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Audit, Structural and cohesion funds/ESIF
Internal, External and Performance Audit of ESIF and NEXTGENEU Funded Programmes and Projects: 2021-2027
This highly practical 2,5-day course will give you a complete overview and detailed understanding of all practical aspects of the different types of audits of EU Funds in the programming period 2021-2027, including Next Generation EU and the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA).
This highly practical 2,5-day course will give you a complete overview and detailed understanding of all practical aspects of the different types of audits of EU Funds in the programming period 2021-2027, including Next Generation EU and the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA).
It will cover:
- a focused reminder of the relevant legislation and standards;
- methods for increasing efficiency of controls and audits;
- risk-based management verifications by the MAs and their evaluation: methodologies, challenges, and best practices;
- practical know-how through workshops on audit of public procurement, audit of state aid, and performance audit;
- organisation of the management, control systems, and audits of European structural and investment funds (ESIFs) and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) in different models applied in Member States: success factors and best practices.
The unique feature of this course is that it covers the experience of audit experts from the European Commission, the European Court of Auditors (ECA), and Audit Authorities of Member States.
What you will learn:
You will improve your knowledge about errors, irregularities, and anti-fraud measures in ESIF and RRF co-financed programmes and projects applied in Member States, how the ECA’s auditors are doing financial, compliance, and performance audits, and how they check public procurement and state aid.
You will learn what the expectations are of the EC auditors on the risk-based management verification methodologies and their application, and what are the challenges and best practices in this field. You will also improve your knowledge about audits of IPA III.
Course methodology
We have made this course very practical and interactive. All presentations conducted by audit experts include specific examples and real-life case studies. Each of them is followed by a practical workshop in small groups with direct involvement of ECA auditors, where you will learn about errors and irregularities, and about how audits are performed, including many real-life cases.
- Managing Authorities, Audit Authorities, Intermediate Bodies, public bodies dealing with Next Generation EU Funds and IPA, beneficiaries eligible under ESI Funds, Next Generation EU and IPA III, Joint Secretariats, and controllers under cross-border programmes, including auditors and experts from the IPA countries;
- Internal auditors, independent auditors, and private audit companies dealing with or interested in EU-funded projects and programmes;
- Consulting companies specialised in the management of projects, financed by EU Funds or programmes;
- Managers and potential beneficiaries interested in EU-funded projects and programmes.
Project number: 2520603
Course venue – to be determined
Madrid (ES)
Project Officer
Anda Sîrca
Tel: +31 (0)43 32 96 209
a.sirca@eipa.eu
Fee
The fee includes documentation, refreshments, lunches, a dinner and walking tour of Madrid. 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.
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
| 08.30 | Registration of participants and distribution of course materials |
| 09.00 | Opening of the course: Introduction to the programme, objectives, and methodology Iwona Karwot, Senior Expert and Project Leader, EIPA |
| 09.15 | Tour de table: Presentation of participants to encourage networking |
| Part I. European Court of Auditors: How audits of ESI Funds and RRF are performed by the ECA in the programming period 2021–2027? | |
| 09.30 | European Court of Auditors: its mission, long term strategy, organisation, types of audits (financial, compliance, and performance), and audit reports. Luc T’Joen, Active Senior, Former Senior Administrator, European Court of Auditors Iwona Karwot |
| 11.00 | Q&A |
| 11.15 | Coffee Break |
| Part II. European Court of Auditors: Performance audit | |
| 11.45 | The European Court of Auditors’ Assessments of Results, Milestones and Targets for RRF and ESIFs:
Luc T’Joen |
| 13.15 | Q&A |
| 13.30 | Lunch |
| 14.45 | Case study: How to plan a performance audit, and what to audit exactly – practical cases in small working groups. We will work on the topics of urban pollution, urban transport investments, and sustainable urban mobility. Luc T’Joen and Iwona Karwot |
| 15.30 | Presentation of real-life findings from the ECA’s performance audits assessing results, milestones, and targets of ESIF and RRF-funded programmes and projects.
Luc T’Joen |
| 16.30 | Short Break |
| Part III. European Court of Auditors: Financial and compliance audits | |
| 16.40 | Financial and compliance audit by the ECA in the 2021-2027 programming period Part I. An overview of the audit framework. This presentation provides an overview of how financial and compliance audits are performed by the ECA, the main principles and actors, and the key aspects to look at and shares the experience of what is expected from an auditee. Luc T’Joen |
| 17.40 | Q&A |
| 17.50 | End of the first day |
| 18.00 | Walking Tour of Madrid |
| 20.00 | Group Dinner |
| 09.00 | Financial and compliance audit by the ECA in the 2021-2027 programming period Part II: Most common errors This presentation will explain the most common errors and the key factors contributing to these errors in cohesion spending, and explain the upcoming audit work on legality and regularity of RRF expenditure. Luc T’Joen |
| 09.45 | Q&A |
| 10.00 | Coffee Break |
| Part IV. European Court of Auditors: Audit of public procurement | |
| 10.30 | Performance and compliance audit of public procurement in the area of cohesion policy – approach, practical examples and lessons learned Friedemann Zippel, Principal Manager and Martin Sido, Auditor, Chamber 2 Directorate – Investment for cohesion, growth and inclusion, European Court of Auditors, Luxembourg |
| 12.00 | Q&A |
| 12.15 | Case study: Audit of public procurement in the area of cohesion – practical cases in working groups Friedemann Zippel and Martin Sido |
| 13.15 | Lunch |
| 14.30 | Plenary session: Group presentations – evaluation of workshop results, including discussion of problems faced by the participants during the exercises and possible solutions |
| Part V. European Court of Auditors: Audit of State Aid | |
| 15.00 | Audit of state aid in the area of cohesion policy – practical examples and lessons learned Kevin Deceuninck, Senior Auditor, Chamber 2 Directorate – Investment for cohesion, growth and inclusion, European Court of Auditors, Luxembourg |
| 16.30 | Q&A |
| 16.45 | Case studies: Audit of state aid in the area of cohesion policy – practical cases in working groups Kevin Deceuninck |
| 18.00 | End of the second day |
| 09.00 | Plenary Session: Group presentations – evaluation of workshop results, including discussion of problems faced by the participants during the exercises and possible solutions |
| Part VI. EU Commission: How is the audit and control (internal and external) of ESI Funds taking place in the programming period 2021–2027? | |
| 09.30 | Audit and control in the programming period 2021-2027: Rules, mechanisms, challenges, and best practices from MS. ESIFs’ risk-based management verifications by the MAs and how to evaluate them. Rafael López Sánchez, Head of Unit DAC.4, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, Joint Audit Directorate for Cohesion Policy, European Commission |
| 11.00 | Q&A |
| 11.15 | Coffee Break |
| 11.45 | Best practices in auditing and detection of omissions and irregularities in ESIFs, IPA, and RRF projects in the 2021-2027 programming period – what to do, what to avoid, and what possible solution to apply in case of system problems faced. Radoslav Nedyalkov, State Auditor, Audit of European Union Funds Executive Agency, Bulgaria |
| 13.15 | Q&A |
| 13.30 | Practical workshop: ESIFs, IPA, and RRF case studies Radoslav Nedyalkov |
| 14.15 | Closure of course and distribution of EIPA Certificates of Completion to participants Iwona Karwot |