European Commission and European Court of Auditors: College to College meeting

The Colleges of the European Commission and the European Court of Auditors met today in Luxembourg for the annual meeting between the two EU institutions.

Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their constructive cooperation as the EU's executive and audit powers, while at the same time exploring ways to deepen their cooperation in full respect of their respective roles. The members of the Commission and the Court of Auditors discussed how the EU budget contributes to the achievement of the Union's political priorities, delivers concrete results for citizens and adds value to action by the Member States.

President von der Leyen said: “The Court of Auditors plays a vital role as the guardian of EU finances. We owe it to all Europeans to make sure that every euro in the EU budget is spent responsibly and delivers results. This is all the more important now that we have been entrusted with managing the largest financial package ever financed through the EU budget, with our recovery plan NextGenerationEU.”

President Lehne said: “The Commission is at the forefront of EU action to affirm the resilience of our Union, not least in the face of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. In the coming years, the EU will spend unprecedented amounts to shore up our economies and achieve our ambitious green and digital goals. In this challenging and changing context, our mission as the Union's independent external auditor is more important than ever. We will continue to critically assess the EU's policies and programmes, including NGEU, to ensure that this money is spent properly and effectively, with a focus on EU added value.”

President von der Leyen and President Lehne underlined the critical importance of NextGenerationEU for European recovery, resilience and the twin green and digital transitions, as well as of making the most of this unique opportunity to transform the EU economy with the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to ensuring that European Union funds are managed in accordance with the highest standards of accountability, transparency and sound financial management. In addition, they reiterated the key role of the Member States in protecting the financial interests of the EU.