Eduardo González
The plenary session of the Court of Auditors has approved the report on the management of pensions, benefits and aid to Spanish emigrants residing abroad, in which a series of deficiencies are noted, mainly due to the fact that the General Directorate of Migration does not have adequate computer systems for the management of these payments.
Actions in favor of emigrants are aimed at guaranteeing a minimum level of protection to Spanish citizens abroad in situations of need. These actions seek to ensure their economic, health and social and labor rights, support their integration and, if necessary, their return to Spain, as the Court recalled on September 28, in a press release on the occasion of the approval of the report.
The Register of Spaniards Resident Abroad (PERE) consisted of more than 2.5 million people registered in 2021, of which around 21,300 were beneficiaries of some type of aid worth almost 52 million euros. Of this amount, €29.6 million was distributed as need-based benefits to more than 11,000 people, 74% of whom resided in Venezuela and Argentina. A further 7 million Euros were allocated to old age pensions for returned Spaniards of origin and 6.7 million Euros were for health care benefits.
The Audit Report on the management of pensions, benefits and aid justified in the fiscal year 2021, entitled Actions in favor of emigrants and approved by the Court of Auditors, detects “notable deficiencies in the computer application with which these aids are managed.” “These deficiencies prevent the telematic application and do not allow an automated control over the files nor the registration of the extraordinary assistance aids or the subsidy programs”, warns the document.
In relation to old age pensions for returning Spaniards of origin, the report notes a considerable delay in their resolution and granting, reaching up to 21 months in some cases. It also detects the risk of undue payments, since the Directorate General for Migration does not have access to the Register of Public Social Benefits, and therefore cannot verify the possible receipt of other benefits and their compatibility.
In view of the results of the audit, it can be concluded that the Directorate General for Migration does not have adequate computer systems to allow centralized control of all pensions, benefits and other aid granted to emigrants.
As a result, the supporting documentation for extraordinary aids and subsidy programs is heterogeneous and sometimes deficient (for example, the preparation of the supporting accounts for the payments made to justify the subsidies is done manually and in paper format), as well as their processing, for which reason it is necessary for the Labor, Migration and Social Security Departments of the Embassies to considerably improve both the administrative documentation that justifies the recognition of these aids and compliance with the legally established deadlines.
On the other hand, the systems for controlling and reviewing pensions and benefits do not provide adequate information on the income of the beneficiaries, so there is a risk of improper receipt of these pensions and benefits. The considerable delay in the processing and approval of the supporting accounts for payments abroad implies an inefficient management of this aid, which, in the opinion of the Court of Auditors, should be improved.
For all these reasons, the Court of Audit recommends modifying the computer application, controlling possible incompatibilities by sending information to the Registry of Public Social Benefits and improving the processing and approval of the supporting accounts for payments abroad, as well as reviewing the current health care agreements and modifying them when they expire.
