Lessons Learned from ECA’s Performance Auditing (ESIF and RRF) in 2021-2027 and Preparations for 2028-2034

The EU’s long-term budget, technically known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), provides for the financing of programmes in all EU policy areas. The MFFs have been applied for almost four decades, as such long-term budgets provide a stable framework with overall spending limits, aligning spending with the EU’s political priorities, increasing the predictability of EU finances, and ensuring budgetary discipline. On request of the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, who will ultimately decide on the budget early in 2026, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) will issue a series of opinions on the plans for the upcoming EU’s 2028-2034 budget.

The first part of this highly practical 2,5-day course will be used to explain the European Commission’s (EC) proposals and the ECA opinions on the most important MFF proposals in more detail, indicating the risks to sound financial management. They provide independent, expert advice to support the design of programmes whose governance structure, performance framework, and financial control arrangements ensure sound financial management, strengthen accountability, and deliver European added value.

The second part of this course will provide the information needed for doing performance audits during the current and the upcoming new multiannual period. This part will include the role of the ECA and highlight the techniques used by its auditors to assess performance, the keyword for this period.

What you will learn

The course will give participants a complete overview and detailed understanding of all practical aspects of control and audits of EU funds in the current programming period, and how audits will be programmed for the next programming period. It therefore covers:

• the key documents prepared by the EC;
• the various opinions of the ECA on these preparatory documents;
• the differences between financial, compliance and performance audit;
• many specific casework and best practices on performance audit;
• methods of increasing efficiency of control and audits;
• practical know-how through workshops on particular aspects of performance audit;
• information on how the ECA is planning its performance and financial audits.

We have made this course very practical and interactive. All presentations include specific examples and real-life case studies. Practical workshops in small working groups with direct involvement of the ECA expert will allow you to learn how performance audits are implemented.

You will improve your practical knowledge on measuring results and be able to apply this knowledge to the development of a results-based analysis system within your organisation. You will also be able to apply this knowledge to develop a results-based analysis system within your organisations for the 2021-2027 programming period, and it will prepare you for performance-based audits of the 2028-2034 MFF.

• Managing authorities, audit authorities, intermediate bodies, public bodies dealing with EU funds, beneficiaries eligible under EU funds, IPA III Joint Secretariats and first-level controllers under cross-border programmes;
• 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: 2620603

Course venue
Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública (INAP)
Calle de Atocha 106, 28012 Madrid (ES).

Senior Project Officer
Ms Rafaella Giussani
Tel: +31 43 32 96 372
r.giussani@eipa.eu

Fee
The fee includes documentation, refreshments, lunches, a dinner and a 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
EIPA offers 10% off on registrations made eight weeks or more before the start of a course. 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.