Persvoorlichting over CARDS steunprogramma aan de Balkan, 4 oktober 2007 (en)

ECA/07/14

Luxembourg, 1 October 2007

Press briefing on the European Court of Auditors' Special Report No 5/2007 on the Commission's management of the CARDS programme by Mr Maarten B. Engwirda, Member of the Court, in Brussels on 4 October 2007.

TIME Thursday 4 October 2007 at 11:00

VENUE The European Parliament's Press room (PHS 0C50), Brussels

The CARDS programme in the Western Balkans was designed to encourage sustainable and EU compatible reform, to consolidate stability and to bring the region closer to the EU.

The Court's audit objectives were to answer the following questions:

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  has the Commission given appropriate and coherent guidance directing the programme?
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  has the Commission established efficient management approaches?
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  has the Commission encouraged recipient country ownership?

A PRESS PACK - The Special Report and its summary - will be made available half an hour before the press briefing. The SR, together with the Commission's reply, will be published in the 22 EU official languages on the Court's website on 4 October 2007 at 10:30 at www.eca.europa.eu .

For further information, please contact:

European Court of Auditors, Press office

Phone (+352) 4398-45224, Mobile (+352) 621 36 31 03, Fax (+352) 4398-46430

or e-mail : press@eca.europa.eu