ESF 2000-2006 Member States’ annual reporting on withdrawals and recoveries in 2008 State of play at 31 March 2009 Mathieu Grisel, EMPL / I1 ESF Technical Working Group 17-18 November 2009, Stockholm

Withdrawals and recoveries: definitions MS primarily responsible for making financial corrections in relation to irregularities. They may execute financial corrections in two ways: Withdraw the expenditure affected from the programme immediately by deducting it to the next statement of expenditure submitted to the Commission Leave the expenditure in the programme pending the outcome of proceedings to recover the unduly paid amount from the beneficiaries

Legal basis for reporting on financial corrections 2000-2006 Programming period Information on withdrawals is required by Art 2(3) of Reg (EC) No 448/2001 : MS have to yearly send to the Commission, in an annex to the last quarterly irregularities report, a statement identifying, by measure, the total amounts of public funding withdrawn from statements of expenditure Information on recoveries is required in every payment claim under Annex II to Reg (EC) No 438/2001 Information on pending recoveries is required under Art 8 of Reg (EC) No 438/2001 which obliges MS to yearly inform the Commission of the state of pending recoveries in an annex to the last quarterly irregularities report  Information to be sent to the Commission in annual summaries (15 February) or by 31 March each year

ESF 2000-2008 Recoveries, withdrawals & pending recoveries for 2008 reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (1)

ESF 2000-2008 Recoveries, withdrawals & pending recoveries for 2008 reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (2)

ESF 2000-2008 Recoveries & withdrawals – Cumulative amounts reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (2)

ESF 2000-2008 Recoveries & withdrawals – Cumulative amounts reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (2)

Analysis at first glance All but one MS reported figures Main findings Depending on national systems in place: no withdrawals and/or no recoveries and/or no pending recoveries reported EU contribution superior to total public funding Same figures for 2000-2006 and 2008 only Same figures for withdrawals and recoveries Figures missing for some OPs

Steps forwards Reporting systems are in place but data sent to the European Commission still not complete nor accurate Attention should be paid on the way the definition and the distinction between recoveries and withdrawal are made Definition and distinction should be done in line with Commission’s guidance in order to avoid overlap or missing information Importance of reliable and consistent data for closure

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