Final report on the audit of the functioning of the management and control systems in place to avoid conflict of interest in Czechia, carried out by Directorates general Regional and Urban Policy (REGIO) and Employment, Inclusion and Social Affairs (EMPL)
In early 2019, the Commission services carried out an audit in Czechia on the system in place to avoid a conflict of interests for operations co-financed under seven ERDF/Cohesion Fund and ESF programmes for the 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 periods. Following a thorough contradictory procedure, the REGIO and EMPL joint final audit report was issued in English on 29 November 2019 as per the applicable legal requirements, and in the national language on 5 February 2020.
After February 2020, the audit entered into a follow-up stage, where the Commission services monitor the implementation of recommended actions.
Since the final audit report was issued, progress has been made to clarify some audit findings (for example as regards the decisive date for the application of Article 4c of the Czech Conflict of Interests Act, which the Commission services accepted to be 1 September 2017, following the decision of the Czech Constitutional Court Decision Pl. ÚS 4/17), to adequately implement audit recommendations (findings N° 7 to 12, 14, 18, 20, 21 and 22) or to partially address others. The Czech authorities have also brought some improvements in the management and control system to mitigate potential conflicts of interests of public officials.
Due to the precautionary measures taken by the programme authorities at the request of the Commission, no expenditure was declared for the operations affected by the audit results, and EU funds remain protected against the risks identified during the audit.
Disclaimer: The Commission usually does not publish its audit reports or audit related information save for exceptional situations such as those in which there is an important public interest in transparency of the information. This final audit report is published taking into account the requirements for protection of certain information, such as personal data or commercial secrets pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 1049/2001.