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Report on the Dutch EU member state declaration 2008
The Dutch government decided in 2006 to prepare an annual national statement on the management and use of EU funds in the Netherlands. The Netherlands hopes the introduction of an annual member state declaration will improve management, accountability and control regarding the funds the Netherlands remits to the EU ands receives from the EU. The Court of Audit was asked to issue an opinion on the EU member state declaration each year. This is the third year in which we do so.
Audit106
The Dutch EU member state declaration for 2008 considers
agricultural expenditure and claims that the Netherlands initiated
in respect of the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and
the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
Expenditure in 2008 totalled €878 million and net claims totalled
€23.2 million. For the first time, the Dutch EU member state
declaration also considers structural funds this year: the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF)
and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). In 2008, however, the
Netherlands did not declare any structural funds expenditure to the
European Commission.
Conclusions
Opinion on the preparation of the member state
declaration. The EU member state declaration 2008, as issued
by the Minister of Finance on behalf of the government, was
prepared in a sound manner. The recommendations we made two years
ago regarding the provision of assurance on the line ministers'
sub-declarations (i.e. an auditor's report) and insight into the
criteria used to decide whether or not to include certain matters
in the member state declaration were followed up last year and in
the current year. They have also been followed up in respect of the
sub-declarations for the three individual structural funds.
Opinion on the assertions made in the member state
declaration.
The assertions made in the EU member state declaration 2008 regarding the performance of the management and control systems (and the measures they include) in place for the funds the Netherlands remitted to and received from the EAGF and EAFRD in 2008 are sound. We have one comment regarding the timely availability of the necessary control information. This year, we did not have timely, up-to-date information on the local authorities' checks of cross-compliance (environmental conditions that farmers must satisfy to qualify for farm aid) and Customs checks of agricultural exports. This information is necessary to form an opinion on the regularity of agricultural aid down to the level of final beneficiaries. Some progress has been made on the previous year but improvements can still be made in processing the inspection data in the inspectorates' records and accounts. The assertion made in the EU member state declaration 2008 on financial transactions down to the level of final beneficiaries is sound. The government declares that agricultural expenditures and receipts were legal and regular in 2008 but makes a reservation regarding checks of cross-compliance.
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The assertions made in the EU member state declaration 2008 regarding the performance of the management and control systems (and the measures they include) in place for the funds the Netherlands remitted to and received from the EAGF and EAFRD in 2008 are sound. We have one comment regarding the timely availability of the necessary control information. This year, we did not have timely, up-to-date information on the local authorities' checks of cross-compliance (environmental conditions that farmers must satisfy to qualify for farm aid) and Customs checks of agricultural exports. This information is necessary to form an opinion on the regularity of agricultural aid down to the level of final beneficiaries. Some progress has been made on the previous year but improvements can still be made in processing the inspection data in the inspectorates' records and accounts. The assertion made in the EU member state declaration 2008 on financial transactions down to the level of final beneficiaries is sound. The government declares that agricultural expenditures and receipts were legal and regular in 2008 but makes a reservation regarding checks of cross-compliance.
Recommendations
An important area of concern in the agricultural
funds is the provision of information on inspection results.
All basic data generated by the checks should be recorded in a
uniform manner using consistent definitions. The inspectorates'
management reports should also be made available in good time. We
also recommend that the Minister of LNV supervise the quality of
checks. Regarding the structural funds, we recommend that
specific attention be paid to the ERDF. In view of the complex
structure of the ERDF's management and control systems, we
recommend that the Minister of Economic Affairs exercise her
supervisory responsibilities by critically monitoring the quality
of this fund's implementation at local level and taking remedial
measures where necessary.
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Response of the ministers
On behalf of the Ministers of Economic Affairs (EZ),
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), and Social Affairs and
Employment (SZW), the Minister of Finance wrote that he was pleased
with our generally positive opinion on the EU member state
declaration 2008. The response to the recommendations was
encouraging. Regarding the availability of inspection results, the
minister proposed that the Court of Audit and the Ministry of LNV
together study how up-to-date information could be provided on the
checks in an orderly and convenient manner for the next member
state declaration (in respect of 2009).
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Current status
The report was submitted to the House of Representatives on 20
May 2009.
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Report on the Dutch EU member state declaration 2008
Report | 12-10-2009 |
PDF, 893 kb
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Report on the Dutch EU member state declaration 2008, European Union, IntoSAINT
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Report
12-10-2009 |
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