Financial Management and Audit of EU Structural Funds: Programme Finance, Simplification, Key Audit Issues and Public Procurement

How have Programme Finance, Financial Management and Audit rules changed for the new 2021-2027 period? What are the key live issues for finance, control and audit at present and how are these likely to evolve in the future? What do new Programmes look like and have they taken advantage of the new, extraordinary financial flexibilities?

This course will compare the Financial Management and Audit rules between the 2014-2020 and the 2021-2027 programming periods. There will be a special focus on financial planning, increasing the use of Simplified Costs Options, anti-fraud measures and protecting the audit trail.

We will also ask what financial management and audit lessons the new Structural Funds programmes and the new national RRF plans can learn from the 2014-2020 Cohesion Policy programming period.

What will you learn:

• Dermot Byrne, a leading Member State audit practitioner, will underline how control and audit differ, looking in detail at the audit of accounts, systems and operations for 2021-2027, and highlight key audit issues for Cohesion Policy and the RRF.
• Using ARACHNE may become a requirement for some projects in the future. Krzysztof Iwanski, the European Commission’s ARACHNE IT Project Manager, will explain and illustrate how ARACHNE works and how you can use it.
• We will look at how to complete the Simplified Cost Options section of the new programme template.
• We will look at a sample of new Programmes and examine the special link between finance and performance; we will also look at the Reporting template for the new programmes and how will you report programme progress.
• Finally, we take a special look at the urgent actions of the RRF (as well as under the CARE, FAST-CARE and REPowerEU initiative) and the live issues of project selection, financial control and audit.

Course methodology/highlights:

We aim to make the course as interactive as possible. Participants will have ample opportunity to exchange views informally on the course topics. Workshops and exercises will be used to help participants get to grips with practical tools and methodologies.

This course is intended for:

• Managers and practitioners from managing authorities (Managing, Certifying and Audit authorities, Accounting Functions) whether they are national, regional or local authorities; and from other public bodies of EU Member States (and associated countries) working with Structural Funds
• Economic and social partners /stakeholders working with the Structural and Investment Funds, such as employers’ associations, consultants, NGOs, education bodies etc.

Online Course
For this online course we make use of Zoom

Programme Organiser
Ms Rafaella Giussani
Tel: +31 43 32 96 372
r.giussani@eipa.eu

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, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, 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.

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, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden.

For all other participants, the regular fee applies.

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 € 50 for cancellations received within 7 days before the activity begins. There is no charge for qualified substitute participants.

EIPA reserves the right to cancel the activity up to 1 week before the starting date. In that case, registration fees received will be fully reimbursed.

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.