ROP Calabria 2014-2020: financial corrections and possible expenditure cuts

Subject: ROP Calabria 2014-2020: financial corrections and possible expenditure cuts

As stated in the answer to question E-003142-19, Calabria’s 2014-2020 Regional Operational Programme (ROP) has so far been the subject of financial corrections totalling EUR 25.9 million.

The aim of financial corrections is to ensure that the expenditure declared for structural funds co- financing is fully compliant with EU law by remedying any irregularities that are, or could prove, damaging to the Union as a result of the charging of undue expenditure to the EU budget (Article 2(36) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013).

Against this background, in the interests of transparency regarding the use of EU funds and procedural quality, can the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Which specific projects were affected by irregularities?

2. Can the sums subject to financial corrections be used for other projects/operations, or will they be deducted from the financial allocation to ROP Calabria 2014-2020?

3. Are other alleged irregularities (whether one-off or systemic) still under investigation? What are the amounts involved?

Answer given by Ms Ferreira on behalf of the European Commission

(20 May 2020)

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) operates under the principle of shared management. The programme authorities (1) have the responsibility of selecting and implementing projects, and they also have the primary responsibility for ensuring the legality and regularity of expenditure, investigating irregularities and making the financial corrections required.

The Honourable Member can enquire information on specific projects affected by irregularities at the responsible authorities of the operational programme Calabria ERDF-ESF 2014/20.

As concerns irregularities detected by the programme authorities and affecting expenditure declared to the Commission, the corresponding contribution is cancelled and the amounts are corrected in the next interim or final payment claims or in the accounts submitted to the Commission. The contribution can be used for other projects/operations within the programme.

As concerns the possible existence of other alleged irregularities, there is an ongoing contradictory procedure with the programme authorities following an audit carried out by the Commission services in 2018 which may lead to further financial corrections being applied. Concerning the results of audits carried out by the regional audit authorit y (2), the Honourable Member should contact the regional audit authority to ask for information.

⋅1∙ The address of the Managing Authority for the Calabria ERDF-ESF 2014/20 is:

Autorità di Gestione POR FESR Calabria

Regione Calabria, Cittadella regionale — Località Germaneto

IT-88100 Catanzaro

⋅2∙ The address of the Audit Authority is:

Autorità di Audit POR Calabria FESR-FSE 2014-2020

Cittadella Regionale, Cittadella regionale — Località Germaneto,

IT-88100 — Catanzaro