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DRAFT OPINION (2024/2019(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the Commission for the financial year 2023

REGI-PA-765332

Committee on Regional Development · Rapporteur: Ľubica Karvašová

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The Committee on Regional Development's draft opinion on the Commission's 2023 budget discharge stresses that error rates do not imply fraud and calls for simplification of rules and more support for national authorities. It highlights the role of anti-fraud bodies, acknowledges cohesion policy's crisis response, and urges better design of the next multiannual financial framework with more involvement of local and regional authorities.

Committee position. The Committee on Regional Development calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its views into the proposal for a decision on discharge.

Key points

  1. Underlines that error is not synonymous with fraud and that the error rate does not necessarily indicate misspent resources or question cohesion policy's results.
  2. Considers the increase in the error rate for cohesion policy funds symptomatic of complex rules and insufficient administrative capacity of national authorities.
  3. Stresses that the Committee on Regional Development called for urgent additional advisory support from the Commission to national authorities.
  4. Urges the Commission and Member States to simplify unnecessarily complex rules, work on common interpretation of legal requirements, and avoid gold-plating.
  5. Highlights the role of the European Anti-Fraud Office and the European Public Prosecutor's Office; welcomes the 2023 working arrangement with Denmark and cooperation with Poland and Ireland.
  6. Acknowledges cohesion policy's key role in addressing crises through CRII(+), CARE and REACT-EU, but reiterates that crisis repair should not come at the expense of long-term cohesion objectives.
  7. Underlines the need for the new multiannual financial framework to allow use of relevant instruments outside cohesion policy for post-2027 needs.
  8. Stresses that local and regional authorities should be more involved in setting policy priorities and have direct access to cohesion funds.

Who is affected

  • National authorities of member states: receive calls for simplification and additional advisory support from the Commission.
  • Local and regional authorities: should be more involved in setting priorities and have direct access to cohesion funds.
  • European Anti-Fraud Office and European Public Prosecutor's Office: their role in protecting financial interests is highlighted.

Figures and deadlines

  • 2023: year a working arrangement was signed with Denmark and cooperation started with Poland and Ireland.