2022-12-05
National Audit Office: we still need to step up to meet the milestones and targets of the Recovery and Resilience Plan
Most of the audited milestones and targets we need to achieve in order to receive the first financial contribution from the Recovery and Resilience Facility have been achieved as committed in the European Union (EU) Council Implementing Decision, however, the achievement of six milestones and targets still requires some efforts. This is evidenced by the audit of the National Audit Office “Achievement of the milestones and targets of the Lithuanian Recovery and Resilience Plan”.
In total, EUR 2 224 million of this EU support is earmarked for Lithuania. In order to receive financial support, we committed to implementing the national recovery and resilience plan and reaching the 191 milestones and targets by 31 August 2026. For the first financial contribution of EUR 565 million for the 33 targets achieved, a payment request was submitted on 30 November 2022.
The implementation of the measures envisaged in the plan should contribute to changes in education, health, the green transition, digitalisation, innovation and science, the transformation of the public sector and social protection.
20 of the 26 audited milestones and targets for the first payment request were achieved in line with the commitments agreed upon in the EU Council Decision, but three of them may not have the expected impact on the implementation of reforms relevant to Lithuania related to the promotion of clean vehicles and the balancing of the tax system. The achievement of the remaining six audited targets still needs improvement.
“To ensure that all milestones and targets are achieved in line with the commitments agreed in the EU Council Decision and Lithuania effectively implements the reforms of the recovery and resilience plan, we still need to implement changes in the areas of promoting sustainable mobility, digitalisation of the public sector, lifelong learning, taxation of sources that do not stop economic growth,” says Augustė Purlienė, the audit team leader.
Ministries’ internal controls to mitigate the risk of underachievement are subject to improvement but, according to the auditors, these weaknesses are compensated by the measures specifically designed for the management and control of the recovery and resilience plan.
The implementation of the recommendations made by the National Audit Office will increase the chances of implementing the reform objectives aimed at promoting sustainable mobility, digitalisation of the public sector, and lifelong learning.