The European Commission lacks an overview of the real outcome of its action in support of absorption of the structural and investment funds in the 2007-2013 period due to lack of information and action that is either too later or too disorderly, says an analysis published by the European Court of Auditors on Thursday 13 September.
The auditors point out that adoption of the legislative framework happened very late, only six months before the start of the 2007-2013 programming period, which had the effect of slowing down the entire decision-making process, delaying the adoption of operational programmes (Ops) and spending the allocated funding.
It also points the finger at the Commission’s lack of reactivity, which set up a task force to help member states with absorption only 13 months before the end of the programming period. The institution undertook a raft of measures, but the court says that many of them aimed above all at speeding up absorption, without taking account of results.
The Ops were frequently changed, jeopardising the quality of analysis and follow-up, to the detriment of the Cohesion Policy objectives. Finally, the court says the Commission is suffering from partial vision of all the measures taken and their impact on absorption, due to lack of information. The problem is that for some data, the member states are not required to keep the Commission informed.
The auditors make a series of recommendations, namely: - the Commission should set a precise calendar for the negotiations, so that the legislative framework is adopted on time: - the review of the operational programmes should be carried out based on a robust assessment, taking as objective the end results and based on data that allow effective monitoring; - the Commission should ensure that the objectives are met, and pay need to the outcome of the operational programmes and Cohesion Policy.
Aware of the consequences caused by late adoption of the legislative framework for 2007-2013, and particularly for 2014-2020, the European Commission, European Parliament and, to a lesser extent the Council are trying to progress as fast as possible on current initiatives for the upcoming budget cycle (see EUROPE 12060).
The report can be found at https://bit.ly/2CRA5ay. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)