Brussels, 28/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - The initiative of Commissioners Pawe ³ Samecki (Regional Policy) and Vladimir Špidla (Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities), was adopted on Wednesday 28 October. The intermediate report highlights measures taken to improve shared controls over structural funds. The report highlights measures taken to improve financial controls in Member States and to reduce errors that can result in incorrect payment claims from the EU budget.
Context: On 19 February 2008 the Commission adopted an action plan to strengthen its supervisory role in the shared management of structural action. The European Parliament and the European Court of Auditors to strengthen management and control systems in Member States and reduce the risk of errors in payment claims designed this as a practical response to recommendations. This was designed as a practical response to recommendations by the European Court of Auditors over errors revealed in cohesion policy. The plan defined a 37-point plan. At the end of last year, all these points had been successfully carried out. The main results were presented to the European Parliament's budgets committee on 20 January 2009 by former Commissioner, Danuta Hübner. They were included in a report dated 3 February 2009. The nine remaining points of action were included in the joint strategy audit for structural actions 2009-11, points out the Commission in its report.
Real results: So far this year the Commission has clawed back €629 million and estimates that a further half a billion euro will be recovered by the end of 2009. The report also shows that Member States are increasingly making their own financial corrections - doing so gives them more freedom to make payment claims for alternative eligible projects.
The Commission adds in its press release that the action plan also aims to assist member states in their preparations for the “closure” of the accounts for the 2000-2006 structural fund programmes, and to ensure the effective verification of member states' audit strategies and financial control systems for the 2007-2013 budgetary period.
The Commission states that EU cohesion policy has helped to create around 600,000 jobs since 2000. The policy will invest €347 billion in 2007-2013 in the 27 member states, which represents 35% of the total Community budget for the same period (€975 billion). (G.B./transl.rt)