THE AUDIT BODY FOR EXPENDITURES SUPPORTED BY THE EU BUDGET: ESTABLISHMENT, FUNCTIONING, EVOLUTION, AND RESULTS — A REVIEW OF THE ROMANIAN CASE
THE AUDIT BODY FOR EXPENDITURES SUPPORTED BY THE EU BUDGET: ESTABLISHMENT, FUNCTIONING, EVOLUTION, AND RESULTS — A REVIEW OF THE ROMANIAN CASE

Summary/Abstract: The main purpose of our paper is to analyse the issues related to the activities of the Romanian audit body responsible for overseeing EU budget expenditures (the Audit Authority/AA) and to highlight its impact on the efficient use of European funds through a chronological and thematic approach. The authors believe that this article provides a solid foundation for further discussions on optimizing the activities of this body and aligning them with European requirements. Our approach focuses on the legislative steps involved in the creation of the AA, emphasizing that the first step toward institutionalizing the audit of EU budget expenditures was the extension of the Romanian Court of Accounts' (RCA) responsibilities to include European funds. Subsequently, the AA was established as a distinct body with operational independence within the RCA. This institutional model was chosen to meet the EU's specific requirements for audit transparency and autonomy. The current legislation outlines the responsibilities of the AA, including its reporting obligations to the European Commission (EC). Our references also cover the recent results of the institution's activities, as well as the deficiencies identified, which include procedural irregularities, the absence of effective monitoring mechanisms, and delays in project implementation. These issues have been categorized by program, highlighting the areas requiring urgent intervention. The paper's final conclusion is that the analysed body plays a important role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of European funds in Romania. Nevertheless, improvements are still necessary to address the identified deficiencies and strengthen the institution's administrative capacity.

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