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Audit and Anti-Fraud in RRF and ESIFs 2021-2027 – Exchange of Audit Experiences Between AAs, EC, OLAF and ECA
This highly practical 3-day workshop for audit authorities has as its main objective the exchange of experiences regarding anti-fraud measures in EU funding (ESIFs + RRF), conflict of interest, double financing, audit results based on Arachne; or other similar tools used by AAs, and measures applied in different Member States to ensure effective and efficient control systems at the national level for the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
In addition, audit results of the 2014-2020 programming period and the current 2021-2027 period will be presented.
This course has a very practical and interactive character. All presentations given by audit and fraud prevention experts, including concrete examples and real-life case studies, will focus on the following topics:
- Changes in the 2021–2027 programming period: simplified costs and financing not linked to costs, proportionate control arrangements, annual accounts and audits, conditionalities, performance and proportional anti-fraud measures.
- The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF): measures applied in Member States to prevent, detect and correct conflict of interest, double financing, corruption and fraud, similarities and differences of internal control systems created, and audits for RRF. In addition, it will show how to put in place effective and efficient controls and anti-fraud measures for the RRF.
- RePowerEU and modification of National Recovery and Resilience Plans.
- Role of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in the fraud detection and prevention in ESIF and RRF co-financed projects and programmes in the current programming period 2021–2027. It will also include the presentation of real-life fraud examples with special focus on the RRF.
- European Commission and ECA approach to ESIFs and RRF audits, audit of milestones and targets, main findings of already performed RRF audits, shortcomings and irregularities detected, and EC and ECA’s upcoming RRF audits.
- Practical use of Arachne and similar tools in Member States: how to effectively use Arachne to detect irregularities and fraud in RRF? What are the advantages of data mining programmes?
- Main conflicts of interest and fraud risks in the selection process of project proposals and management verifications in the current programming period. What are the possible risks and fraud schemes in the RRF?
- Main errors and irregularities in projects co-funded by the ESIFs and significant risks related to RRF projects.
- Managing authorities, audit authorities, national authorities; first-level controllers and independent auditors dealing with or interested in the European Structural and Cohesion Funds, and co-funded projects and programmes;
- Experts in charge of fraud investigations and experts from national contact points with OLAF;
- Internal auditors and other experts in charge of the control and audit of RRF projects, where Member States rely on control systems for their national budget funds.
Project number: 2420604
Course venue
The Westin Zagreb
Krsnjavoga 1, 10000
Zagreb (HR)
Tel: +385 52 808 896
westin.zagreb@westinzagreb.com
Senior Project Officer
Ms Rafaella Giussani
Tel: +31 43 32 96 372
r.giussani@eipa.eu
Fee
The fee includes documentation, refreshments, lunches, and a dinner. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.
Discounts
EIPA member fee
EIPA offers a discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency.
Who are the supporting countries?
Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden.
For all other participants, the regular fee applies.
Early bird discount
The early bird discount is not cumulative with other discounts or promo codes, except for the EIPA member fee.
Loyalty coupon
As a token of appreciation we offer all our participants a loyalty coupon for one of our future courses. The offer can be shared with colleagues and relevant networks. The coupon will expire one year after its release. This discount is not cumulative with other discounts, except for the EIPA member fee.
Hotel reservation
EIPA has arranged a special price with the hotel where the course will take place. Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please book directly via this link. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel upon checking in.
Meals
Dietary preferences can be indicated on the registration form.
Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed online registration form.
Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation.
Cancellation policy
For administrative reasons you will be charged €150 for cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins. There is no charge for qualified substitute participants.
EIPA reserves the right to cancel the activity up to 2 weeks before the starting date. In that case, registration fees received will be fully reimbursed. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, accommodation, etc.).
A few days before the start of the course you will receive the log-in details for accessing the course materials. You can log in here.
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Our experts
Programme
08.45 | Registration of participants and distribution of course materials |
09.00 | Opening of the seminar: Introduction to the programme, objectives and methodology Neven Šprlje, Director of ARPA (Agency for the Audit of European Union Programmes Implementation System) Iwona Karwot, Senior Lecturer and Project Leader, EIPA |
09.30 | Tour de Table: Presentation of participants to initiate networking |
Part I: OLAF Combating fraud and its role in the management and implementation process of Structural and Cohesion Funds and Recovery and Resilience Facility | |
09.45 | Fraud in the ESI Funds – Practical real-life examples of main problems in ESIF co-funded projects and possible fraud cases in the new Recovery and Resilience Facility Piotr Baczmanski, Policy Analyst at Unit C.1 Anti-Corruption, Anti-Fraud Strategy and Analysis (OLAF) – European Anti-Fraud Office, European Commission |
11.15 | Questions and answers |
11.30 | Coffee break |
12.00 | Fraud in the ESIFs and RRF – Practical workshop Piotr Baczmanski |
13.00 | Plenary session: Group presentations – Evaluation of workshop results, including discussion of problems faced by the participants during the exercises and possible solutions |
13.30 | Joint lunch |
Part II: Member States Combating fraud and its role in the management and implementation process of Structural and Cohesion Funds and Recovery and Resilience Facility | |
14.45 | Framework and measures applied in Croatia to prevent, detect and correct conflicts of interest, double financing, corruption and fraud in ESIFs and RRF Marina Mandac, Head of Department for Methodology in the Service for Support to Audit Processes, Agency for the Audit of European Programmes Implementation System (ARPA) |
15.45 | Questions and answers |
16.00 | Short break |
16.15 | Panel I – Audit of ESIFs and assessment of internal control systems applied in Member States to prevent, detect and correct conflicts of interest, double financing, corruption and fraud in ESIFs. Internal control systems created for ESIFs; Presentation by country + general discussion and exchange |
17.00 | Panel II – Audit of RRF and assessment of the internal control systems applied in Member States to prevent, detect and correct conflicts of interest Presentation by country + general discussion and exchange |
17.45 | End of the first day and Tour of Zagreb and the Christmas market. |
20.00 | Official networking dinner |
09.00 | Practical example of checks done by the Croatian Audit Authority for prevention, detection and correction of conflicts of interest, double financing, corruption and fraud in RRF Sara Sirovica Kranjčec, Head of Service for Support to Audit Processes, Sector for Horizontal Processes Management, ARPA |
10.00 | Questions and answers |
10.15 | Coffee break |
Part III: ARACHNE and similar tools Combating fraud and its role in the management and implementation process of Structural and Cohesion Funds and Recovery and Resilience Facility | |
10.45 | Arachne as a practical tool for fraud prevention and detection in the ESIFs and in RFF co-financed programmes and projects. How to use Arachne to detect and prevent fraud and irregularities: real-life case studies. Wim Smets, Arachne Business Analyst, DG Employment, Social Affairs and inclusion, Unit F5 – Information Technologies, European Commission |
12.15 | Questions and answers |
12.30 | Arachne as a practical tool for fraud prevention and detection – practical workshop Wim Smets |
13.00 | Joint lunch |
14.00 | Arachne as a practical tool for fraud prevention and detection – practical workshop (continuation) Wim Smets |
14.30 | Practical use of Arachne to detect fraud and irregularities in Croatia Marina Mandac and Sara Sirovica Kranjčec |
15.00 | Questions and answers |
Part IV: ECA – ESIFs and RRF Audit of ESIFs in the programming period 2021-2027 | |
15.15 | Comparative analysis of audit and control in the Cohesion Policy Funds and the RFF Michele Zagordo, Senior Auditor, European Court of Auditors |
16.45 | Questions and answers |
17.00 | Audit results 2014-2020 and 2021-2027: challenges and the most frequent irregularities and fraud cases: panel III Presentation by country + general discussion and exchange |
17.30 | End of the second day |
Part V: European Commission and RRF Audit of RRF | |
09.00 | Audit, control and antifraud measures in the Recovery and Resilience Facility
Ana Eckhardt Rodriguez, Internal Control Officer, DG ECFIN, European Commission |
10.30 | Questions and answers |
10.45 | Coffee break |
Part VI: ECA and RRF Audit of RRF | |
11.15 | Audit of RRF from the ECA perspective – challenges and opportunities
Juan Ignacio Gonzalez Bastero, Principal Manager, European Court of Auditors |
12.45 | Questions and answers |
13.00 | Joint lunch |
Part VIII: Member States and RRF How to reach the results until August 2026? | |
14.15 | Focus on RRF: amended RRP, changed OA – what to expect and how to reach the results until August 2026? Changes in the Audit Strategy – roadmap for audits by the end of the RRP implementation with focus on thematic audits Marina Mandac and Sara Sirovica Kranjčec |
15.15 | Questions and answers |
15.30 | Panel IV: How to reach the results until August 2026? Presentation by country + general discussion and exchange |
16.15 | End of the course and distribution of EIPA attendance certificates to the participants |