct mistakes in invoices detected by

SCIC ex-ante controls, before any payment had been authorised.

Tables 7 and 9: There is a discrepancy between the figures shown in Table 7, column 7 ('Outstanding

balance'): EUR 282,464.20, and the one shown in Table 9, column titled 'Open Amount (Eur) at 31/12/2017':

EUR 24,582,464.20. This difference of EUR 24,300,000.00 is due to two non budgetary recovery orders

issued to the European Parliament and the Court of Justice enabling SCIC inter-institutional payment office to

pay the freelance interpreters recruited by these institutions. This is normal as the table 7 only refers to

BGUE, budget regime 'I' and table 9 includes CGUE as well.


TABLE 1: OUTTURN ON COMMITMENT APPROPRIATIONS IN 2017 (in Mio €) Commitment

appropriations authorised

Commitments made %

1 2 3=2/1

Title 01 Economic and financial affairs

01 01 02 Economic and monetary union 0,16 0,16

100,00 %

Total Title 01 0,16 0,16 100,00%

Title 02 Internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs

02 02 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Internal market,

industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs' policy area

0,09 0,09 100,00 %

Total Title 02 0,09 0,09 100,00%

Title 08 Research and innovation

08 08 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Research and

innovation' policy area 0,66 0,66 100,00 %

Total Title 08 0,66 0,66 100,00%

Title 09 Communications networks, content and technology

09 09 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Communications

networks, content and technology' policy area 0,09 0,09 100,00 %

09 04 Horizon 2020 1,31 1,31 100,00 %

Total Title 09 1,4 1,4 100,00%

Title 11 Maritime affairs and fisheries

11 11 06 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

1,57 1,57 100,00 %

Total Title 11 1,57 1,57 100,00%

Title 13 Regional and urban policy

13 13 03 European Regional Development Fund and other

regional operations 0,06 0,06 100,00 %

Total Title 13 0,06 0,06 100,00%

Title 20 Trade

20 20 02 Trade policy 0,21 0,21

100,00 %

Total Title 20 0,21 0,21 100,00% Title 23 Humanitarian aid and civil

C O o Ф o Q

.

23 23 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Humanitarian aid

and civil protection' policy area 0,07 0,07 100,00 %

23 03 The Union Civil Protection Mechanism 0,33 0,33 100,00 %

Total Title 23 0,4 0,4 100,00%

Title 25 Commission's policy coordination and legal advice

25 25 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Commission's

policy coordination and legal advice' policy area 0,04 0,04 100,00 %

Total Title 25 0,04 0,04 100,00%

Title 29 Statistics

29 29 02 The European statistical programme 0,07 0,07 100,00 %

Total Title 29 0,07 0,07 100,00%


* Commitment appropriations authorised include, in addition to the budget voted by the legislative authority,

appropriations carried over from the previous exercise, budget amendments as well as miscellaneous commitment

appropriations for the period (e.g. internal and external assigned revenue).

TABLE 1: OUTTURN ON COMMITMENT APPROPRIATIONS IN 2017 (in Mio €) Commitment

appropriations authorised

Commitments made %

1 2 3=2/1

Title 31 Language services

31 31 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Language services' policy area

78,02 58,31 74,73 %

Total Title 31 78,02 58,31 74,73%

Total DG SCIC 82,67 62,96 76,16 %


TABLE 2: OUTTURN ON PAYMENT APPROPRIATIONS IN 2017 (in Mio €)

Chapter Payment

appropriations authorised *

Payments made %

1 2 3=2/1

Title 01 Economic and financial affairs

01 01 02 Economic and monetary union 0 0,15

Total Title 01 0 0,15

Title 02 Internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs

02 02 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Internal market, industry,

entrepreneurship and SMEs' policy area 0,09 0,09 100,00 %

Total Title 02 0,09 0,09 100,00%

Title 08 Research and innovation

08 08 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Research and innovation' policy area

0,82 0,73 89,39 %

Total Title 08 0,82 0,73 89,39%

Title 09 Communications networks, content and technology

09 09 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Communications networks, content

and technology' policy area 0,09 0,09 100,00 %

09 04 Horizon 2020 1,84 1,84 100,00 %

Total Title 09 1,93 1,93 100,00%


11 11 06 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2,64 2,55 96,62 %

Total Title 11 2,64 2,55 96,62%

Title 13 Regional and urban policy

13 13 03 European Regional Development Fund and other regional operations 0 0,06


Title 14

14 14 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Taxation and customs union' policy

area 0,02 0,02 76,03 %

Total Title 14 0,02 0,02

76,03%

Title 17

17 17 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Health and food safety' policy area 0,03 0,03 90,24 %

Total Title 17 0,03 0,03 90,24%

Title 20 Trade

20 20 02 Trade policy 0,16 0,16 100,00 %


100,00%

Title 23 Humanitarian aid and civil protection

23 23 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Humanitarian aid and civil protection'

policy area 0,07 0,07 94,74 %

Total Title 23 0,07 0,07 94,74%

Title 25 Commission's policy coordination and legal advice

25 25 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Commission's policy coordination and

legal advice' policy area 0,04 0 0,00 %

Total Title 25 0,04 0

0,00%


* Payment appropriations authorised include, in addition to the budget voted by the legislative authority,

appropriations carried over from the previous exercise, budget amendments as well as miscellaneous payment

appropriations for the period (e.g. internal and external assigned revenue).

TABLE 2: OUTTURN ON PAYMENT APPROPRIATIONS IN 2017 (in Mio €)

Chapter Payment

appropriations authorised *

Payments made %

1 2 3=2/1

Title 29 Statistics

29 29 02 The European statistical programme 0,29 0,29 100,00 %

Total Title 29 0,29 0,29 100,00%

Title 31 Language services

31 31 01

Administrative expenditure of the 'Language services' policy area 78,76 55 69,83 %

Total Title 31 78,76 55 69,83%

Total DG SCIC 84,85 61,07 71,97 %


TABLE 3 : BREAKDOWN OF COMMITMENTS TO BE SETTLED AT 31/12/2017 (in Mio €)

2017 Commitments to be settled Commitments to be

settled from

Total of commitments to be settled at

end

Total of commitments to be

settled at end Chapter Commitments

2017 Payments 2017 RAL 2017 % to be settled financial years

previous to 2017 of financial year 2017 of financial year 2016

1 2 3=1-2 4=1-2/1 5 6=3+5 7

Title 01 : Economic and financial affairs

01 01 02 Economic and monetary union 0,16 0,00 0,16 100,00 % 0,00 0,16 0,16

Total Title 01 0,16 0,00 0,16

100,00% 0 0,16 0,16

Title 02 : Internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs

02 02 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Internal market,

industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs' policy area

0,09 0,09 0 0,00 % 0,00 0,00 0,00

Total Title 02 0,09 0,09 0

0,00% 0 0 0

Title 08 : Research and innovation

08 08 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Research and

innovation' policy area 0,66 0,57 0,09 13,03 % 0,00 0,09 0,16

Total Title 08 0,66 0,57 0,09 13,03% 0 0,09 0,16

Title 09 : Communications networks, content and technology

09 09 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Communications

networks, content and technology' policy area 0,09 0,09 0 0,00 % 0,00 0,00 0,00

09 04 Horizon 2020 1,31 1,28 0,04 2,72 % 0,00 0,04 0,59

Total Title 09 1,4 1,36 0,04 2,55% 0 0,04 0,59


11 11 06 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 1,57 1,16 0,41 25,98 % 0,22 0,63 1,67

Total Title 11 1,57 1,16 0,41 25,98% 0,22 0,63 1,67

Title 13 : Regional and urban policy

13 13 03 European Regional Development Fund and other

regional operations 0,06 0,06 0 0,00 % 0,00 0,00 0,00




settled from


settled at end

Total of commitments to be settled at end

Chapter

Commitments 2017 Payments 2017 RAL 2017 % to be settled financial years


1 2 3=1-2 4=1-2/1 5 6=3+5 7


0 0,00% 0 0 0

Title 14 :

14 14 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Taxation and

customs union' policy area 0 0,00 0 0,00 % 0,00 0,00 0,02


0 0,00% 0 0 0,02

Title 17 :

17 17 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Health and food

safety' policy area 0 0,00 0 0,00 % 0,00 0,00 0,03


0 0,00% 0 0 0,03

Title 20 : Trade

20 20 02 Trade policy 0,21 0,16 0,06 26,85 % 0,00 0,06 0,00

Total Title 20 0,21 0,16 0,06

26,85% 0 0,06 0

Title 23 : Humanitarian aid and civil protection

23 23 01 Administrative expenditure of the

'Humanitarian aid and civil protection' policy

area

0,07 0,07 0 5,26 % 0,00 0,00 0,00

23 03 The Union Civil Protection Mechanism

0,33 0,00 0,33 100,00 % 0,00 0,33 0,00

Total Title 23 0,4 0,07 0,33 82,94% 0 0,33 0

Title 25 : Commission's policy coordination and legal advice

25 25 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Commission's

policy coordination and legal advice' policy area 0,04 0,00 0,04 100,00 % 0,00 0,04 0,00


0,04 100,00% 0

0,04 0

Title 29 : Statistics




settled from


settled at end

Total of commitments to be settled at end

Chapter Commitments 2017 Payments 2017 RAL 2017 % to be settled financial years


1 2 3=1-2 4=1-2/1 5 6=3+5 7

29 29 02 The European statistical programme 0,07 0,04 0,04 47,62 % 0,00 0,04 0,32

Total Title 29 0,07 0,04 0,04 47,62% 0 0,04 0,32

Title 31 : Language services

31 31 01 Administrative expenditure of the 'Language

services' policy area 58,31 53,83 4,48 7,68 % 0,00 4,48 4,47

Total Title 31 58,31 53,83 4,48 7,68% 0 4,48 4,47

Total DG SCIC 62,96 57,33 5,63 8,94 % 0,22 5,85 7,42

TABLE 4 : BALANCE SHEET SCIC


It should be noted that the balance sheet and statement of financial performance presented in Annex 3 to this Annual Activity

Report, represent only the assets, liabilities, expenses and revenues that are under the control of this Directorate General.

Significant amounts such as own resource revenues and cash held in Commission bank accounts are not included in this

Directorate General's accounts since they are managed centrally by DG Budget, on whose balance sheet and statement of

financial performance they appear. Furthermore, since the accumulated result of the Commission is not split amongst the various

Directorates General, it can be seen that the balance sheet presented here is not in equilibrium.

BALANCE SHEET 2017 2016

A.I. NON CURRENT ASSETS

A.I.1.IntangibleAssets

A.I.2. Property, Plant and Equipment

A.II. CURRENT ASSETS

A.II.2.Current Pre-Financing

A.II.3. Curr Exch Receiv &Non-Ex Recoveral

A.II.6. Cash and Cash Equivalents

1.793.570,46

0,00

1.793.570,46

24.980.835,53

372.507,65

24.608.327,88

0,00

3.183.122,44

0,00

3.183.122,44

29.507.712,73

223.031,00

29.284.681,73

0,00

ASSETS 26.774.405,99 32.690.835,17

P.II. CURRENT LIABILITIES

P.II.2.CurrentProvisions

P.II.4. Current Payables

P.II.5. Current Accrued Charges &Defrd Incc

-27.969.268,82

0,00

-4.022.341,64

-23.946.927,18

-29.078.433,74

0,00

-4.076.023,98

-25.002.409,76

LIABILITIES -27.969.268,82 -29.078.433,74

NET ASSETS (ASSETS less LIABILITIES) -1.194.862,83 3.612.401,43

P.III.2. Accumulated Surplus/Deficit -134.577.407,56 -104.649.020,96

Non-allocated central (surplus)/deficit* 135.772.270,39 101.036.619,53

TOTAL 0,00 0,00

TABLE 5 : STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE SCIC


Additionally, the figures included in tables 4 and 5 are provisional since they are, at this date, still subject to audit by the Court of

Auditors. It is thus possible that amounts included in these tables may have to be adjusted following this audit.

The accounting situation presented in the Balance Sheet and Statement of Financial Performance does

not include the accruals and deferrals calculated centrally by the services of the Accounting Officer.

It has to be noted that the amount presented as 'CurrentDateQ Accrued Charges and Deferred Income'

corresponds to the balances of the suspense accounts of the European Parliament and the Court of

Justice. These accounts are used to make payments to freelance interpreters on behalf of these

Institutions. The balance at year-end (EUR -23,946,927.18) reflects the amount that is still available for

making necessary payments. When all payments related to a budget year are performed, the remaining

balance is returned to the corresponding institution. Also related to these accounts, EUR 24,300,000.00

is part of 'Curr Exch Receiv &Non-Ex Recover' and it is the result of 2 recovery orders issued but not

cashed at year-end on the above-mentioned suspense accounts.

It should be noted that the balance sheet and statement of financial performance presented in Annex 3 to this Annual Activity Report,

represent only the assets, liabilities, expenses and revenues that are under the control of this Directorate General. Significant amounts

such as own resource revenues and cash held in Commission bank accounts are not included in this Directorate General's accounts since

they are managed centrally by DG Budget, on whose balance sheet and statement of financial performance they appear. Furthermore,

since the accumulated result of the Commission is not split amongst the various Directorates General, it can be seen that the balance

sheet presented here is not in equilibrium.

Additionally, the figures included in tables 4 and 5 are provisional since they are, at this date, still subject to audit by the Court

of Auditors. It is thus possible that amounts included in these tables may have to be adjusted following this audit.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 2017 2016

II.1 REVENUES -97.234.760,94 -78.207.498,35

II.1.1. NON-EXCHANGE REVENUES -12.501.737,84 -11.051.575,83

II.1.1.6.OTHER NON-EXCHANGE REVEN -12.501.737,84 -11.051.575,83

II.1.2. EXCHANGE REVENUES -84.733.023,1 -67.155.922,52

II.1.2.2. OTHER EXCHANGE REVENUE -84.733.023,10 -67.155.922,52

II.2. EXPENSES 61.839.663,6 48.279.111,75

II.2. EXPENSES 61.839.663,6 48.279.111,75

II.2.10.OTHER EXPENSES 57.081.708,31 46.293.835,34

II.2.2. EXP IMPLEM BY COMMISS&EX.AC 5.120.003,80 2.348.234,32

II.2.6. STAFF AND PENSION COSTS -362.250,00 -362.957,91

II.2.8. FINANCE COSTS 201,49

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE -35.395.097,34 -29.928.386,60

TABLE 5bis : OFF BALANCE SHEET SCIC


It should be noted that the balance sheet and statement of financial performance presented in Annex 3 to this Annual Activity

Report, represent only the assets, liabilities, expenses and revenues that are under the control of this Directorate General.

Significant amounts such as own resource revenues and cash held in Commission bank accounts are not included in this

Directorate General's accounts since they are managed centrally by DG Budget, on whose balance sheet and statement of financial

performance they appear. Furthermore, since the accumulated result of the Commission is not split amongst the various

Directorates General, it can be seen that the balance sheet presented here is not in equilibrium.

Additionally, the figures included in tables 4 and 5 are provisional since they are, at this date, still subject to audit by the Court of

Auditors. It is thus possible that amounts included in these tables may have to be adjusted following this audit.

OFF BALANCE 2017 2016

OB.3. Other Significant Disclosures -952,28 -50.224,09

OB.3.2. Commagainstapp. not yet con OB.3.5.

Operating lease commitments -952,28

0,00

-50.224,09

OB.4. Balancing Accounts 952,28 50.224,09

OB.4. Balancing Accounts 952,28 50.224,09

OFF BALANCE 0,00 0,00

TABLE 6: AVERAGE PAYMENT TIMES FOR 2017 - DG SCIC

Legal Times

Maximum

Payment Time

(Days)

Total Number of

Payments

Nbr of

Payments

within Time

Limit

Percentage Average

Payment Times

(Days)

Nbr of Late

Payments Percentage

Average

Payment Times

(Days)

30 1502 1438 95,74 % 15,92 64 4,26 % 41,88

45 1 1 100,00 % 36

60 7 7 100,00 % 28,14

Total Number of

Payments 1510 1446 95,76 %

64 4,24 %

Average Net

Payment Time 17,09

15,99

41,88

Average Gross

Payment Time 18,57

17,33

46,61

Suspensions

Average Report

Approval

Suspension Days

Average Payment

Suspension Days

Number of

Suspended

Payments

% of Total

Number

Total Number of

Payments

Amount of

Suspended

Payments

% of Total

Amount Total Paid

Amount

0 18 124 8,21 % 1510 1.637.804,94 8,53 % 19.208.592,99

Late Interest paid in 2017

DG GL Account Description Amount (Eur)

SCIC 65010100 Interest on late payment of charges New FR 201,49

201,49

TABLE 7 : SITUATION ON REVENUE AND INCOME IN 2017

Revenue and income recognized Revenue and income cashed from Outstanding

Chapter Current year RO Carried over RO Total Current Year RO Carried over RO Total balance

1 2 3=1+2 4 5 6=4+5 7=3-6

40 MISCELLANEOUS TAXES AND DEDUCTIONS

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS AND REFUNDS IN

12.501.737,84 0 12.501.737,84 12.501.737,84 0 12.501.737,84 0

57 CONNECTION WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATION

OF THE INSTITUTION 85.568.137,25 3.760.283,73 89.328.420,98 85.285.673,05 3.760.283,73 89.045.956,78 282.464,2

Total DG SCIC 98.069.875,09 3.760.283,73 101.830.158,82 97.787.410,89 3.760.283,73 101.547.694,62 282.464,2

TABLE 8 : RECOVERY OF PAYMENTS

(Number of Recovery Contexts and corresponding Transaction Amount)

Note : The figures are those related to the provisional accounts and not yet audited by

the Court of Auditors. The provisional closure will be based on the recovery context

situation at 31/01/2017.

Total undue payments recovered Total transactions in recovery

context (incl. non-aualified) % Qualified/Total RC

Year of Origin

(commitment) Nbr RO Amount Nbr RO Amount Nbr RO Amount

2015

2 2.552,23

2016

3 14.577,86

2017

2 9.345

No Link

168 84.305.015,44

Sub-Total

175 84.331.490,53

EXPENSES BUDGET Error Irregularity OLAF Notified Total undue payments recovered Total transactions in recovery

context (incl. non-aualified)

% Qualified/Total RC

Nbr Amount Nbr Amount Nbr Amount Nbr Amount Nbr Amount Nbr Amount

INCOME LINES IN

INVOICES

NON ELIGIBLE IN COST CLAIMS

CREDIT NOTES 23 139.931,07 12 3.628,67

35 143.559,74 77 1.549.732,83 45,45% 9,26%

Sub-Total 23 139.931,07 12 3.628,67

35 143.559,74 77 1.549.732,83 45,45% 9,26%

GRAND TOTAL 23 139.931,07 12 3.628,67

35 143.559,74 252 85.881.223,36 13,89% 0,17%

1. TABLE 9: AGEING BALANCE OF RECOVERY ORDERS AT 31/12/2017 FOR SCIC

Number at

1/01/2017 Number at

31/12/2017 Evolution

Open Amount (Eur) at

1/01/2017 Open Amount (Eur) at

31/12/2017 Evolution

2016 19

-100,00 % 29.260.283,73

-100,00 %

2017

8

24.582.464,20

19 8 -57,89 % 29.260.283,73 24.582.464,20 -15,99 %

TABLE 10 : RECOVERY ORDER WAIVERS IN 2017 >= EUR 100.000

Waiver Central

Key Linked RO

Central Key

RO Accepted Amount

(Eur)

LE Account Group Commission

Decision Comments

Total DG SCIC

Number of RO waivers

TABLE 11 : CENSUS OF NEGOTIATED PROCEDURES - DG SCIC - 2017

Internal Procedures > € 60,000

Negotiated Procedure Legal base Number of

Procedures Amount (€)

Art. 134.1(b) (Without prior publication) Technical or artistic reasons, or reasons

connected with the protection of exclusive rights 1 626.492,36

Art. 134.1(b) (Without prior publication) Work of art, technical reasons or protection of

exclusive rights 6 664.198,99

Total 7 1.290.691,35

TABLE 12 : SUMMARY OF PROCEDURES OF DG SCIC EXCLUDING BUILDING CONTRACTS

– DG Interpretation has a relatively high percentage of negotiated procedures compared to other Directorates General. The underlying reason is that SCIC manages the organisation of conferences on budget lines co-delegated by other DGs and in this area faces situations of limited availability of suitable contractors and the need to take over services that had previously been reported by the DGs when they had been organising their conferences themselves.

External Procedures > € 20,000

Procedure Legal base Number of


(Ext. act) Service - Competitive Negotiated Procedure with at least three candidates

without pub. (Art. 265.1(b) & 3 RAP) 1 31.520,00

Total 1 31.520,00

Internal Procedures > € 60,000

Procedure Legal base Number of


Exceptional Negotiated Procedure without publication of a contract notice (Art. 134

RAP) 7 1.290.691,35

Negotiated Procedure with at least five candidates below Directive thresholds (Art. 136a

RAP) 1 134.903,30

Open Procedure (Art. 104(1) (a) FR) 1 57.306.000,00

Total 9 58.731.594,65

TABLE 13 : BUILDING CONTRACTS

Legal base Contract Number Contractor Name Description Amount (€)


TABLE 14 : CONTRACTS DECLARED SECRET

Legal base Contract Number Contractor Name Description Amount (€)


ANNEX 4: Materiality criteria

The threshold of 1% was taken as reference for determining materiality for the following reasons:

Quantitative criteria

85% of the 2017 executed budget were related to interpretation activities, most

of which being processed through automated procedures (payments of DG Interpretation ACI contracts);

For payments of ACI contracts, the detected error rate as reported by ex post was

0.002% and the residual error rate is 0;

Following the recommendation given by DG Budg, DG Interpretation has used a

conservate estimate for the error rate of 0.5%. A separate calculation is displayed taking into account the above-mentioned error rate known on ACIs

expenditure ;

The reimbursement of ACIs’ sickness and accident insurance claims is the

responsibility of an external insurance company, thereby transferring the risk. Contributions to pension schemes of recruited ACIs are transferred to private

insurance companies chosen by the ACIs or to the default pension fund managed

by a private insurance company selected following a call for tender.

Procurement and grant management account for a limited budget where standard

ex ante controls are implemented in order to ensure the necessary control environment is in place and all errors are fully reported. Additional ex post

controls are performed on the spot on grants, based on a risk analysis.

Qualitative criteria

No significant control system weakness or critical issue has been identified by the AOSDs or the IAS. In particular, the errors detected are not repetitive and

corrective actions are taken without delay, in particular regarding ACIs

remuneration. Mitigating controls are in place, in particular a single information system (with a single database) ensuring a high level of data integrity combined

with random ex-post controls. The same source of information is used for ensuring the collection of revenue from interpretation services to fee-paying

users;

DG Interpretation’s management and reporting tool (SCICView) provides

adequate information to management regarding the operations, the collected revenues, the availability and the use of resources.


ANNEX 5: Internal Control Template(s) for budget implementation (ICTs)

Execution of the central budget (100% administrative expenditure)

Process 1: Payment of ACI contracts

Main control objectives: Fraud and error prevention (as in the PMO, the calculation of ACI remuneration is a fully automated procedure and the main risk of fraud is linked to the reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses, where the majority

of controls are concentrated); compliance (legality and regularity), effectiveness, efficiency and economy.

Main risks

It may happen (again)

that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the

costs and benefits of

controls

Control indicators

The recruitment or

planning offices of the

Institutions introduce the wrong information about

the ACI contract into DG

Interpretation's internal

payment system

An ACI contract is

modified after the

"conforme aux faits" was

In DG Interpretation, the

system which allows the

booking of meetings, allocation of interpreters,

monitoring of meeting

attendance, recruitment

and payment of ACI is

fully integrated, caters for strict segregation of

duties and therefore it is

not possible to create

Coverage: For DG

Interpretation, all

interpreter bookings are entered into the

Meetings and

Interpretation

Management system

which is a single database for the whole

of the DG

Costs:

The residual risk of

fraud or error once the existing control has

been implemented is

extremely minimal and

therefore there is no

further cost assigned to this risk

Benefits:

Detected error rate for

the payment of ACI salaries


Main risks


that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

sent and the contract paid

fictitious entries at different levels

For the other Institutions, all

information related to

contracts is covered as

from the moment they

are injected in DG

Interpretation database

Fraud prevention; error detection and

correction, compliance

and effectiveness and

efficiency

Due to the

unpredictability of

demand, the DG may

have recruited too many ACIs in the long or

medium term exercise

Constant monitoring of

demand and review of

procedures regarding the

long, medium and short-term recruitment

exercises

Meeting the demand

for interpretation,

whilst ensuring stand-

by rates are kept

within the targets in

the MP are key objectives for DG

Interpretation to

achieve its mission

Therefore, the monitoring of demand

is an ongoing task for

the management

within the Unit and

Directorate

Costs: Estimation of

staff involved

Benefits: Improved Efficiency and

effectiveness.

Efficiency: Standby

rate

DG Interpretation

performs the role of inter-institutional payment

office for ACI

Due to differing

procedures between the Institutions, there is a

Payment officers are

grouped by Institution and therefore understand

the payment rules linked

to their specific recruiting

institution

Coverage:

100% of all payment

requests are filtered in this way

Costs: None, this was

a one-off exercise

Benefits: Efficiency –

payments for one

officer will follow the

same rules

Efficiency: decrease in % of errors (in value)

in ACI payments

detected by ex post

control


Main risks


that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

risk of error when handling payment

requests

ACI presents a forged

supporting document in order to claim higher or

non-existent expenses

Payment officers are

trained to spot possible

forged documents. Online

access to the ticket

booking system Amadeus can be used to confirm

the authenticity of the

airline ticket presented by

the ACI

Access to travel tickets prepaid by the

Institutions further

reduce the possibility to

forge supporting

documents

Coverage: 100% of

non-local contracts

Depth: Training and further guidance is

given to ensure

controls are sufficient

and up to date

Costs : Estimation of cost of staff involved

Benefits: Fraud

prevention; error

detection, compliance,

effectiveness and efficiency

Efficiency: number of

forged documents

detected by payment

officers

The amount paid is

incorrect or paid to the

wrong ACI

Payment officers have access to statistical data

and reference tables to

verify respect of the

various ceilings

The paid amount per

each category of

expenses is determined

by the initiating agent

according to a clear procedure and set of

Coverage / Frequency:

100% of non-local

contracts Ex ante checks by the

verifying officer

Random sampling of

approx. 1,2% of

payments (in value) via ex post control

Costs: Estimation of cost of staff involved

Benefits: Prevention of

fraud, correction of

errors, compliance issues

Efficiency: % of errors

(in value) in ACI

payments detected by

ex post control reports


Main risks


that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

rules

The flat rate character of

allowances paid reduces

the risk of error

Risk to pay to the wrong ACI is limited via the

general Commission

methodology to pay only

to validated binomes LEF-

BAF, univocally associated to each ACI by

DG BUDG and reflected

into the SCIC payment

system

Each payment is checked

by the verifying agent.

Non automated payments

are also subject to an

independent ex post control on a sampling

basis


Process 2: Organisation of inter-institutional accreditation tests for ACI:

Main control objectives: Prevention of fraud; Compliance (legality and regularity); Effectiveness, efficiency and economy.

Main risks


that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

The amount of expenses

reimbursed is incorrect

The reimbursable amount

per each category of

expenses is calculated by

the initiating agent according to the clear

procedure and help of the

checklist

The ceilings for the

reimbursement of travel expenses and flat rate

character of allowances

paid, to cover subsistence

expenses, reduce the risk

of error

Coverage /

Frequency: 100% of

payment requests

received

Depth: Standard

checklists ensure all

steps and controls are

followed


cost of staff involved

Benefits: Control

against possible fraud, error detection,

compliance issues

Fraud prevention/

compliance issues:

number of non-eligible

claims refused

Number of complaints

linked to incorrect

payment of expenses


Grant Management:

The management of both grants and bursaries for Universities and students studying conference interpretation.

Stage 1: Programming, evaluation and selection of proposals

Main control objectives: Ensuring that the Commission selects the proposals that contribute the most towards the achievement of the policy or programme objectives (effectiveness); Compliance (legality & regularity); Prevention of fraud (anti-fraud strategy)

Main risks


that…

Mitigating controls How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the costs and benefits of

controls

Control indicators

Shortfall of key staff in

language units

The continuation of the

"Relève" project to ensure succession

planning in those

language booths

where additional

recruitment drives are

necessary and give assistance to capacity

building

The current and future

demand means that recruitment campaigns

should be undertaken

either for languages

with foreseeable

shortfalls or for those languages where it is

vital to ensure

continued interpreter

training courses to

ensure long-term capacity building

Recruitment targets

are set by language booth. Recruitment

needs are updated

annually in the call for

proposals after

consultation between

Directorates A and B

Grants are given to

Universities offering

Master/PG courses on

conference interpreting or developing specific

projects related to

interpretation.

Bursaries are awarded to students attending

PG interpretation

courses offering the

most needed

languages and with the best potential (aptitude


staff involved in the

process

Benefits: The DG will

be able to continue to

recruit interpreters and

ACIs in order to fulfil its mission

Percentage of external

client requests DG

Interpretation was able to satisfy


Main risks It may happen (again)

that…


coverage, frequency

and depth


controls

Control indicators

tests), after a call for

proposals.

The evaluation, ranking

and selection of

proposals is not carried

out in accordance with the established

procedures, the policy

objectives, priorities

and the essential

eligibility, or with the

selection and award criteria defined in the

annual work

programme and

subsequent calls for

proposals

The call for proposals

and the procedures are

established in close

cooperation with the Financial Unit and in

consultation with the

AOSD.

Assessment of

proposals is done by

an evaluation committee appointed

by the AOSD. The

committee contains at

least members from 2

different Units or sectors. In the case of

grants, members of DG

INTE in the EP are

present, to ensure an

inter-institutional

100% of proposals

from Universities and

students are evaluated

by the evaluation committee on the basis

of the proposals

themselves and an

analysis grid covering

all non-exclusion,

selection and award criteria.

Clarifications are

requested in writing when necessary with a

view to enable the

evaluation committee

to be fully informed

before drafting its


cost of staff involved in

the complete process

Benefits: Ensure that

procedures are correctly followed and

applied at all stages of

the process leading to

fewer complaints

Number of complaints

compared to the

number of applications



that…


coverage, frequency

and depth


controls

Control indicators

approach and to avoid

double financing.

When evaluating the

applications, the

Committee members

use a standard

evaluation grid which contains the eligibility,

selection and award

criteria (with weighted

scoring method) as

published in the call for proposals

The programme officer,

who is also a member

of the evaluation committee, pre-checks

the exclusion criteria

and eligible costs

Non-conflict of interest

declarations are signed by all evaluation

committee members

report.

If the AOSD does not want to follow the

recommendations of

the evaluation

committee, (s)he must

document the reasons for the decision in the

award decision.

Stage 2: Grant Management – Contracting: Transformation of selected proposals into legally binding grant agreements.

Main control objectives: Ensuring that the actions and funds allocation is optimal (best value for money; effectiveness, economy, efficiency); Compliance (legality and regularity); Prevention of fraud (anti-fraud strategy).


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

The description of the

action in the grant

agreement includes tasks which do not contribute

to the achievement of the programme objectives

and/or that the budget foreseen overestimates

the costs necessary to carry out the action.

The application form is

drafted in a way that the applicant/beneficiary is

asked to provide a

detailed project description (with

expected results and objectives) and realistic

budget needs

100% of subsidised projects are subject to ex

post controls.

As 90% of the grants awarded are low value

grants, on-the-spot audit

missions are therefore only performed when

strictly needed in order to keep a correct balance

between cost and benefit of such controls

Costs: Estimation of cost

of staff involved in the process

Benefits: sound financial management, prevention

of fraud

Number of exceptions

reported

The rules for

implementing the action

are unclear, resulting in litigations and incomplete

action implementation. Anti-fraud issues are not

well covered

SCIC systematically uses

the standard DG BUDG templates for grant

agreements to complement the other

elements that are

displayed in the applicant's guide and

other documents related to the call for proposals.

The templates include a number of provisions

related to audit and anti-fraud actions to protect

EU financial interests

Applicable to all grant agreements

Costs: Estimation of cost of staff involved in the

drafting of the grant

agreement

Benefits: Harmonisation of the applicable rules

across all beneficiaries, use of proof-read texts

The number of complaints (including

claims or litigations)

Stage 3: Grant Management – Monitoring the execution: This stage covers the monitoring the operational, financial and reporting aspects related to the project and grant agreement

Main control objectives: Ensuring that the operation results (deliverables) from the projects are of good value and meet the objectives and conditions (effectiveness & efficiency); ensuring that the related financial operations comply with regulatory and contractual

provisions (legality & regularity); prevention of fraud (anti-fraud strategy); ensuring appropriate accounting of the operations (reliability


of reporting, safeguarding of assets and information).

Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

The actions foreseen

are not totally or

partially carried out in

accordance with the technical description

and requirements

foreseen in the grant

agreement and/or the

amounts paid exceed that due in accordance

with the applicable

contractual and

regulatory provisions

The template of final

reports annexed to the

grant agreement

requires a high degree of accuracy concerning

the action and the

budget. During the

action implementation

period, pedagogical

assistants' reports provide SCIC with

information on the

implementation of the

co-financed action and

information about the interim and final

examinations of the

students

All final reports are reviewed by the

programme officer and

a random sample of

expenses is verified

against supporting documents, especially

for the staff costs, in

cooperation with the

Financial Unit. Final

grant payments are

When submitting the

Final Report, the

examination of staff costs is given the

highest priority (it

accounts for 80% of

the projects costs). All

projects are examined through sampling.

Costs: Estimation of cost of staff involved in

the process

Benefits: sound

financial management, prevention of fraud


reported


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

only made after having received all the

necessary

documentation and all

the requested

explanations

Stage 4: Grant Management – Ex post supervision strategy:

Main control objectives: Measuring the effectiveness of ex ante controls by ex post monitoring; addressing systemic weaknesses in the ex-ante controls, based on the analysis of the findings (sound financial management)

Main risks

It may happen (again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency and depth

How to estimate the

costs and benefits of controls

Control indicators

The ex-ante controls (as such) fail to

prevent, detect and

correct erroneous

payments or attempted

fraud

In cases of suspicious

circumstances, on the

spot ex post controls,

such as deeper desk reviews, may also be

performed. The

financial unit may also

perform more in depth

examination of all the

technical details and cost statements of the

action.

A clause on OLAF's

investigative competency is clearly

stated in the grant

As 90% of the grants

awarded are low value

grants, on-the-spot

audit missions are

therefore only

performed when strictly needed in order

to keep a correct

balance between cost

and benefit of such

controls


cost of staff involved in

the process

Benefits: sound financial management,

prevention of fraud


reported



that…


coverage, frequency

and depth


controls

Control indicators

agreements


Procurement Direct

Stage 1: Needs Analysis and Planning

Main control objectives: Effectiveness, efficiency and economy. Compliance (legality and regularity):

Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

The needs are not well

defined (operationally

and economically).

Therefore the decision to procure is

inappropriate to meet

the operational

objectives

Poor planning and

organisation of the

procurement process,

including the planning

of supervision and monitoring, resulting in

waste of resources

Inappropriate choice of

procurement procedure and calculation of

threshold, resulting in

non-compliance case

The best offer/s are

not submitted due to the poor

AOSD supervision and

approval of

specifications for procurements above

15,000€

Provision of DG

Interpretation and

other framework contracts in the areas

of IT, technical

services and

equipment and

conference

management

Meetings are

conducted on a regular basis to ensure all

procurement

procedures are

reviewed

Costs: Estimation of staff involved

Benefits: Increased

efficiency and economy

Effectiveness:

Number of

projected tenders cancelled or not

awarded due to the

unsatisfactory

definition of the tender

specifications


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

definition of the tender specifications

For conferences

managed under co-

delegated procedures

only:

The operational needs are not well defined, as

DG Interpretation is

rarely in a position to

know well in advance

which conferences will

be organised under the co-delegation

management

mechanism

For conferences managed under co-

delegated procedures

only:

This leads to a difficult

planning of the whole procurement processes

and an overload of

work for operational

and financial units

The creation of a

registry of conferences

as part of the action

plan for the implementation of the

Synergies and

Efficiency Review: DGs

should introduce their

planned conferences as soon as possible after

the project is decided.

Information can be

added to the registry

at any time


staff involved Benefits: Better

planning of the

procurement processes

as opposite to high

demand during peak periods.

More even distribution

of workloads for both

the financial and

operational units


Process 2: Professional support for Interpreters (Officials and ACIs):

Main control objectives: Prevention of fraud, Compliance (legality and regularity), Effectiveness, efficiency and economy

Main risks


that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

The decision for language

training priorities does

not sufficiently reflect the

needs of the DG at the time of the language

addition due to

unpredictable

structural/cyclical

valuations in demand and the length of the

language acquisition

For officials: Unit C3

defines language training priorities in consultation

with Directorate A and

unit C2 on the basis of

objective criteria such as

current language knowledge of staff

interpreters, known and

expected changes to the

language combinations

resulting from departures, and gaps

identified when assigning

interpreters to meetings

and the level of

satisfaction of interpretation demand

per language.

For ACIs: SCIC offers

financial support for ACIs

language learning

Extensive consultation

once a year

Costs: Estimation of cost of staff involved

Benefits: Compliance

(legality and

regularity), efficiency

For officials: Average

number of passive

languages by interpreter

For ACIs: number of

languages added by

ACIs after a language

stay with the support of DG Interpretation

An interpreter follows a

full training cycle without

adding the language in the end

Monitoring of language

training process

Coverage: limited

sample

Cost: Estimation of

cost of staff involved Drop-out rate


Main risks


that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

Lack of or insufficient supporting documents,

absence of legal and/or

budgetary commitment

for the reimbursement of

expenses

Standard ex ante control

procedure with

operational initiation and verification in Unit C3 and

the financial initiation and

verification in Unit S2

Coverage: 100% of all files controlled

Cost: Estimation of

cost of staff involved

Benefit: Fraud

prevention, compliance


Stage 2: Preparation of the contract (Call for Tenders; Evaluation of tenders; award decision; budgetary

commitment; legal commitment):

Main control objectives: Effectiveness, efficiency and economy; Compliance (legality and regularity); Fraud prevention and

detection.

Main risks It may happen

(again) that…


coverage, frequency

and depth


controls

Control indicators

The most economically

advantageous offer not

being selected, due to a biased, inaccurate or

“unfair”’ evaluation

process

Specifications for calls

for tenders above a

15,000€ threshold go

through a formal

validation process involving the finance

unit and the AOSD

Calls for tenders above

the 60.000€ threshold,

collaboration between

All procurement

procedures are subject

to the same

procedures and the

same controls by the financial unit before

the launch of the

procurement procedure

and before contracts

are submitted to the

Costs:

Estimation of staff

involved

Benefits: Avoid contracting with

excluded economic

operators – compliance

with FR

Benefits: % of award

Effectiveness:

Numbers of ‘valid’ complaints


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

operational and financial units to

ensure that (1) the

technical specifications

are clear and (2)

evaluation and award

criteria allow the best possible evaluation

compared to the

contract subject

Formal evaluation process:

Opening committee

and Evaluation

committee for

procedures above 135,000€ with

representatives of at

least 2 administrative

entities, complemented

with representatives from other DGs as

experts or services

users and in case of

need, external experts

Opening and Evaluation

Committees'

declaration of

absence of conflict of

AOSD for award.

Evaluation process

100% of the eligible offers are subject to

the evaluation process.

Depth: all documents

transmitted

100% of the members

of the opening

committee and the

evaluation committee

decisions revised after reaction of a non-

selected bidder during

standstill


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

interests

Low value contracts: eligibility, evaluation of

received offers and

award decision

documented in writing

by the operational unit in the commitment file,

and subject to formal

award decision by the

AOSD

All low value contracts

(<60000€ threshold)

awarded in DG Interpretation

Exclusion criteria

documented

Coverage:

Low value contracts:

up to the AOSD depending on his risk

analysis.

Other contracts:

comprehensive check

Depth: required

documents provided are consistent

Standstill period,

opportunity for

unsuccessful tenderers

to put forward their

concerns on the

decision

100% when conditions

are fulfilled

Stage 3: Financial Transactions & Contract Execution:


Main control objectives: Ensuring that the implementation of the contract is in compliance with the signed contract

Main risks


Mitigating controls

How to determine


How to estimate the


Control indicators

(1) The products/

services/ works

ordered are not, totally

or partially, provided in

accordance with the

technical description and requirements

foreseen in

the contract

(2) the amounts paid exceed that due in

accordance with the

applicable contractual

and regulatory

provisions

(1) Certified correct by

a formally endorsed

official trained,

technically competent

and informed of the

details of the contract and subsequent invoice

(2) Operational and

financial checks in

accordance with the financial circuits and

checklists,

encompassing the

comparison between

the certified correct endorsement and the

contract provisions

ABAC security prevents

from paying more than the corresponding

budgetary commitment

Financial circuits are

conceived so that a

payment is never authorised by the

AOSD having signed

the contract to ensure

All invoices are endorsed "certified

correct"

100% of the invoices

are controlled against the contract, including

only value-adding

checks

ABAC security applies to 100% of the

transactions

Sub-delegations are granted so that an

AOSD for commitments

will never be AOSD for

payments

Costs: Estimation of staff involved

Benefits: Compliance


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

objectivity

Stage 4: Management Supervision:

Main control objective: Ensuring that any weakness in the procedures (tender and financial transactions) is detected and

corrected

Main risks


Mitigating controls

How to determine


How to estimate the


Control indicators

An error or non-

compliance

with regulatory and

contractual provisions,

including technical specifications, or a

fraud is not prevented,

detected or corrected

by ex-ante control,

prior to payment

Review of ex post

controls performed by

IAC (until 2013)

IAS audit on procurement (2016)

DAS Controls

100% at least once a

year

Depth: look for any

systemic problem in

the procurement procedure and in the

financial transaction

procedure and any

weakness in the

selection process of the ex post controls


staff involved

Benefits: Amounts

detected associated

with fraud & error. Deterrents &

systematic weaknesses

corrected

Number of recording of

exception or non-

compliant notes

Number of “Avis négatif”

Number of remarks on

the check-lists

Review of exceptions

and non compliance

cases reported

100% at least once a year

Depth: look for any

weakness in the

procedures (procurement and


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

financial transactions)


Non-Expenditure Item – Revenue Collection

Main control objectives: Effectiveness, efficiency and economy; Compliance (legality and regularity); Sound financial

management

Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

(1) Actual meeting

costs are not reflected

in the cost of an i-slot

(2) The management of resources in a

context of

unpredictable demand

(1) Implementation of

the "charge back

guidance" results in a

detailed documentation of the cost calculation

methodology

supported by DG

BUDG. Additional

assumptions are provided internally

(e.g. level of demand)

or BUDG (salary

adjustments,

promotion rates)

(2) the actual level of

resources invested in

the delivery of

interpretation services is followed up via a

number of indicators

100% Coverage:

The forecast for the

cost of the i-slot in

year N is prepared in

January N-1 on the

basis of a number of assumptions described

in the methodology.

It is then reviewed in

the autumn N_1 with

updated assumptions. It is then reviewed in

January and Autumn N

as part of the

preparation for budget

N+1. Final cost for year N is known in

January N+1 once all

expenditure items are

known

Meeting the demand

for interpretation,

whilst ensuring stand-by rates are kept

within the targets

defined in the MP, are

key objectives for DG

Interpretation to achieve its mission.

Therefore, the

monitoring of demand

is an ongoing task for the management

within the Unit and

Directorate – making

the costs impossible to

identify as a single, stand-alone action

Coverage of the i-slot

cost by the i-slot price

Average daily cost of

ACI contract

Standby rate

Accuracy of billing

(enquiries, complaints from clients about

hours/language regime

billed)

Single, integrated, up

to date database –

MIM (Meeting and

Interpretation

Management) which

holds the data on all

100% of all meetings

and interpretation

requirements are

entered into MIM

All amounts to be


staff involved

Benefits: reduce

number of questions

and appeals made by


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

bookings of meetings, interpretation,

therefore enabling a

complete and efficient

collection of

information to ensure

the correct invoice is sent to clients

Ex ante control by S2 –

verification of amount

to be compensated against actual

interpretation that took

place and modification,

where necessary, using

a module of MIM, Coral

compensated are sent to users under the

form of an automated

pre-information. They

have 15 days to accept

the amounts to be

compensated on an interface or introduce a

claim

100% of all debit notes

are controlled against pre-information before

being sent to clients

clients relating to the debit notes received

Smoother

compensation process

ensuring that funds are

rapidly reconstituted and allow for the

continuity of DG

Interpretation activities

Recovery

(compensation) delays

Introduction of SLAs

introducing clear rules

and guidelines on payments.

Reporting tools to

ensure respect of the

compensation rules

100% of recovery

orders related to

interpretation services

Costs: SLAs are created as and when

needed with the

external users of DG

Interpretation. As this

work is ongoing, it is not possible to isolate

the control factor of

these costs.

Benefits: ensuring the

DG functions in

accordance with the SLAs and sound

financial management

Average recovery delay

for main external users


Main risks

It may happen

(again) that…

Mitigating controls

How to determine

coverage, frequency

and depth

How to estimate the


controls

Control indicators

SLAs reduce discussions on their

implementation


ANNEX 6: Implementation through national or international public-sector bodies and bodies governed

by private law with a public sector mission (if applicable)

n/a


ANNEX 7: EAMR of the Union Delegations (if applicable)

n/a


ANNEX 8: Decentralised agencies (if applicable)

n/a


ANNEX 9: Evaluations and other studies finalised or cancelled during the year

n/a


ANNEX 10: Specific annexes related to "Financial Management"

The main risks currently faced by DG Interpretation are linked to:

a. Provision of interpretation

The ambitious political agenda of this current Commission and looking forward, will most likely translate into sustained high levels of demand for interpretation

and meeting rooms in the years to come. This would be in line with the trend of the last two years, during which the interpretation output - boosted also by the

opening of Europa, the new European Council building - has increased by more

than 10 % in the Council.

DG interpretation is a demand-driven provider of interpretation services and as

such has to deal with significant fluctuations of demand linked to its institutional customers.

b) Succession Planning

Retirement of experienced interpreters (staff and ACIs) and the

withdrawal of the UK from the EU may impact on language cover in meetings and more broadly on demand for interpretation resulting in greater

unpredictability and heightening the uncertainty in which DG SCIC operates as a

service provider. Due to the high professional standards practiced by DG SCIC the interinstitutional ACI accreditation tests are necessarily quite demanding. Due in

particular to the gap between university training and professional requirements the success rate at the tests is not high, which may result in a shortage of

available freelances, in particular those with the most deficient language combinations.

This risk is high in particular for the EN and FR units where there will be a number of retirements in the near future and few younger interpreters (staff or ACIs) to

take up the slack. The upcoming withdrawal of the UK and the uncertainty about

the possibilities to continue recruiting staff and ACIs create increased risks as interpretation into EN requires the presence of native speakers in the booth.

In order to create an adequate succession planning via the work of the Multiannual Recruitment Strategy Group (MARS), which allows for better

targeting of future interpreter recruitments and defining priorities for language learning, SCIC maintains a list of possible departures and the effects on language

cover for every interpretation unit. This is reported on in Annex 12 under the Performance Tables.

In 2017, SCIC concluded an agreement with DG HR to organise internal

competitions in order to secure viable staffing levels in DE, EN, ET, HR, MT and SK units in particular for contingency reasons before the UK leaves the EU. The

administrative steps have taken considerably long time, which might cause difficulties in language cover as temporary contracts expire, interpreters become

ACIs and stop working exclusively for DG SCIC or look for other professional solutions.

In view of the Presidency, 3 staff members joined the BG Unit via a call for temporary agents.

Recruitment of 8 competition laureates by 1/10/2018

c) Conference Centre 2.0

The imminent end of the life span of the Borschette Confernece Centre bulidng on


safety and security grounds carries an important risk of business continuity if the future conference centre project is delivered beyond the current schedule, i.e.

2023. This would seriously undermine the corporate roles of DG SCIC as interpretation provider, conference organiser and meeting room manager and be

a source of a reputational risk for the Europena Commission.

As a comparable reference, the closure of the conference centre in Luxembourg

saw an 84% decrease in interpretation demand. Given the current share of the Commission in interpretation output (roughly 30%), a comparable drop in

Brussels would entail a 25% decrease in the overall interpretation output provided

by DG SCIC.

There is at present no alterantive venue on the Brussels market that would allow

to host around 4000 meetings per year currently hosted in the Borschette centre. The scenario of temporary externalisation into a single alternative venue is

therefore not an option. An option to externalise the meeting rooms capacity to a set of alternative venues would not be without logistical difficulties and would also

be very expensive (approximately EUR 23 million per year).

d) Synergies and Efficiencies Review (SER)

Due to lack of additional (human and financial) resources needed to fulfil its new

corporate role and high outbond dependencies on other Central Services (e.g. DG DIGIT and OIB), increasing the need to ensure greater alignment at corporate

level, DG Interpretation risks being faced with a slower place of implementation of the SER actions under its remit, namely conference organisation and meeting

room management.

So far all the results of DG SCIC have been achieved with constant resources but

no further extention of corporate activities in both corporate domains (conference organisation and room management) is possible without a (limited) reinforcement

of its resources, which could allow to achieve further synergies and efficiencies

throughout the Commission.

In order to mitigate such risks, the DG has carried out, undertaken and planned a

number of actions, ranging from different requests to SG/DG BUDG/DG HR and a closer cooperation with OIB, DG DIGIT and DG COMM to launch of new framework

contracts and mutual exchange of good practices across all DGs. At the same time, DG SCIC remains committed to further discuss the lack of resources and the

need for better cooperation between corporate domain leaders with the Central Services, at the highest level.


ANNEX 11: Specific annexes related to "Assessment of the effectiveness of the internal control

systems"

n/a


ANNEX 12: Performance tables

Interpretation and related activities

General objective: To help achieve the overall political objectives, the Commission

will effectively and efficiently manage and safeguard assets and resources, and

attract and develop the best talents.

Impact indicator 1: Trust in the European Commission

Source of the data: Eurobarometer on Public Opinion in the European Union

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

Latest

known

results

(2017)

40% tend to trust Increase 41%

Impact indicator 2: Staff engagement index in the Commission

Source of the data: European Commission

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

Latest

known

results

(2017)

74.2% Increase 74%

The staff engagement index of DG Interpretation was 74% and thus well above Commission average (64.3%). The mobility issue perceived by staff scored lowest and is

recognised as problematic. It is to be noted that a large part of DG Interpretation's staff has highly specialised professional profiles (interpreters, technical staff and specific

management and support tasks) which does not facilitate mobility easily.

A new Staff Opinion Survey will be conducted in 2018.

Specific objective 1 Interpreting services meet our

clients’ demand and are cost effective.

Not related to a

spending programme

Result indicator1: Coverage of i-slot costs by i-slot price (in %)

The i-slot is calculated by dividing the expenses related to the provision of interpretation

and linked activities (staff, ACIs, parts of training, IT, missions) by the expected amount of

interpretation to be provided.

Source of data: SCIC Budget and Finance Unit

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

Latest

known

results

(2017)

92.3% (i-slot price: 446€, i-

slot cost: 483€)

Between 98% and 102%

91.7%

The final calculation of the 2017 i-slot cost is 507€ against an i-slot price set at 465€,

which represents a cost 9% higher than the price.

The islot price is:


a) estimated on the basis of cost projections established in January n-1 according to estimated corporate salary adjustment parameters communicated by DG

Budget. This has a significant impact since 95% of the i-slot cost is composed of salaries;

b) based on the expected and projected interpretation output in January n-1;

c) in sound and good-faith contractual practice DG Interpretation does not adjust

the islot price it has communicated to the paying cutomers to an unexpected increase of the salary adjustment beyond the initial forecasts and invoices them

using the communicated i-slot price;

d) In 2016 salary indexation has been significantly higher than DG BUDG's estimate (3,3% instead of 2,1%). As the 2017 islot cost could no longer be

modified to include this unexpected change, the costs incurred in 2017 could not be fully offset by revenues;

e) In 2017 DG SCIC had to meet increased and uneven demand with shrinking permanent resources. This led to increased and costlier ACI recruitment including

increased recruitment of non local ACIs in order to satisfy demand for interpretation concentrated on particular periods and days and for less-used

languages with small local ACI populatuions.

In 2017 DG SCIC identified the following factors:

The 2016 salary adjustment, which is also reflected on the ACIs' daily fee, was

considerably higher than DG BUDG's estimate (3.3% instead of 2.1%) and therefore not adequately reflected into the 2017 i-slot price that had been

communicated to the paying customers at the beginning of 2016 and was used to invoice them in 2017).

The general increase in demand (2016: 248.912 i-slots; 217: 253.82719 i-slots; +2%), with very diverging developments per language, with a considerable

increase of demand for languages that were less frequently used until the opening

of the new Europa building, and for which only a limited ACIs community is based in Brussels

The continued uneven patterns of demand, in particular with a concentration of meetings requested for certain week days,

In an environment of increased and uneven demand as described above and due also to shrinking numbers of permanent staff, DG SCIC had to step up ACIs'

recruitment (reduction by 3.4% of full time equivalent staff interpreters in 2017 comapred to 2016).

The 2017 budget to recruit ACIs increased by 20% compared to 2016 as a result

of a) a 12% increase in freelance interpreters’ contracts overall b) a +4.6% increase in the average daily cost of an ACI (2016: 755€, 2017: 790€), in part

because of recruiting more non-local (and therefore costlier) AICs .This is due to the institutional and operational need to meet the increased level of demand on

particular week days and for some less frequently-used languages.

An increase of the mission expenses of 400.000€ (+18%), resulting from the

increased activity of certain Institutions whose meetings do not take place in Belgium, and missions to Presidency countries that were also more expensive

19 This figure for the number of i-slots in 2017 includes not only the interpretation i-slots, but also takes

into account the cancellation and travel costs that have been charged to our customers


than in 2016.

To reduce the gap between the i-slot price and cost, DG SCIC:

increased the 2018 i-slot price to 488 to factor in the full impact of the 2016 salary adjustments including the career effect.

will continue streamlining its ACIs recruitment policy and closely monitoring the cost of the ACI recruitment.

Result indicator2: Standby rate and reserve of staff interpreters and ACIs,

excluding periods of low interpretation activity (% of available working time)

Monitoring the amount of standby which goes beyond a certain reserve necessary to

provide the flexibility to meet operational needs enables DG Interpretation to check

whether DG Interpretation manages its resources efficiently.

Source of data: SCICView

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

In the current context of unpredictable

demand, the target of 15 % can only be met

for the 5 biggest languages

(FR/DE/EN/IT/ES)

Latest

known

results

(2017)

18.5% 15%

13.5%

Result indicator 3: Percentage of external client requests DG Interpretation was

able to satisfy

This indicator measures the share of active languages requested by the Council and the

Committees DG Interpretation is able to grant on the basis of available interpreters (staff

and ACIs). For the most used languages (EN, FR, DE, IT, ES) this indicator is close to

100%, for less-used languages demand may be more difficult to meet.


Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

This target is considered in line with available

resources. A marginal increase of the

satisfaction could entail a far bigger increase

in costs (i.e. hiring of expensive ACIs not

living in Brussels). This is the reason why the

target is set below the baseline.

Latest

known

results

(2017)

96% ≥95% 96%

Result indicator 4: Number of Commission meetings refused at arbitrage and

percentage of 1st priority meetings DG Interpretation is able to satisfy

As DG Interpretation’s ability to satisfy Commission DGs’ meeting requests is limited by the

number of available meeting facilities, the indicator DG Interpretation uses for external

clients’ satisfaction is not applicable for the Commission. For the Commission DG

Interpretation therefore measures the number of meetings refused at arbitrage and the

percentage of 1st priority meetings satisfied.

Source of data: Planning and Programming Unit


Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

Latest

known

results

(2016)

Number of meetings refused

at arbitrage: 529

≤ to 2015 number 463

Percentage of 1st priority

meetings satisfied

>99% 99%

In 2017, DG Interpretation continued to serve the needs of its clients in the most cost-

effective manner possible. This meant trying to balance resources (both permanent staff and freelance (ACI) interpreters) effectively and efficiently, and maximise the availability

of resources in response to varied and changing needs.

2017 was particularly challenging since there was a steady overall increase in

requests for interpretation during the year, combined with increasing lack of

resources to cover certain languages on certain days. Staff retirements, decreasing ACI populations for some languages and increased competition for the recruitment of ACI

interpreters between EU institutions and elsewhere, required particular efforts to ensure availability of sufficient resources to respond to requests for interpretation.

In order to help meet demand more specifically for 3 languages (Bulgarian, Czech, and Slovenian) a pilot was launched in October 2017 to upscale advance ACI recruitment.

Given the lack of predictability of actual demand on individual days, this initiative unfortunately had only limited impact. It has thus been decided to address the issues of

satisfaction of demand and increase in activity through an extension of targets in the ACI

long-term recruitment exercise. This was implemented in 2017 for the following year.

The standby rate of both permanent staff and ACIs has been monitored throughout the

year, based on the standard definition used for reporting purposes. For the whole of 2017, the average standby rate was 16.1%, just above the target of 15%. However, as

indicated in the Strategic Plan 2016-2020, given the unpredictability of demand, it is likely that it will only be possible to meet the target for the 5 biggest languages

(EN/FR/DE/IT/ES). In 2017, this was the case with an overall standby rate between 12% and 14.8% for these languages and an overall average of 13.5%.


Policy–related outputs


results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Together with DIGIT and DG HR work out an IT solution

ensuring proper transfer of data from Sysper to DG

Interpretation systems on interpreters' leave and

absences in order to be able to assign teams with the

right interpreters to the

right meeting.

Number of data errors or conflicts when transferring

data from Sysper to DG Interpretation's

programming tool

0 Agreement reached on transfer


Progressive updates to ACI

Webcalendar with new functions to improve

efficiency of ACI recruitment and ACI use of the

Webcalendar

Successful introduction of

each IT update with no major interruptions of

service

100% No new updates

have been implemented in

2017 due to the decision of the

European

Parliament to suspend activity in

this area. SCIC remains ready to

restart updates following any future

request from the Parliament.

In order to effectively and efficiently manage the provision of interpretation, DG

Interpretation has developed a specialist system "Management of Interpretation and Meetings" (MIM) which enables the DG to ensure that the right interpreter is assigned to

the right meeting at the right time. Amongst other things, MIM allows the DG to monitor the implementation of The Agreement, which is applicable to all interpreters, either

officials or ACIs when under contract, as there as specific clauses that deal with overtime

or travel, etc.

However, in order to ensure that corporate systems also contain the correct information

on our interpretation staff, the two systems (MIM and SYSPER) need to exchange data. In 2017, agreement was reached between DGs Human Resources and Security (DG HR)

and Interpretation on the scope of the data to be transferred. This will require certain IT adaptations to SYSPER. DG HR is currently mapping out these adaptations and the

resources necessary to implement them. Work will begin in 2018 to implement the necessary IT changes.

Specific objective 2: The quality of interpretation meets

our clients’ needs

Not related to a

spending programme

Result indicator 1: Percentage of satisfaction with the quality of interpretation

expressed by our users

The results of the Customer Satisfaction Survey which DG Interpretation carries out every

2 years enable us to measure whether the quality of our service meets our users’

expectations and to detect areas which can be improved.

Source of data: DG Interpretation’s Customer Satisfaction Survey

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

This target is considered in line with available

resources. A marginal increase of the

satisfaction could entail a far bigger increase

in costs (i.e. hiring of expensive ACIs not

living in Brussels). This is the reason why the

target is set below the baseline.

Latest

known

results

(2017)

88.7% >85% 90%

Result indicator2: Percentage of recruitment of ACIs with a quality rating ≥ 2

Based on regular quality reports, ACIs are assigned a quality rating by their head of unit

which together with a certain number of points for the professional domicile and the

number of languages offered by the ACI is part of the recruitment coefficient which enables

DG Interpretation to recruit interpreters with the best possible qualifications.



Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

Based on past experience, this percentage is

considered achievable but ambitious. Each

extra percentage point in recruitment of ACIs

with a quality rating ≥ 2 costs money, if it

means that DG Interpretation has to recruit

ACIs from outside Brussels to meet the

quality criteria.

Latest

known

results

(2017)

87.7% >85% 89.7%



Description Indicator Target Latest known results


5th Customer

Satisfaction Survey

Satisfaction level of

delegates

>85%

Formalisation of a procedure to follow-up

complaints and communicate them to

all services concerned for consideration when

assigning interpreters Finalisation of the

introduction of new

WebDOR with further improvements and, if

necessary, correction of IT issues

Implementation of procedure

100% Implementation in first half of 2018

Finalisation of the

introduction of new

WebDOR with further improvements and, if

necessary, correction of IT issues

Swift resolution of

any IT issues and on-

going introduction of further

improvements

100% 100%

The first stage of this

project has now been fully and successfully

implemented. Future developments will concern

further improvements to the user interface.

Enhancement of Meeting Report

feedback application to improve user-

experience which should lead to a

diversification of sources of feedback on

quality

Percentage of Commission

meetings getting feedback from

meeting organisers on the quality of

interpretation (currently 20%)

30% 21%

Enhancement of the

use of the "Volontariat"

application allowing better use of

Percentage of

interpreters who enter their profiles in

the system

30%

52% staff interpreters and

26% of all interpreters (including ACIs who have

received at least one contract from DG


interpreter profiles and

enhanced matching between skills and

preferences and assignment to

meetings

Feasibility study for

the development of an IT solution to

monitor that

assignments correspond to profiles

when interpreters are available

Swift resolution of any IT issues and, if

necessary, on-going introduction of

further

improvements

Delivery

100%

Interpretation)

Study not delivered

No issues reported

Implementation of training activities for

Cuba (The Cooperation

with Cuba is related

to a spending programme using

DEVCO funds)

Training for trainers course

5-month interpreter training course for

beginners

1-month skills enhancement course

for qualified interpreters in 2017

8 trainees + 4 trainers

trained

Objectives fully achieved : - 4 interpreters trainers

participated in a seminar in Brussels in January 2017

- 5 trainees took part in a

five-month interpreter training course in Brussels

(March to July 2017) - 3 senior interpreters

followed an intensive skills enhancement training

course focussed on simultaneous interpreting

(July 2017).

In 2017 DG Interpretation continued to provide high quality interpretation to meet our clients' needs at all levels of meetings and for all languages. Directorate A,

responsible for Interpreters, ensured the continuous quality monitoring of interpreting performance and the follow-up of complaints. In order to maintain the

quality, Interpreters are required to prepare the meetings, receive relevant topical

training, add and maintain languages and in general develop professionally so as to constantly improve the quality of interpretation and language cover.

As well as working with all interpreters to maintain and improve the quality of the interpretation, DG Interpretation has also reached out to our stakeholders to improve

management of complaints. The Directorates within the DG responsible for Interpreters and Interpreter Services Management and Professional Support

(Directorates A and B), continue to work together and the updated procedure will be adopted and implemented in the first half of 2018.

The enhancement of the meeting report feedback application in order to increase

the feedback from meeting organisers fell below target and reached only 21%. Although the revamping of the current interface to make it more user friendly would certainly help

in encouraging organisers to give feedback, the first priority in 2017 was to upgrade the application so that it will be compatible with Windows 10 when it will be migrated in

2018. The IT Development Team in DG Interpretation will include some enhancements in the new release which will improve the reporting module and further improvements will

be made in 2018.

The creation of thematic profiles in the Volontariat has enabled DG Interpretation to

assign interpreters according to their specialisation, training and other knowledge which

they have entered in their profile. In this way, the DG can create specialised pools of


interpreters who can then be assigned to high-level or particularly technical meetings. In total 26% of all interpreters (including ACIs who have received at least one contract from

DG Interpretation) have drawn up at least one profile.

Unfortunately due to the increased workload in language Units, the feasibility study was

not completed in 2017.

Following the successful implementation of the first cooperation programme with

Cuba in 2017, DG SCIC submitted a concept paper and budget proposal to DG DEVCO with a view to extending the interpreter training activities for Cuba in 2018.

Besides its activities with Cuba, in 2017 DG Interpretation – together with partner DGs -

actively continued to implement cooperation programmes with China, Macao, Russia and African countries (Pan-African Masters Consortium in Interpretation and

Translation – PAMCIT), providing pedagogical assistance and helping develop interpreting capacities in partner countries, public administrations and universities.

Through its international cooperation projects, DG Interpretation promoted in 2017 interpreter training according to the standards developed in EU institutions, thus

contributing to increase the level of quality interpretation in the countries concerned and actively supporting capacity building.

DG Interpretation also strived to foster and develop cooperation with international

organisations and their networks active in the field of interpretation. DG Interpretation contributed at its level to the economic, political and cultural objectives of the EU as

global actor, striving to reach out to other countries, engaging and cooperating with international partners, offering support to develop interpretation capacity and giving

visibility to EU action through its international cooperation projects.

Conferences, events and meetings

Specific objective 3: Services provided in meetings meet

Commission needs.

Not related to a

spending programme

Result indicator 1: Satisfaction of meeting organisers with the services related to

meetings and conference rooms

After each meeting, meeting organisers are requested to fill in a short questionnaire on

their satisfaction with the request procedure, interpretation and technical equipment and

support. The result indicator is the global satisfaction rate with the services provided by DG

Interpretation.

Source of data: WebDOR Feedback

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

Standard satisfaction rate which is considered

satisfactory and in line with DG Interpretation’s

ability to meet demand from Commission services

(e.g. available facilities, quality of existing meeting

rooms, etc.). A marginal increase of the

satisfaction could entail a far bigger increase in

costs. This is the reason why the target is set

below the baseline.

Latest

known

results

(2017)

96.9% >85% 96.1 % Result indicator2: Satisfaction of meeting participants with the services related to

meetings and conference rooms

DG Interpretation organised its 1st survey on the satisfaction of meeting participants in


2015 and will carry out a similar survey every two years to make sure that our services are

in line with our customers’ needs and to improve service where necessary.

Source of data: Results of the 2015 Customer Satisfaction Survey on Conference

services

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

Standard satisfaction rate which is considered

satisfactory. A marginal increase of the satisfaction

could entail a far bigger increase in costs. This is

the reason why the target is set below the

baseline.

Latest

known

results

(2017)

91.6% >85% 90%

Result indicator3: Percentage of multilingual streaming services without incidents

DG Interpretation provides web streaming services (both multilingual and monolingual) for

meetings in Commission meeting rooms managed by DG Interpretation. Streaming

transmissions are both live and on-demand (recorded). The indicator shows the reliability

of this service, by calculating the aggregate amount of minutes without incidents that

affected user satisfaction in the live transmissions.

Source of data: number of hours from SCICView; Incidents registered in log file

maintained by SCIC Streaming

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2020)

This target is considered satisfactory and in line

with available resources

Latest

known

results

(2017)

98% 98% 100%



Output Indicator Target Latest known

results

(situation on

31/12/2017)

Meeting rooms inventory Meeting rooms

inventory

Creation by

July 2017

MoU has

been agreed

with OIB in

order to

produce the

Inventory

Framework contracts for audio

visual equipment and services Framework contracts

Signature by

February 2017

Framework

contracts

signed in

May 2017


Catalogue of meeting room

services

Catalogue of services Decision by

Steering Board

by June 2017

Presented to

the Steering

Board and

Approved by

the DG in

December

2017

Ticketing system for meeting

room incidents

Ticketing system

implementation

by end 2017

for non-SCIC

rooms

Implemented

in November

2017

Standardised solutions for audio

visual equipment

Standard packages

for most common

meeting rooms

Definition of

packages by

end 2017

First version

of standard

room

packages

made June

2017 and

used for 8

rooms.

Asset management for audio

visual equipment

Agreement on asset

management

Validation by

Steering Board

by end 2017

Presented in

May 2017 to

the Steering

Board.

Included in

the "Terms of

Use" of the

Audio-Visual

framework

contracts

signed by

+/- 20 DGs.

The flagship project of a future Conference Centre for the European Commission

underpins the ability of the Commission deliver on the EU political agenda by offering the

space for inclusive and transparent decision making in the European Union. The future conference centre will replace the current Borschette Conference Centre, which is

approaching the end of its lifespan and will need to be phased out on safety grounds. In 2017, DG SCIC worked closely with OIB – chef the file for the project – and DG BUDG to

prepare the technical specifications needed to launch the call for expression of interest. Following the endorsement at political level, a Call for Expression of Interest for the

Conference Centre 2.0 has been launched in December 2017.

As the corporate meeting room management leader, SCIC has continued to foster a

Commission-wide standardisation of meeting rooms, covering the audio-visual equipment, their maintenance and the related support services. In this domain, a first

important milestone has been reached with the new inter-institutional framework contract for the purchase of audio-visual equipment and services that will help to secure

major synergies and efficiencies gains in terms of savings on costs and improving effective delivery of audio-visual equipment and services across the Commission

services, and other EU institutions and bodies.

Moreover, the new Catalogue of Meeting Room Services together with the


implementation of a standard Incident Management system will provide more transparent and more responsive meeting room services to meeting organisers and

end users.

Specific objective 4: DG Interpretation’s conference

organisation services meet Commission needs.

Not related to a

spending programme

Result indicator 1: Satisfaction of Commission DGs with the services related to

conference organisation services

This indicator is related to services delivered by DG Interpretation. It reflects the average

scores obtained from the DGs for whom conference organisation services were provided.

The scores rate the satisfaction levels on services provided before and during the event,

including DG Interpretation's staff and financial management.

Source of data: Conference organisers’ ongoing satisfaction surveys

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2017)

A 90% satisfaction rate is considered by DG

Interpretation's management as an ambitious

and reachable target. A marginal increase of the

satisfaction could entail a far bigger increase in

costs. This is the reason why the target is set

below the baseline.

Latest

known

results

(2017)

90.4% 90% 88% Result indicator 2: Conferences are registered in DG Interpretation

Source of data: n/a

Baseline

(2015)

Target

(2017)

Latest

known

results

(2017)

n/a To be set by the Steering Board on Conference

and Meeting room management

Target still to

be set

Narrative for conference organisers' ongoing satisfaction survey




results (situation on

31/12/2017)

Corporate inventory of

conferences

Event register Finalisation Completed

Broaden catalogue of

conference services offered by DG

Interpretation

Broadened service

catalogue

Service catalogue

extended by September 2017

Completed

Create new framework contracts in the field of

conference or event

organisation

New framework contracts

New contracts created by end

2017

New contracts were not finalised by the

end of 2017 and will

be published in 2018


Report on conference

organisation activity at the Commission using

the set of performance indicators

Report Report issued by

end 2017

Quarterly overview

of conference activity on My

Intracomm; Customised data +

results of customer

satisfaction survey available on request

The corporate events database (initially named "corporate inventory of conferences”) was completed and is now available on the MyIntracomm pages of DG Interpretation. In

2017, 215 conferences were registered, encompassing a total of 93,387 participants and

budget of 37,926,022.19 EUR.

As noted in a previous comment, the improved site, established in September 2017,

dedicated to conference organisation on MyIntracomm offer new services, such as the online toolkit for Commission staff. The site will continue to improve in 2018 with the

feedback from users and in particular, the Conference Correspondents Community established by SCIC in 2017.

The drafting for the new framework contracts in the field of conference or event organisation were started in 2017. Unfortunately due to a lack of resources, the DG was

not able to complete the drafting work in 2017 and this will be carried over to 2018.

However, clear references were entered in the conference organisation site on MyIntracomm for the existing framework contracts which are available.

Electronically signed on 27/03/2018 11:41 (UTC+02) in accordance with article 4.2 (Validity of electronic documents) of Commission Decision 2004/563

2017 annual activity report - european commission · 2018. 6. 6. · 2017 annual activity report dg...

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