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Go V/S Igma (2017) Unclassified GOV/SIGMA(2017)2 Organisation de Coopération et de Développement Économiques Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 25-May-2018 ___________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________ English - Or. English PUBLIC GOVERNANCE DIRECTORATE Unclassified GOV/SIGMA(2017)2 Cancels & replaces the same document of 12 May 2017 SIGMA - Support for Improvement in Governance and Management DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SUPREME AUDIT INSTITUTIONS AND PARLIAMENTS SIGMA PAPER No. 54 Supreme audit institutions and parliaments have an important role in holding governments to account for the use of public funds. Parliaments do not usually have the capacity or expertise to scrutinise the use of public funds by the government themselves. They rely on the objective and professional work of supreme audit institutions to provide them with information about the use of public resources. Parliaments, however, will only use the work of the supreme audit institutions if it is interesting and relevant. Therefore it is important for supreme audit institutions to ensure that their work is relevant and adds value. This SIGMA paper provides a comparative analysis of how supreme audit institutions and parliaments have developed effective working relationships in the European Union (EU) and EU candidate countries and potential candidates. It describes the expectations that are set for establishing effective working relationships, the key factors and issues that influence them, and offers guidance to supreme audit institutions and parliaments for establishing effective working relationships. It also provides a toolkit for strengthening these working relations. The report is based on the contributions of 33 supreme audit institutions from EU member countries as well as EU candidate countries and potential candidates. For further information please write to [email protected] English JT03432428 - This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the Or. En delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. glish GOV/SIGMA(2017)2 Developing effective working relationships between supreme audit institutions and parliaments SIGMA PAPER No. 54 Authorised for publication by Karen Hill, Head of the SIGMA Programme 2 Rue André Pascal This SIGMA Paper has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. It should not be reported as representing the 75775 Paris Cedex 16 official views of the EU, the OECD or its member countries, or of partners participating in the SIGMA Programme. The opinions expressed France and arguments employed are those of the authors. mailto:[email protected] Tel: +33 (0) 1 45 24 82 00 This document, as well as any data and any map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, www.sigmaweb.org to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. © OECD 2017 – The use of this material, whether digital or print, is governed by the Terms and Conditions to be found on the OECD website page http://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions. 2 GOV/SIGMA(2017)2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive summary ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 8 1. Mission of SAIs to create and enhance impact ..................................................................................... 10 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Expectations for SAIs ....................................................................................................................... 12 1.3 Concluding remarks ........................................................................................................................ 17 2. Expectations for parliaments ................................................................................................................ 18 2.1 Formal mechanisms for dealing with SAI reports ........................................................................... 18 2.2 Expectations for parliamentary audit committees (PACs) .............................................................. 19 2.3 Concluding remarks ........................................................................................................................ 22 3. Relations between SAIs and parliaments: some contextual factors ..................................................... 23 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 23 3.2 Factors affecting the SAI’s relationship with parliament ................................................................ 23 3.3 Parliamentary arrangements for examining the work of SAIs ........................................................ 27 3.4 Government organisation ............................................................................................................... 28 3.5 Budget and accounting system ....................................................................................................... 29 3.6 Dynamics in a political environment ............................................................................................... 29 3.7 Concluding remarks ........................................................................................................................ 29 4. Analysis of working relationships between SAIs and parliaments: Good practices in Europe and key factors for effectiveness ............................................................................................................................ 31 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 31 4.2 Audit Work programme .................................................................................................................. 31 4.3 Reporting to parliament .................................................................................................................. 33 4.4 Communication ............................................................................................................................... 36 4.5 Follow-up on previous observations and SAI recommendations ................................................... 37 4.6 Reporting on SAI performance........................................................................................................ 41 4.7 Parliaments' handling of SAI reports ............................................................................................... 42 4.8 Concluding remarks ........................................................................................................................ 47 Annex 1. International Standards and acknowledged Principles for relations between parliaments and SAIs ............................................................................................................................................................ 48 Annex 2. Toolkit for strengthening working relationships between SAIs and parliaments ...................... 54 Annex 3. Questionnaire ............................................................................................................................. 57 ALBANIA ................................................................................................................................................. 62 AUSTRIA ................................................................................................................................................. 67 BELGIUM ................................................................................................................................................ 72 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA .................................................................................................................. 77 BULGARIA .............................................................................................................................................. 82 3 GOV/SIGMA(2017)2 CROATIA ................................................................................................................................................. 86 CYPRUS1 ................................................................................................................................................. 90 THE CZECH REPUBLIC ............................................................................................................................. 93 DENMARK .............................................................................................................................................. 98 ESTONIA ............................................................................................................................................... 103 THE EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS ................................................................................................ 108 FRANCE ...............................................................................................................................................
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