14 March 2023

ECA: Special report 07/2023: Design of the Commission’s control system for the RRF

We found that, in a relatively short time, the Commission has designed a control system that provides for an extensive process for verifying the fulfilment of milestones and targets. However, an assurance and accountability gap remains at EU level in protecting the financial interest of the Union.

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is funded with €723.8 billion (at current prices) and represents the EU’s main funding instrument for mitigating the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the design of the Commission’s control system for the RRF to assess how it contributes to ensuring that milestones and targets are satisfactorily fulfilled and that the Union’s financial interests are protected. We found that, in a relatively short time, the Commission has designed a control system that provides for an extensive process for verifying the fulfilment of milestones and targets. However, an assurance and accountability gap remains at EU level in protecting the financial interest of the Union. We recommend that the Commission identify measures to address this assurance gap, as well as drawing up guidance on corrections and for the reversal of a measure related to a previously fulfilled milestone or target.

​ ECA special report pursuant to Article 287(4), second subparagraph, TFEU.

 

 

 

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