European Institute for Socio-Economic Development

NOFRAUD

A variety of EU funds has long been available to improve the development of the EU. There are different types of funds which are spent in certain periods of time with varying purposes.

In particular, NOFRAUD wanted to discuss how to prevent frauds in EU funds managed by pre-accession countries (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey) with the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) and by East neighbourhood countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) with the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI).

ENI and IPA instruments are included in the EU’s financial interests accounting for IPA: €11,699 million and ENI: €15,433 million for 2014-2020.   

  • IPA helps the countries by preparing them to benefit from the European funds even after accession.
  • ENI funds action for building a partnership for inclusive economic development and integration; building a partnership between people; targeted capacity building and incentive-based approach.

Therefore, it is of great importance the way how the countries absorb these funds. Over the years, a number of problems have been encountered in managing such funds linked to legal and bureaucratic obstacles that could delay the implementation of projects. Strengthening administrative capacity and preparing national and local structures and authorities to plan and implement such programmes remain major challenges which the enlargement countries need to address rigorously from an early stage of the process.

NOFRAUD project aimed to organise:

  • A 1 day conference in Milan (IT) to present to AFCOS and Managing Authorities the EU policy and legislative developments in the field of fight against fraud and Audit Strategies for Fraud Detection in the framework of ENI and IPA funded projects.
  • A 1 day conference in Belgrade (Serbia) and 1 day conference in Tbilisi (Georgia) to present the differences between irregularities and fraud and to provide assistance on how to prevent, detect and combat fraud in the field of EU funded projects.

The conference in Milan was organised on May 14, 2018. The event saw the participation of 42 participants from AFCOS, Audit and Managing Authorities and EU funds beneficiaries from Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal and IPA and ENI area countries. The conference allowed participants to discuss, share and transmit their experience and knowledge in EU funds management considering the different tools/funds they can manage.

The conference in Belgrade and Tbilisi were organised on September 21st and October 19th 2018 respectively. Both events, which saw the participation of 33 and 28 people, focused on how to develop an efficient fraud audit strategy and how to monitor and control to prevent fraud in EU funded projects.