Procedure for Designating the Management and Control System for Structural and Investment European Funds

For the 2014-2020 programming period, the European Commission foresaw by Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 that each Member State, before requesting reimbursement of the costs incurred in the implementation of the projects included in the first interim payment application, must undergo the so-called designation procedure. The designation procedure involves the accreditation of the constituent institutions of the management and control system for each operational program financed by the Structural and Investment Funds. The management and control system consisting of the Managing Authority, Certifying Authority and Audit Authority requires an assessment of their compliance with the criteria for the internal control environment, risk management, control and management activities and monitoring activities foreseen by the European regulation. The designation of authorities at national level is based on the audit opinion issued by the Audit Authority in accordance with internationally accepted auditing standards, which should be unqualified. Issuing a different opinion leads to non-settlement of expenditure on the operational program concerned by the European Commission. Thus, the Member State obtains a guarantee as to the necessary and appropriate structure of the systems set up for the management and control of the funds. The present article aims to present the procedure for the designation of the management and control system of an operational program and the evaluation criteria envisaged. The importance of this step is given by the fact that, depending on how these management and control systems are built, the implementation of funds can be easier or more cumbersome and the administrative bureaucratic burden for the beneficiaries can be eliminated in time. Even though the designation procedure is successfully completed, not all the premises that the implementation of the funds will meet expectations are ensured.