Focus remains on NRRP implementation - European Commission

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 3 - Chief European Commission (EC) spokesman Eric Mamer said on Friday its focus would continue to be on implementation by Italy of the EU-funded National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) after the government accused him of fuelling controversy in relation to its decision to strip the Audit Court of its 'concomitant' oversight powers on the scheme.
    "A confusion has arisen in relation to my answer to a question about the proposed legislation regarding the Italian Audit Court: I said that the Italian authorities have created a specific institution to monitor the use of Next Generation EU funds and that the Commission will continue to take an interest in this aspect, since it has been agreed with the Italian authorities," Mamer told ANSA.
    The clarification came after the government issued a statement accusing the spokesperson of making remarks that did not correspond to reality.
    "The government agrees that 'the Recovery (plan) requires a framework of controls that are appropriate and proportionate to its unique nature and so that spending programmes are based on efficiency'. The government's action is based on this principle," said Palazzo Chigi.
    "The spokesman of the European Commission claims that the 'European Commission does not comment on draft laws' but then immediately afterwards -without any in-depth study of the substance - the same spokesman follows up with remarks that fuel instrumental political polemics that do not correspond to reality," the note continues.
    "The new rules proposed by the government and approved by (parliamentary) committee ... do not change what has already been agreed upon between the European Commission and the Italian government," continued the statement.
    On Thursday the Lower House Constitutional Affairs and Labour committees voted to removes the so-called concurrent control of the Audit Court on all expenditure of monies from the post-COVID EU recovery funds in an amendment to a civil service reform decree.
    The move came after the justices criticised delays to the implementation of the plan to make the Italian economy Greener and more modern, via projects funded with the help of almost 200 billion euros in EU grants and low-interest loans on condition that all agreed targets are met by 2026.
    NRRP Minister Raffaele Fitto meanwhile explained that the court would still have powers to review the plan after it is implemented, only losing the powers while it is being implemented.
    Guido Carlino, the head of Italy's Audit Court, on Thursday reiterated the State auditor's opposition to the government's move.
    He said "concomitant oversight" of the plan had a "propulsive value" and "tends to accelerate action time frames".
    Photo: Eric Mamer, chief spokesman for the European Commission (ANSA).