Commission Report 2002 (Romania)

Chapter 28: Financial control

Romania has prepared and adopted a Policy Paper on Public Internal Financial Control covering managerial responsibility in budget spending centres, ex-ante controls performed by Ministry of Finance delegated financial controllers, and development of functionally independent internal audit structures. The Action Plan identified the need for significant further efforts to define the organisational and human resource needs for effective implementation of public internal financial control in all budgetary spending centres in accordance with the requirements of the Policy Paper. These efforts have been initiated, but substantial further work is needed. Efforts are continuing to strengthen and modernise external audit procedures at the Romanian Court of Accounts in line with international standards and best practise. As regards protection of Community financial interests, an anti-fraud co-ordination service has been designated, and the further development of the legislative and administrative framework is underway, including the reinforcement of inter-institutional co-operation. While the accreditation of the SAPARD Agency represents progress as regards the correct use and financial control of EC pre-accession funds, significant further efforts will be needed to allow the introduction of extended decentralisation of the ISPA and Phare programmes. The Accession Partnership priorities have been partially met. The implementation of the measures under the Action Plan is slightly delayed.