Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

Subject: Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

Under the 2018 and 2019 refugee relocation and resettlement programmes, Portugal admitted around 409 people. In support, the Ministry of Internal Administration received (via the Foreigners and Borders Service) roughly EUR 4 million from the Commission. The Portuguese press reports that around one million of this money went astray and never reached its intended recipient: the High Commission for Migration, which is responsible for receiving refugees.

Meanwhile, in 2018, the Portuguese Court of Auditors found further discrepancies with the implementation of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF): EUR 16 million were authorised for payments, which is five more than the declared expenditure (amounting to a meagre 25% of the total sum mobilised).

In the light of the above:

1. Is the Commission monitoring this case or has it already referred it to the European Anti-Fraud Office?

2. What implications might these alleged irregularities have for Portugal’s access to funds under the multiannual financial framework?

3. What is the current implementation rate for the AMIF, both overall and for Portugal?

Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission

(17 December 2021)

The Commission regularly monitors the implementation of Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) National Programmes, including allocations for resettlement and relocation.

The financial and legal mechanisms in place, both at national and EU level, ensure that any irregularities are detected in a timely manner, allowing for the swift adoption of proportionate corrective measures. Any amounts unduly paid will be recovered by the Commission.

As far as EU financial support is concerned, the AMIF Regulation (1) provides for the payment of a lump sum for resettlement and relocation to the Member State, and not to the persons resettled or relocated themselves.

These lump sums help cover the Member States’ costs for resettlement and relocation and are paid only once the person is effectively resettled or relocated.

Proper documentation on effective admission must be maintained and is subject to monitoring checks and audits by the Commission. The Member States’ real costs for resettlement and relocation (2) are however generally higher than the amount provided by the lump sums.

The discrepancies identified by the Portuguese Court of Auditors in 2018, representing 0.21% of the EU contribution declared in the 2018 AMIF annual accounts, have been addressed by the Portuguese authorities responsible for the implementation and control of the National Programme, and the Commission has cleared the respective accounts.

Therefore, the Commission had no reason to alert the European Anti-Fraud Office regarding the Portuguese 2018 annual accounts under AMIF.

The overall implementation rate of AMIF (3) is 88.7% and the implementation rate of Portugal’s AMIF is 78.5%.

⋅1∙ Regulation (EU) 516/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.

⋅2∙ Including costs related to selection missions to the country of first asylum, payments to implementing partners for travel and medical checks, exit visa fees,

administrative costs linked to the procedure, etc.

⋅3∙ Latest available reporting data from May 2021.