A new Internal Audit Service and an Audit Progress Board are among the reforms proposed by Neil Kinnock to clear up fraud and reform financial management in the European Commission.
Proposals for a new audit service comes as a consultation report concluded that audit services in the Commission needed to be ‘radically overhauled, brought up to date and made consistent with best practice’.
The service will carry out examinations of the Commission’s internal controls, management systems and performance. It is also intended the new service will provide advice to management.
A progress board, within the responsibility of the Budget Commissioner, will ensure that the recommendations are followed up.
A statement from Kinnock?s office said: ‘These measures will secure better decision making, more strictly measured outputs, greater value for money, and a new level of accountability. The aim is to put results, not bureaucratic procedures, at the heart of financial management.’
The reform proposals come after the resignation of the entire Commission in March last year following the disclosure of financial irregularities by whistle-blower Paul Van Buitenen who called publicly for reforms.
Van Buitenen found widespread support within the profession and was voted personality of the year last year by readers of Accountancy Age.
Creation of the new bodies will involve the abolition of existing sections within the Commission and will require legislative changes by the European Parliament and Council.
A plan produced as part of the report includes 84 points for action.The new services are planned to be in place by the end of the second quarter of this year.
