More rigorous control for works financed by the FEDER program
The director general of local administration, Carles Bassaganya, has expressed the need for more rigorous control for the works financed by the FEDER program. This demand comes after the audit carried out in the local section of the program, which has revealed a low rate of compliance with the actions benefiting from the aid of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). According to the auditor’s report, some works had been postponed or funds diverted for other municipal projects, which has led to a call to correct these practices.
Reactions and changes in control
This is the first time this local section of the program has been audited, and the result has prompted a call to change practices. The general director of local administration has announced that the control over actions that receive contributions from these funds will be much more demanding. In addition, it was highlighted that some councils had applied mechanisms that did not correspond to the FEDER guidelines, such as the modification of approved projects or the diversion of funds for other programs.
Perspective and figures
The FEDER program plans to allocate a total of 166.19 MEUR to the Catalan administrations for the period 2007-2013, a figure that represents a reduction of 36.69% compared to the previous call. This implies a significant change in the management of the funds and a greater supervision of the actions financed. During the presentation of the program in the central counties, two experiences that have been developed with the help of these programs have also been exposed, highlighting the importance and impact of these initiatives in the territory.
