Corte dei conti

16/17 OCTOBER - PAFOS (CYPRUS), ANNUAL MEETING OF THE EU CONTACT COMMITTEE

On 16 and 17 October, the Heads of the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the European Union met in Pafos (Cyprus) for the annual meeting of the Contact Committee.
The central theme of the meeting was the analysis of migratory phenomena: as a challenge and as an opportunity for the different European countries. There were many contributions on the topic - recognised as one of the most urgent in Europe - that highlighted its difficulties and potential, including issues related to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the EU's migration policy and the expectations of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum.
The High-level Conference that preceded the meeting, held on 15 October, focused on the crucial role of the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions in promoting transparency and good governance. This event highlighted the challenges faced by EU Supreme Audit Institutions in preserving their autonomy within the general framework of the importance of effective and independent financial control.
The Contact Committee reaffirmed the fundamental role of the SAIs in ensuring transparency and good governance, through the exchange of information, joint initiatives and mutual support, as well as through cooperation with the EU institutions.
The Corte dei was represented by two magistrates: Mauro Orefice and Giancarlo Di Lecce.

 

2-3/10/2024 CONTACT COMMITTEE FISCAL POLICY AUDIT NETWORK MEETING

The Contact Committee Fiscal Policy Audit Network meeting took place in Rome, hosted by the Italian Corte dei conti at its headquarters, with the participation of 19 Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), some of which joined remotely.
The working group, chaired by the Finnish SAI, aims to share experiences and knowledge to improve methodologies and practices in auditing national fiscal policies.
During the two-day meeting, key topics were discussed, focusing on the new European economic governance and its impacts on national frameworks, with particular attention to net primary expenditure as a single indicator introduced by the reform to ensure public debt sustainability. The issue of public debt sustainability itself was addressed from different perspectives, both in light of the funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and regarding ongoing accounting reforms. Specific reports on auditing fiscal policies, including in terms of ecological and digital transition, enriched the discussion.
In his welcome speech at the opening of the meeting, the President of the Corte dei conti, Guido Carlino, emphasized the crucial role of SAIs in conducting thorough oversight of the sustainability and implementation of fiscal policies.
The meeting, which also saw the participation of the State Accountant General, Daria Perrotta, provided an important opportunity to share the future perspectives of the group, with suggestions emerging on topics such as spending reviews, tax reforms, national resilience plans, and public debt management. There was broad consensus on the need for a diversified approach in future sessions, exploring different areas of interest related to fiscal policy and public debt sustainability.
The Polish Supreme Audit Institution has put forward its candidacy to host the next meeting.

 

11TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTOSAI WORKING GROUP ON FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC STABILITY - OTTAWA 25-26 SEPTEMBER 2024

The 11th annual meeting of the Working Group on Economic and Financial Stability (WGFES) of INTOSAI, the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), was hosted in Ottawa by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada on 25 and 26 September 2024.
The group supports SAIs in developing their capacity of meeting the challenges of the oversight of national and global financial systems, focusing on financial and economic stability risks and leveraging on the diversity of work carried out by SAIs in advanced economies and developing countries.
The meeting was opened by Karen Hogan, Auditor General of Canada, and Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, and was attended by many SAIs. The Corte dei conti participated off site with a presentation on the outsourcing of income collection and digital services to a State-owned company, that inspired the participants.
The meeting focused on a wide range of issues such as anti-money laundering, the role of non-bank financial institutions, the EU perspective and the evolution of the ECA's audit mandate due to the changes in the European Central Bank's responsibilities following the economic crisis, the role of SAIs in auditing central banks during the financial and economic crisis. The next meeting of the Working Group will be held in 2025.

 

17/09 STUDENTS FROM THE FACULTY OF LAW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK VISIT THE CORTE DEI CONTI

The President of the Corte dei conti, Guido Carlino, welcomed a group of students from the Faculty of Law of the University of Innsbruck, accompanied by Professor Esther Happacher, to the Institute's headquarters in Rome.
During the study visit, aimed at deepening their knowledge of the various activities of the Court and of the functions it performs in the field of control and jurisdiction, the students had the opportunity to attend a public hearing on a case of administrative liability, a valuable opportunity to observe in practice how the accounting justice system works in Italy.

 

09/09/2024 MEETING BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE COURT OF AUDITORS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ACCOUNTABILITY AUTHORITY

The President of the Italian Corte dei conti, Guido Carlino, received a delegation from the Accountability Authority of the United Arab Emirates, led by His Excellency Humaid Abushibs, in Rome on the 9th of September 2024.
After an overview of the functions of their respective Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), the two delegations agreed on the potential for future cooperation in the fields of audit and anti-corruption, where both are leaders within INTOSAI (the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions). The Italian Corte dei conti has actively supported actions promoted by the UAE's SAI for the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Declaration program.
The program, launched by the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), is part of the Global Program for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption through the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption. It also supports Sustainable Development Goal 16, aiming to enhance the role of SAIs in combating corruption and collaborating with relevant organizations. The program is also an operational extension of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by UNODC and INTOSAI on July 30, 2019.
The discussions on audits focused on topics of common and current interest, including the use of information technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as communication methods to inform citizens and stakeholders. These methods aim to provide effective and easily interpretable feedback on actions taken to ensure the sound management of public resources.

 

11/07/2024 Mexico City - COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CORTE DEI CONTI AND PERUVIAN SUPREME AUDIT INSTITUTION

A cooperation agreement was signed in Mexico City, within the framework of the X OLACEFS-EUROSAI Conference on 9 and 10 July 2024, between the Corte dei conti - represented by the President of Chamber Mauro Orefice - and the Peruvian Supreme Audit Institution - represented by the Comptroller General Nelson Shack Yalta - for the strengthening of bilateral ties and the exchange of experiences on best practices in the field of audit and jurisdiction.
At the conference, the Corte dei conti actively participated with a report on economic sustainability practices related to financial reorganization after the pandemic crisis.

 

25/06 - JURISAI STATUTE SIGNED IN CASABLANCA

The signing ceremony of the statute of JURISAI, the new body that, under INTOSAI, brings together the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) with jurisdictional functions, was held in Casablanca, Morocco, on June 25.
The event, of particular importance for the international recognition of the jurisdictional function within the scope of the activities carried out by the SAIs, was attended by the Italian Corte dei conti, represented by President Mauro Orefice.
The Corte dei conti, also by virtue of its tradition and experience in the exercise of the jurisdictional function, will be part of the task force called to draw up the strategic plan for identifying the activities of the new body.

 

28/05 THE CORTE DEI CONTI IN THE EUROSAI GOVERNING BOARD

The two-day XII Congress of EUROSAI, the body that brings together all European Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), ended yesterday, May 28, 2024.
Among the agenda items discussed at the meeting hosted on-line by the SAI of Israel, was the renewal of the electing members of the EUROSAI Governing Board.
The Plenary assembly elected in the first round the Corte dei conti, which, along with the Swedish and Slovak SAIs, will join the other members for the 2024-2030 term.
The Corte dei conti consequently participated in the first meeting of the newly established Governing Board during which Strategic Goals and Portfolios were defined, relating that of Corte dei conti’s mainly to the interactions between the administered community in all its forms and the Supreme Audit Institutions.

 

29/04 BILATERAL AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN THE CORTE DEI CONTI AND THE MALTESE NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE - PRESENTATION OF THE JOINT AUDIT ON THE PROGRAMME INTERREG ITALY-MALTA

President Guido Carlino received in Rome, at the headquarters of the Corte dei conti, the Auditor General of the Maltese Supreme Audit Institution, Charles Deguara. Following the bilateral meeting held in Malta last November, the two Heads of SAIs signed a bilateral agreement aimed at implementing the exchange of experiences, interaction in the sphere of professional development, and the carrying out of joint activities.
During the meeting the joint audit plan on Programme Interreg Italy-Malta was presented. The Programme is aimed at promoting the development of areas of common interest for the territories of the area such as environmental protection, land and sea safety. A special focus will be given to the issue of biodiversity protection.
The issues of drought and migration are also common to other Mediterranean countries, may be the subject of further cooperation activities.

 

24/04 - EUROSAI ITWG SPRING E-SEMINAR ON“GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON ICT – UNDER CONTROL?

As a new member of the EUROSAI ITWG, the Corte dei conti attended the spring E-Seminar organized by the SAI of Estonia.
The topic of the meeting was IT expenditure. Participants exchanged their national experiences. The challenges of auditing IT public sector investments, optimization of spending on ICT, obstacles to effective digitalization as well as public procurement process were addressed during the meeting.
The Corte dei conti was warmly welcomed by the representative of SAI Estonia and delivered a presentation on the digital transformation of the Italian public administration which underlined the cornerstone of digitalization as well as actors involved in the IT sector. The presentation focused on the Corte dei conti role in promoting and accelerating the digital transformation of public administrations.
The Corte dei conti is committed to actively cooperating in the Working Group's activities, as the discussed topics are highly relevant considering the current scenario.

 

15/04 THE PRESIDENT OF THE BRAZILIAN FEDERAL TRIBUNAL DE CONTAS AND OF INTOSAI AT THE CORTE DEI CONTI

On 15 April 2024, a meeting took place in Rome between the President of the Corte dei conti, Guido Carlino, and his Brazilian counterpart and President of INTOSAI, Bruno Dantas, arrived in the capital for an official visit.
The main topics discussed - currently also under discussion in the international community of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) - were the creation of JuriSAI, the INTOSAI-related institution that will bring together the SAIs with jurisdictional functions; the programme of the Brazilian INTOSAI Chairmanship called Climate Scanner, aimed at supporting the achievement of global climate change targets, also through the stimulating role played by the SAIs themselves towards their respective governments; and, finally, the SAI20 initiative, where the Supreme Audit Institutions of the G20 member countries come together.
President Carlino expressed great interest in the initiatives, reiterating the need for greater involvement of the Italian Corte dei conti, especially within the JuriSAI Institution.
At the end of the meeting, the firm intention of both SAIs was confirmed to strengthen the fruitful ties that unite them, including through the formalization of a cooperation agreement.

 

10-11/04 VISIT OF THE STATE AUDIT OFFICE OF NORTH MACEDONIA TO THE CORTE DEI CONTI

On 10 and 11 April 2024, the President of the Corte dei conti Guido Carlino welcomed in Rome the delegation of the State Audit Office of North Macedonia, led by its Auditor General, Maksim Acevski.
During the meeting, aimed at signing a Memorandum of Cooperation between the two Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), the specificities of their respective functions and attributions were discussed in depth.
Among the points of common interest were the methodological experiences of the Real Time Audit and the the EUROSAI Project Group on this subject, led by the Italian Corte dei conti and in which the Macedonian SAI is an active participant.
The main objective of the Agreement signed on 11 April 2024 is to provide a framework for cooperation and interaction in public sector auditing, strengthening the potential of each institution, also through the promotion and development of training on the subject.

 

14 -15/02 EU SAIs' LIAISON OFFICERS MEETING IN BRUSSELS

On 14 and 15 February, the meeting of the Liaison Officers of the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the EU took place in Brussels, preceded by the meeting of the network of SAIs of the Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries for EU membership. The meeting was opened with a welcome address by the First President of the Belgian SAI, Ms. Hilde François. The Liaison Officers provide an active network of professional contacts throughout Europe, as well as in working groups, networks and task forces on specific audit topics, and prepare the annual meeting of the Contact Committee of the Heads of the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the EU. Last year's Contact Committee meeting was held in Lisbon (Portugal), while this year's meeting will be hosted by the Supreme Audit Institution of Cyprus on 16-17 October.

 

05/03 ITALIAN CORTE DEI CONTI RECEIVED THE PUBLIC ACCOUNT COMMITTEE OF THE GERMAN PARLIAMENT

On 5 March 2024, in Rome, the President of the Corte dei conti, Guido Carlino, received a delegation from the German Bundestag, specifically from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The topics discussed during the meeting were the mandate and role of the Italian Corte dei conti, the Corte dei conti ' assessment of the public finance situation, the Corte dei conti audit of the NRP measures as well as a general assessment of its state of implementation to date.
The visiting committee showed a strong interest in the Corte's judicial functions.
The program of the German parliamentarians includes a series of institutional meetings in Italy, including a visit to a regional chamber of the Corte dei conti, specifically that of Sicily.

 

26/01 THE CORTE DEI CONTI AT THE SOLEMN HEARING OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

The President of the Corte dei conti Guido Carlino was received in Strasbourg, with a delegation composed of the Heads of the Italian Supreme Courts, by the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Síofra O'Leary, on the occasion of the Solemn Hearing held this afternoon.
The Solemn Hearing was preceded by the judicial Seminar "Revisiting subsidiarity in the age of shared responsibility.
In addition to President Carlino, the delegation was composed of the constitutional judge, Francesco Viganò, representing the President of the Constitutional Court; the First President of the Court of Cassation, Margherita Cassano; the Attorney General of the Court of Cassation, Luigi Salvato and the President of the Council of State, Luigi Maruotti.
The Solemn Hearing was also attended by Mr. Raffaele Sabato, the judge elected for Italy to the European Court of Human Rights and Mr. Abel Campos, the Deputy Registrar of the Court.