Brussels, 23/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - During the Ecofin Council on 22 January in Brussels, the commissioner for regional policy, Danuta Hübner, and the Portuguese minister of finance, Fernando Teixeira dos Santos, signed a “contract of confidence” guaranteeing the quality of audits carried out by the Portuguese authorities, the Inspecção-Geral de Finanças. This audit focuses on the spending that inspections declared to the European Commission. They relate to programmes co-funded by the European Development Fund (EDF) and Cohesion Funds for 2000-2006.
A Commission press release indicated that the latter has already signed similar contracts with Austria, Wales and Denmark. In February, signings are scheduled with Estonia and Slovenia, followed by further signings later this year. This approach is in line with the communication on contracts of confidence (SEC(2004)632/2) adopted by the Commission on 18 May 2004.
For 2000-2006, Portugal received investment worth € 20.5 billion from the ERDF, and € 3.3 billion from the Cohesion fund. For 2007-2013, Portugal will benefit from EU investment worth € 21.5 billion in the framework of Cohesion policy. Further information: (http: //ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm) (G.B.)