The Diplomat
The European Parliament delegation that visited Spain this week to assess the use of European Union recovery funds recommended yesterday that the Spanish authorities publish “in a more timely, structured and accessible manner” information “on the final recipients of the funds” and called on the central and regional governments to deepen dialogue and cooperation in the design and implementation of the Recovery Mechanism “to ensure the success of this instrument.”
Yesterday concluded the visit of the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament to Spain to verify on the ground the development of the National Recovery Plan. The delegation, led by the chair of the committee, Germany’s Monika Hohlmeier (EPP), met since Monday with the First Vice President and Minister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño; the Minister of Finance and Public Administration, María Jesús Montero; and the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá.
It also exchanged views with the councilors of Castilla-La Mancha, the Community of Madrid, Extremadura, Andalusia and Aragon, as well as with representatives of employers’ and workers’ associations, the digital industry, companies and consultancy and investigative journalists. The MEPs also learned (at the proposal of the Spanish Government) about a project funded by the National Recovery Plan: the National Neurotechnology Center in Spain.
At the final press conference, Hohlmeier repeated yesterday that the objective of the mission was “to see how the milestones and objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM) are being met, how they are being implemented and how it is being ensured that the funds are well spent and the financial interests of the EU are protected”. She also highlighted that Spain has been the first country to receive a performance-based payment from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM) and “has presented itself as a leader in the execution of the funds”.
Regarding the transparency and accessibility of information on project payments and reforms, the delegation found, according to Hohlmeier, that “data is available, but difficult to find for the public and journalists,” and therefore recommended that the Spanish authorities ensure “that information is published in a more timely, structured and accessible manner, including information on the final recipients of the funds.”
The delegation acknowledged the “great efforts of the Spanish authorities” to establish the internal control system (COFFEE) and the system for preventing conflicts of interest (Minerva), which were “operational, functional and mostly implemented”, and calls on the Spanish authorities to give permanent access to the control systems to the European Court of Auditors. It also stressed his confidence in the “close cooperation of the Spanish authorities” with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the European Anti-Fraud Office, in terms of their access to data and reporting on suspected offenses related to the MRR.
Regarding discussions with regional governments, civil society, businesses and other partners, the head of the delegation pointed to complaints about administrative burdens and complex tenders, and stressed the need to ensure that “funds reach citizens and the economy in a fast, secure and efficient manner.” Hohlmeier also called on the central and regional governments to deepen dialogue and cooperation in the design and implementation of the RRM, “to ensure the success of this instrument”.
The MEPs also called for the removal of impediments to “give more support to the self-employed and small and medium-sized enterprises” and ensure their “fair, fast and full access” to the funds of the MRR “without jeopardizing the financial interest of the EU”. Hohlmeier also referred to the recent changes in the Spanish Penal Code and called on the Spanish government “to ensure that its legislation is aligned with this principle of zero tolerance against corruption and to ensure that there are no exceptions”.
The delegation consisted of ten MEPs from various political groups, six of whom are members of the above-mentioned committee of the European Parliament. Among those accompanying Monika Hohlmeier were Spaniards Isabel García and Eider Gariazabal (PSOE), Isabel Benjumea (PP), Eva María Poptcheva and Susana Solís (Cs), Ernest Urtasun (En Comú Podem) and Jorge Buxadé (Vox).
