Lights on in the Nordic countries - Nordic cooperation in electricity emergency preparedness (Abstract)

Report ID: 368

In 2008, the  national audit offices of Finland, Denmark and Norway conducted a parallel audit, in order to examine Nordic cooperation in electricity emergency preparedness to respond to large-scale disturbances in the grid and to repair damage effectively. The audit also examined national preparedness for emergencies in electrical supply and emergency planning. 

The national audit offices of Finland, Norway and Denmark concluded that there is not sufficient cooperation among the Nordic countries regarding preparedness to repair serious damage to the grid. Consideration should be given to whether repair preparedness cooperation in case of a serious disturbance in the Nordic electrical system should be given priority and strengthened as part of Nordic electricity emergency preparedness. In the national audit offices' opinion, consideration should also be given to linking the responsible national authorities more clearly to Nordic electricity emergency preparedness.

The document contains a summary of the main results of the audit.

Source: https://www.vtv.fi/app/uploads/2018/07/09131416/lights-on-in-the-nordic-countries-176-2008.pdf

Executive Summary Renewable Sources – Coordinated Audit

Report ID: 369

The Latin American and Caribbean Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (OLACEFS), through the Public Works Audit Working Group (GTOP), chose the topic of renewable energies in the electricity sector to carry out a coordinated audit. Due to the importance of the expansion of renewable energy for mitigating the effects of climate change, this audit had the technical support through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), within the scope of the project Strengthening External Control in the Environmental Area.

The Supreme Audit Institutions of Brazil (Coordinator), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay and Venezuela participated in the joint work. This made it possible to promote an exchange of information on the energy policies adopted in each country and a subsequent consolidation of the results of the audit, with the aim of contributing to the improvement of strategies aimed at expanding clean sources in the electricity matrix.

The purpose of the audit was to evaluate the public policies for the inclusion of renewable sources in the electricity generation mix of the participating countries, including the international commitments assumed, as well as related governmental guidelines, especially identifying good practices and opportunities for improvement in these policies, so as to contribute to the achievement of the commitments assumed through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Paris Agreement.

The specific objectives addressed by the coordinated audit were:

1) To identify the current situation of the electricity matrix in each of the OLACEFS participating member countries;

2) To evaluate whether there are public policies in place to achieve national and/or international commitments for the expansion of renewable energies in the electricity sector, especially for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement;

3) Analyze investments in infrastructure for the generation of sustainable electrical energy (water, wind, solar, biomass, tidal, etc.) and possible existing barriers to the insertion/expansion of this infrastructure, especially in relation to aspects related to operational challenges, regulatory issues, subsidy and promotion policies, energy security, energy prices, tariff modulation, among others. The report contains good practices.

* The executive summary is available in Portuguese and Spanish on this catalogue.

Source: https://portal.tcu.gov.br/data/files/FE/42/A0/E2/A500371055EB6E27E18818A8/Energias_renovaveis_ingles.pdf

Informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre la Unión Bancaria Europea al Comité de Contacto de las Entidades Fiscalizadoras Superiores de la Unión Europea y el Tribunal de Cuentas Europeo

Report ID: 411

A partir de 2008, Europa se vio afectada por una crisis financiera y una posterior crisis de deuda soberana. Muchos gobiernos apoyaron a instituciones financieras en quiebra con fondos públicos por valor de cientos de miles de millones de euros. En respuesta, los países de la zona del euro introdujeron la Unión Bancaria Europea, incluido un Mecanismo Único de Supervisión. En este Mecanismo, el Banco Central Europeo es directamente responsable de la supervisión prudencial de todas las 'Entidades Significativas'. Las Autoridades Nacionales Competentes son directamente responsables de la supervisión de las 'Instituciones Menos Significativas', en base a la orientación del Banco Central Europeo. 

Las Entidades Fiscalizadoras Superiores de Austria, Chipre, Finlandia, Alemania y los Países Bajos llevaron a cabo una auditoría paralela para examinar la supervisión bancaria a nivel nacional

Fuente: https://www.bundesrechnungshof.de/en/audit-reports/products/special-reports/2017-special-reports/report-of-the-task-force-on-european-banking-union-to-the-contact-committee-of-supreme-audit-institutions-of-the-european-union-and-the-european-court-of-auditors-1

Parallel Audit on the processes for identifying, reporting and following up on Irregularities

Report ID: 414

In this report the Working Group submitted to the Contact Committee its key findings, good practices, weaknesses and recommendations on the processes in place for identifying, reporting and following up on irregularities depending on Country Reports prepared as results of the parallel audits conducted by the participating SAIs. The findings of the report are related to six key areas: 1) Guidance; 2) Identification and recording of potential irregularities; 3) Examination and decision-making on recorded irregularities; 4) Reporting to the Commission; 5) Follow up/investigation of the reported irregularities; 6) Financial Corrections.

Source: https://www.eca.europa.eu/sites/cc/Lists/CCDocuments/1959834/1959834_EN.PDF

Report on the Parallel Audit of the Performance of the Structural Funds programmes of the EU in the areas of employment and/or environment

Report ID: 416

In this report the Working Group submitted to the Contact Committee its key findings, good practices and recommendations on the Performance of the Structural Funds Programmes of the European Union in the Areas of Employment and/or Environment depending on Country Reports prepared as results of the parallel audits conducted by the participating SAIs. The findings of the audit are related to six key areas: 1) Planning of Measures and Selection of Projects; 2) Goal oriented application procedures; 3) Award procedures; 4) Monitoring and Reporting; 5) Evaluation; 6) Participation of the Monitoring Committees in the evaluation of earlier Structural Funds measures and in the planning of new Structural Funds measures.

https://www.eca.europa.eu/sites/cc/Lists/CCDocuments/1959901/1959901_EN.PDF