PERFORMANCE AUDIT – STRUCTURAL FUNDS – ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
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No. 1556
PERFORMANCE AUDIT – STRUCTURAL FUNDS – ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
The Auditor General reported to Parliament that, generally, projects in the area of the environment co-financed through national funds and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocated to Malta under the Structural Funds Programme for the period 2004 – 2006 were appropriately implemented and monitored. The performance audit report: Structural Funds – Environmental Programme, remarked that the appropriate mechanisms were in place to ensure that positive results would be reaped through the implementation of the environmental measure.
This performance audit was carried out simultaneously with thirteen other Member States of the European Union. The audit sought to evaluate the extent to which the Structural Funds Programme for the period 2004 – 2006 was implemented and monitored to ascertain the sustainable success of the funded measure. This study also assessed whether corrective action was taken to ensure that concerns arising will not recur in the following period, that is, 2007 – 2013. The NAO’s findings are based on a review of five of the seven projects implemented. The total cost of the projects reviewed by the NAO was EUR 9,831,789, which amounts to around 35 per cent of the ERDF funds allocated for environmental purposes for the period 2004 – 2006.
The main objective of funds expended under the environmental measure in the 2004 -2006 period was to improve the local environmental situation. The initial phases of implementing the Structural Funds Programme entailed Programme Planning and Project Selection. This audit found that there was a direct relationship between the primary goals expected to be attained through the Structural Funds Programme and Malta’s environmental concerns. Moreover, the criteria established to select projects, following a call for applications, also encouraged the attainment of project goals.
The project applications submitted provided adequate information, including feasibility studies on the projects’ direct outcomes. The five projects reviewed by the NAO necessitated 14 addenda to the relative Letter of Offer of Grant. The changes were prompted by amendments to the payments schedules, extensions to project deadlines or changes in the components that make up the project.
The procedures adopted by the Department of Contracts and Implementing bodies were generally conducive to encourage success of the measure since the awards contained suitable conditions for the evaluation of the projects’ progress and accomplishments. The opportunity exists, however, to reduce the time taken by Final Beneficiaries to evaluate the tenders submitted. On average, this process accounted for around 60 per cent of the duration of an award of a commercial contract. The importance to the scheduled delivery of projects is of critical importance especially in the light that delays in the award process could subsequently lead to a loss of structural funds.
The monitoring and reporting framework is in line with requirements demanded by the European Union. This framework compels and ensures that the appropriate data regarding aided measures is received regularly at the various monitoring levels.
Except for some issues concerning the award of commercial contracts, a number of shortcomings which became apparent during the implementation of the 2004 – 2006 Programme were satisfactorily addressed. For the 2007 – 2013 period, the concept of sustainability features more prominently in the project selection criteria. Moreover changes were made to the procedures for calling in project applications and the monitoring systems.
DOI – 22.10.2008
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