The cooperation idea was put forward by NIK President Krzysztof Kwiatkowski at the CC meeting in Riga, June this year. Mr. Kwiatkowski requested the Heads of SAIs of the EU member states to support the efforts of the SAIs of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - the EU associated countries - to streamline the systems of public accountability and strengthen the position of SAIs in these countries. The Contact Committee decided that the SAIs’ representatives would review that issue and then submit relevant proposals to the CC.
The works are carried out mainly by the Supreme Audit Office, in cooperation with other EU SAIs, especially the SAIs of Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and the European Court of Auditors. At the meeting in Warsaw, the representatives of NIK and the Romanian Court of Accounts discussed the work mode and the activity of both the Contact Committee and the Network of SAIs of candidate and potential candidate countries. They also addressed decisions concerning the SAIs in the association agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. On the other hand, representatives of SAIs of those three countries presented their expectations concerning issues where the public accountability systems need to be improved.
The second day of the meeting was devoted to past audits which dealt with the EU matters and were conducted by the SAIs attending the meeting. The discussions also addressed the twinning experience and other forms of advisory for the SAIs of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine as well as relevant experience of the SAIs of Latvia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia from before 2004/2007. The meeting was ended with a debate - with the participation of NIK President - on the way how to implement the proposals of the three associated countries to obtain support of their efforts.
Since it is the Contact Committee that makes the final decision, the results of the Warsaw meeting will be first submitted to the SAIs’ representatives for discussion and their recommendations will be presented at the next CC meeting to be held in October 2016 in Bratislava. It is already clear, though, that the meeting provided an in-depth view of the expectations of the SAIs of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and their experience in the EU-related audits.
The Supreme Audit Institutions of 28 EU Member States and the European Court of Auditors cooperate as part of the Contact Committee to improve the external audit and accountability in EU-related matters. This is an apolitical, independent and autonomous forum providing the knowledge and experience exchange in the field of auditing of European funds. It also initiates and coordinates joint activities of SAIs within the EU borders. The Contact Committee cooperates with the Network of SAIs of candidate and potential candidate countries.
