Together with the Austrian Supreme Audit Institution (SAI), we have achieved a key success at EU level: The Contact Committee of the SAI of the European Union (EU) adopted a statement on our audit recommendations on the European Investment Bank (EIB).
In 2024, we – in cooperation with the Austrian SAI – audited the EIB and identified a considerable audit gap in addition to other findings. On the basis of this audit, our two SAI drafted a statement on the external audit of the Bank. After intensive discussions with the European Court of Auditors and the SAI of the other EU Member States, the statement has now been adopted unanimously by the Contact Commmittee. In the statement, the Contact Committee emphasises the relevance of independent external auditing. The Contact Committee requests the EU and its Member States to close the audit gap identified at the Bank.
In order to issue a joint statement, intensive negotiations took place: Kay Scheller, our President, together with Dr. Margit Kraker, President of the Austrian SAI, presented the audit findings on the EIB and the idea for a joint statement at the Contact Committee meeting in Cyprus on 16 and 17 October 2024. The meeting was followed by comprehensive written consultations and personal negotiations. Owing to our and our Austrian colleagues’ dedicated efforts and persistence, all members of the Contact Committee ultimately supported the statement.
The statement is only the fourth of this kind within a decade – a strong signal for the shared willingness of the European SAI to achieve more transparency and accountability at the EIB.
By means of this success, we once again demonstrate our strong commitment towards strengthening external auditing in Europe.