What do the Financial Management, Financial Control and Audit rules look like for the new 2021-2027 period? What are the implications for Management Verifications in practice? There was a range of key live issues at the end of the 2014-2020. We consider how these have been handled as the 2014-2020 programmes are closed, and how these issues been addressed for the new programming period.

This course will address these questions, examine the programme and financial templates for the new programmes and look at a selection of new programmes. There will be a special focus on simplifying management verifications and extending the use of simplified cost options. We also examine the content of Audit Authority Annual Control Reports and Audit Opinions.

We will be joined by highly experienced, leading practitioners from the Member States: Julia Szenthe, Head of Accounting Function in an Austrian Managing Authority; and Dermot Byrne, formerly Head of the ERDF Audit Authority of Ireland.

Practical issues to be discussed will include:

Programme finance, financial tables and the significant flexibility proposed for 2021-2027
Key issues for the eligibility of expenditure
The extended use of simplified cost options and how to choose between them
How to make management verifications simpler and more efficient
How control and audit differ and how to complete Annual Control Reports and Audit Opinions
How to deal with irregularities and corrections