The Department of State (DO) warns of deficiencies in the oversight and implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), advocating the need to improve avoidance of the risk of double funding.
According to the Monitoring Report of the MP of the CHP Audit and Control Commission regarding the second payment request, published this Wednesday on the website of the Prosecutor General’s Office, Deputy Prosecutor General Ana Carla Almeida, who signs the document, also refers that “in general and when applicable, inspections of public procurement rules are not have been completed.”
“EMRP [Estrutura de Missão ‘Recuperar Portugal’] continues to record shortcomings in terms of the procedures applied to assess the compliance of actions with applicable rules, in particular those related to the prevention of conflicts of interest, fraud, corruption and double financing,” says this second report (the first was submitted in May).
Considering that PRR’s internal control system “still needs improvement”, citing as an example the clear specification of the procedures of the Development and Cohesion Agency when receiving funds from the European Commission and disbursing funds to recipients of funds, the report reinforces the message: “The procedure established to reduce the risk dual funding does not guarantee its full effectiveness.
In this aspect, we are talking about cross-references to the information available on the 2020 desk and in the PRR management information system, “without resorting to any IT tools”, which allow for a more exhaustive analysis, noting also the presence of European support, which was not included in this check, such as the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) or the Internal Security Fund (ISF).
“The credibility of this procedure is called into question, which can in no way be offset by information about the absence of dual funding from the beneficiaries themselves,” the document states, adding: “The fragility of the current procedure to mitigate the risk of dual funding will increase as the RRP is implemented.” .
The Audit and Oversight Committee also reports that the second disbursement request for funds of around €2 billion was submitted with a “limited” opinion due to a lack of information on the results of the target verification activities and required milestones. European Commission (EC).
Thus, the MP “points out with concern the absence of predetermined criteria governing in a clear, transparent and predictable way the application of the possibility of suspending the payment of all or part of the financial contribution or loan in the event the EC concludes that the milestones and targets set are not being satisfactorily achieved”, which gives rise to “undesirable insecurities that must be overcome”.
Finally, the report also draws attention to the lack of “adequate separation of powers” of the Audit and Control Committee, as it is expected to oversee the EMRP internal control system and, on the other hand, issue preliminary opinions on disbursement of funds. requests — and the lack of human resources in the mission structure, despite the increase registered in recent months at this level.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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