How you and your institution benefited?

Participants who attended this workshop gathered practical experience regarding the audit of IPA projects. Workshop was focused to the practical experience case studies and examples rather than theory. Participants had opportunity to discuss and share experience with audit professionals from the European Court of Auditors and an EU Candidate country. Participants were encouraged to participate actively to test their knowledge in practice.

The European Commission greatly relies on audits. Institutions with well skilled officials working in the auditing of IPA projects are more likely to avoid failures in the audit which may lead to financial liability and may even result in withdrawal of granted financial support. In addition, only good understanding and performing audits in line with the applicable rules will allow institutions of EU candidate and potential candidate countries to fully use the benefits of IPA.

Topics covered 

• EU assistance for period 2014 -2020
• Risks, challenges and preconditions for using IPA assistance
• European Court of Auditors’ role as external auditor of EU funds including IPA
• Reported pre-accession observations by the Court of Auditors
• Planning the IPA audit with the use of Issue Analysis technique
• Conducting the IPA audits – examination phase
• IPA Irregularities and errors found  by ECA
• External auditor of national level
• Audit Authority audit approach and methodology
• Specific audit methodology in planning phase
• Specific audit methodology in conducting phase
• Reporting phase
• IPA specifics “key issues - high awareness”
• What we need to remember for audit of IPA projects

 

Target audience

The workshop was open to public officials from IPA-eligible EU candidate and potential candidate countries who work on the auditing of IPA projects. Officials from ministries of finance, ministries and offices for EU integration, and line ministries responsible for economic and social development were invited to participate. The workshop was also open to representatives of planning institutions and chambers of economy from EU candidate and potential candidate countries.

Requirements

Employment in public sector was required to attend the workshop. Participants must had a good command of English. Active participation during the workshop was required.

Faculty

Ivan Ignjatov

Mr. Ivan Ignjatov is Assistant General IPA Auditor (AGIPAA) in the Audit Authority for audit of instrument for pre-accession assistance, Assistant Professor at the State University “Goce Delcev” Stip –Faculty of Economy, Doctor in Economics (PhD) in area “Audit of EU funds – IPA”, Certified State Auditor (CSA), Certified Forensic Expert (CFE) and Certified Management Consultant (CMC©) with 16 years of experience in the field of auditing (financial and performance audit), as State auditor, Head of the IPA Audit Authority, Advisor of the General IPA Auditor, Acting Assistant General IPA Auditor and Assistant General IPA Auditor.

In the period 2007-2011 the Government appointed him as a Head of the IPA Audit Authority and he established the IPA Audit Authority in Macedonia. Mr. Ignjatov has supported organization of three international conferences of the IPA Audit Authorities in period 2010/2016. He is the first representative from Macedonia who participated in internship/professional development for audit of EU funds in the European Court of auditors in Luxembourg (Audit chamber III–External relations. Mr. Ignjatov was authorized representative from Macedonian SAI in the join audit with the European court of auditors EU/CARDS 2001-2006 Programme in Macedonia in the area of Justice and home affairs. Wide experience as international expert/trainer/lecturer in Western Balkan countries as well as at the Universities in the Republic of Macedonia in the area of: “Audit of IPA funds”, “Tasks and responsibilities of the IPA Audit Authority”, “Performance audit”, “Establishment and strengthening SAI capacities for Performance Audit”, “EU support to candidate and potential candidate countries 2007 – 2013 / 2014 - 2020”.

Jussi Bright

Mr. Bright is currently the team leader in the Audit Methodology and Support Unit at the European Court of Auditors (ECA) which is an internal quality control function within the Court. He has 20 years of auditing experience in the Court of which nine years auditing pre- accession funds of the European Commission. He has been involved over the years in several performance and financial audits including public procurement matter. He is a regular speaker and experienced trainer in the area of auditing EU funds He has a Master of Economics degree (University of Turku, Finland), a MBA (Vrije Universiteit, Brussels) and Diplôme universitaire – Audit of public organisations and polies from Université de Lorraine (France).

 

Dean Kocevski

Mr Kocevski is CEO of Rezerva DKM LLC and IT professional focused on the information technology and its appliance in other fields as well as improving business processes with more than 8 years of professional experience in planning and managing projects, implementation and maintenance and specific trainings. He obtained a title Lead/External Auditor for Information Security Management Systems (ISO/IEC 27001:2013) and Lead/External Auditor for Information Technology Service Management ISO/IEC 20000-1:2011. He is Microsoft certified professional as well as Certified structured network planner and designer with specific experience in the areas of development of new technology proposals with complete IT process modeling, designing of reliable, confidential, secure and integral information systems, practical solutions for solving IT problems, development of specific IT strategies and processes in line with latest IT standards, specific tailor made trainings for increasing client’s ownership, quality assurance management and information and knowledge management with direct client oriented approach.

His abilities to deliver unique problem understanding approach and effective problem solving techniques have proven to be efficient in many IT projects in Greece, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Canada. Lately he is actively working on placing his expert services on Austrian market, residing in Vienna.

Partners

This learning initiative was supported by: