Compliance and audit services of EU funds

What EY can do for you

The EY Centre of Excellence (CoE) for the audit of EU funds, based in Brussels, is comprised of more than 30 auditors from across Europe. The team consists of seasoned public sector audit professionals dedicated to the audit of public funding, particularly the EU institutions. EY teams have extensive experience in EU funding programs, including development, humanitarian aid, research and innovation, education, and structural funds.

In addition, the EY CoE relies on the local knowledge of EY member firms around the world, and the latest technologies to produce detailed and high-quality audits. EY compliance and audit services enable greater transparency, accountability and value for money in the use of public resources.

EY services include:

• Financial audits on behalf of European institutions to provide assurance on the legality, regularity and eligibility of expenditures incurred by beneficiaries of EU-funded actions
• Certification of annual accounts of EU agencies and Joint Undertakings (JUs) preparing their accounts based on the EU Financial Regulation and the accounting rules issued by the EC Accounting Officer, considering the IPSAS and IFRS
• Expenditure verifications of EU-funded actions to verify that costs claimed by beneficiaries comply with grant agreements, contractual provisions and applicable EU regulations (e.g., external-aid-funded programs)
• Agreed-upon procedures (AUP) engagements and compliance reviews of EU-funded projects designed to address specific requirements established by the EU institutions
• First-level controls, audit certificates and certificates on financial statements (CFS) for beneficiaries of EU-funded programs, including Horizon Europe, CEF, LIFE, Erasmus+, AMIF, ISF, INTERREG and other funds, to certify expenses before they are reported to the EU
• Expenditure verifications of UN-managed actions to review the design and operating effectiveness of internal control systems of UN entities
• Systems audits and internal control reviews assessing the design and operating effectiveness of governance, risk management and internal control systems used to manage EU funds
• Pillar assessments or Institutional compliance assessments to evaluate the internal control of organizations cooperating with the European Commission under indirect management mode
• Performance audit or value-for-money assessment to provide assurance on economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public resources
• Ex-ante assessment for non-governmental organizations wanting to enter into a partnership agreement with the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO)
• Validation of the accounting systems of the EU decentralized agencies and JUs, as required in the EU Financial Regulation
• Audit authority support, re-performance reviews and quality assurance assessments, including the review of audit methodologies, findings and control systems in shared management environments
• Fraud risk assessments, forensic investigations, integrity reviews and anti-fraud advisory services to strengthen governance, detect irregularities and protect public funds
• Training and advisory services for beneficiaries of EU-funded programs, including capacity building on EU funds management, financial reporting and eligibility rules, as well as audit readiness and support during European Commission ex-post audits

The availability and scope of particular services are subject to applicable professional standards, legal and regulatory requirements, and EY independence policies.