The Meeting of the Working group on the National SAI reports on EU financial management
One of the topics discussed in the media in the Czech Republic is the issue of receiving (and not receiving) funds from the EU. Member states having longer experience with EU funding already have a negative experience with the issue, when funds have to be returned to the EU budget in the case that all conditions are not met. For this reason the national Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) focus their attention on the auditing of these funds to prevent problems before the European Court of Auditors (ECA), that audits the EU budget, has audited these funds. Some countries (such as The Netherlands) even publish a specialized National report that evaluates in great detail the use of EU funds in the respective country. Many countries, including the Czech Republic, are seriously considering publishing such reports.
On 27-28 April the Supreme Audit Office, Czech Republic will be hosting a meeting of the Working group on the National SAI reports on EU financial management in Prague, attended by delegates of 17 EU countries and the ECA. The key points to be discussed at the meeting will be directed to the evaluation methods of EU financial management in national reports and on the creation of suitable indicators and comparable criteria for such evaluation in order to compare results in individual countries.
The National SAI reports could be published annually and should be a synthesis of outcomes from the audits of the ECA and their own findings and analyses. Such National reports could inform on financial management on the level of the EU as well as of the member state. By producing a national report for the year 2006 the Supreme Audit Office, Czech Republic would contribute to the improvement of the distribution and spending of EU funds and EU financial management. The report could serve as one of the documents for the preparation of the Czech Presidency for the Council of the EU.