The European Court of Auditors (ECA) acts as an independent guardian of the EU citizens’ funds. It conducts audits based on which it evaluates the way the EU funds are obtained and used. ”We carry out audits in a transparent manner. Our methodology is no secret knowledge. Just the opposite, we don’t surprise our auditees - Mr. Augustyn Kubik, Polish representative in ECA, explains the reasons of organising a seminar for officials.
President of NIK, Mr. Jacek Jezierski, speaks about the ECA seminar for Polish officials
ETO seminar
Auditors and public administration employees have a common objective. Both groups want the EU funds to be disbursed in line with the law and purpose. A negative evaluation of the ECA may result in the necessity to return the grant. From time to time, the Polish (and not only) administration is sorry to learn about it in practice. ”That is why, we would like it so much that the officials understand our evaluation criteria and our auditor’s language. That will help them start a dialogue with us, better understand our recommendations and implement them in a shorter time” - says Mr. Kubik.
Statement of Mr. Augustyn Kubik from the European Court of Auditors
ETO seminar
The host and co-author of the training was the Supreme Audit Office. ”We cooperate with the ECA and our inspectors accompany the employees of that institution in all audits conducted in Poland” - says Mr. Jacek Jezierski, President of NIK. And he adds that he would like to make sure that Polish officials better understand principles of the ECA audits and the Court better understands the functioning manner of the public administration in Poland.
During the two-day seminar the European auditors presented full methodology of the financial audit and the performance audit. The presentations were based on specific cases. The officials also got familiar with the entire dialogue process between auditees and auditors. The ECA audits are conducted according to the rule that the parties should be heard. The European auditors, who remain fully independent, perceive it as the grounds for two-way clarifications and mutual understanding.
The seminar also provided an opportunity to present a new auditing procedure of NIK. ”We wanted to tell the administration employees how we interpreted the new regulations and what the audits conducted based on them would look like” - explains Mr. Jezierski.
The seminar for the representatives of the Polish public administration took place on 25-26 October at the NIK training centre. Next to a few tens of officials from different ministries, it was attended by: Minister of Regional Development Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Chief Commissioner for Public Finances Discipline Mirosław Sekuła, President of the Government Legislation Centre Maciej Berek and Minister Janusz Cisek from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
