1. ESF Member States’ annual reporting on withdrawals and recoveries in State of play at 31 March 2009
Mathieu Grisel, EMPL / I1
ESF Technical Working Group
17-18 November 2009, Stockholm

2. Withdrawals and recoveries: definitions
MS primarily responsible for making financial corrections in relation to irregularities. They may execute financial corrections in two ways:
Withdraw the expenditure affected from the programme immediately by deducting it to the next statement of expenditure submitted to the Commission
Leave the expenditure in the programme pending the outcome of proceedings to recover the unduly paid amount from the beneficiaries

3. Legal basis for reporting on financial corrections 2000-2006 Programming period
Information on withdrawals is required by Art 2(3) of Reg (EC) No 448/2001 : MS have to yearly send to the Commission, in an annex to the last quarterly irregularities report, a statement identifying, by measure, the total amounts of public funding withdrawn from statements of expenditure
Information on recoveries is required in every payment claim under Annex II to Reg (EC) No 438/2001
Information on pending recoveries is required under Art 8 of Reg (EC) No 438/2001 which obliges MS to yearly inform the Commission of the state of pending recoveries in an annex to the last quarterly irregularities report
 Information to be sent to the Commission in annual summaries (15 February) or by 31 March each year

4. ESF Recoveries, withdrawals & pending recoveries for 2008 reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (1)

5. ESF Recoveries, withdrawals & pending recoveries for 2008 reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (2)

6. ESF 2000-2008 Recoveries & withdrawals – Cumulative amounts reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (2)

7. ESF 2000-2008 Recoveries & withdrawals – Cumulative amounts reported by MS in 2009 in Million € (2)

8. Analysis at first glance
All but one MS reported figures
Main findings
Depending on national systems in place: no withdrawals and/or no recoveries and/or no pending recoveries reported
EU contribution superior to total public funding
Same figures for and 2008 only
Same figures for withdrawals and recoveries
Figures missing for some OPs

9. Steps forwards
Reporting systems are in place but data sent to the European Commission still not complete nor accurate
Attention should be paid on the way the definition and the distinction between recoveries and withdrawal are made
Definition and distinction should be done in line with Commission’s guidance in order to avoid overlap or missing information
Importance of reliable and consistent data for closure

10. More Info http://ec.europa.eu/esf
Thank you for your attention