Abuse of EU funds, increased controls - From ARACHNE, to investigations and prosecution. What are the measures of the new strategy?
Institutions managing EU funds in Albania will be subject to stricter controls to avoid possible abuses. The “National Anti-Fraud Strategy for the Protection of the Financial Interests of the European Union” has been put out for public consultation, among the aims of which are the detection of fraud by public officials with European Union funds, as well as the improvement of internal controls, in order to prevent these irregularities. Through this strategy, the effective administration and use of EU funds is ensured during its pre-accession period.
European Union funds in Albania may be exposed to risks that include payments to a contractor who has breached the contract, improper selection of a project application, awarding a contract to an applicant who would not have been selected if competitive procedures had been applied, payment to a beneficiary for ineligible expenses, selection of a false project application and others.
In order to avoid the misuse of EU financial assistance in the future, the new measures to be taken relate to the creation of an appropriate legal framework to ensure a fraud-proof environment, the promotion of fraud prevention among public servants and officials, through increasing the awareness of public institutions and the public on the prevention of irregularities and suspected cases of fraud, but also through the updating of the integrity plans of the relevant institutions.
Another objective is to maximise the effectiveness of controls for the prevention, detection and correction of fraud. This objective will see the deployment of ARACHNE, an advanced IT tool designed to help managing authorities identify high-risk projects by analysing large data sets relating to EU-funded projects.
The relevant institutions will be more engaged in investigations and prosecutions, with the aim of protecting the EU's financial interests. This also includes increasing human resource capacities, but also further strengthening inter-institutional cooperation between the Directorate of Public Financial Inspection (AFCOS) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), regarding the exchange of information and investigations.
The drafting of this strategy is an obligation arising from the process of Albania's integration into the European Union.
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