Before submission to the Joint Secretariat, each progress report must be verified and validated by an independent controller.
This process is carried out by a qualified national controller on the basis of a risk drawn sample who will verify that the expenditure incurred to implement the project complied with the relevant EU, national, regional, institutional and programme rules as well as with the provisions of the subsidy contract and the approved application form.
The main aim of the controls is to provide a guarantee for the Programme and the project itself, that costs co-financed under the Interreg NWE Programme are accounted for and eligible.
NWE control systems
It is the responsibility of each Member State to set up a control system in its country. NWE has three different systems:
- centralised control at Member State level (Ireland, Belgium Wallonia, Belgium Brussels Capital, Luxemburg)
- decentralised control through controllers selected from a shortlist established by the Member State (Belgium Flanders, France)
- decentralised control selected by the project partner (Germany, Netherlands)
Information and contact details
Brussels has a centralised control system. Control costs will be charged at the rate of 2.5 % of the controlled amount. The invoices will be sent two months after each certification request via email.
Sylvain Van Schingen
Brussels Regional Public Service
controlepremierniveau@sprb.brussels
eersteniveaucontrole@gob.brussels
Flanders has a decentralised control system with a short list that has been established by the Member State. Further information from the approbation body on the control system can be found here.
Wallonia has a centralised control system. Control costs will be charged at the rate of 2.5 % of the controlled amount (tbc).
France has a decentralised control system with one controller. All control costs will be charged directly from the controller to the project partner.
Camille Zamiara
Région Hauts de France
controle-interreg@hautsdefrance.fr
Germany has a decentralised control system. All control costs will be charged directly from the controller to the project partner. Further information from the approbation body on the control system can be found here.
German Approbation Body
Oberfinanzdirektion Karlsruhe - Stabstelle EFK
interreg-nwe@ofdka.bwl.de
Ireland has a centralised control system. Costs for controls will be borne by the partner organisation for which the check was carried out. Costs will be based on a rate which reflects the level of input required of the controller in validating the eligible expenses, plus any travel and subsistence costs incurred during the performance of the control check. Please note that each claim certified will be invoiced. Invoices will be sent by email to the individual project partner in the month following certification of their claim.
Michael Buckley
Southern Regional Assembly
mbuckley@southernassembly.ie
FLC@southernassembly.ie
Luxembourg has a centralised control system. Control costs will not be charged to the project partners.
Ministry of Energy and Spatial Planning - Department of Spatial Planning
Controller.Interreg@mat.etat.lu
The Netherlands have a decentralised control system. All control costs will be charged directly from the controller to the project partner.
Pamela Mulder
Interreg@rvo.nl
NWE risk based sampling
Controllers will not automatically check 100% of the expenditure declared by the project partners anymore. As required by the European Commission, NWE has established a risk based methodology that will be implemented in Jems.
On-the-spot checks
Controllers must verify that the reported activities have taken place as well as that the delivery of subcontracted supplies, work and goods is in progress or has been completed with every report that is submitted. This administrative verification does not need to be at the physical location of the project partner.
In line with Regulation (EU) No 2021/1060 Article 74, the Programme expects project partners with an investment identified in the application form to have an on-the-spot check implemented by their controller during the second half of project implementation.
How to get the controller into Jems?
The procedure differs depending on the Member State in which the project partner is based.
Noting to be done, your controller will automatically be assigned!
Your approbation body has or will contact you with further instructions for the approval process. Once the controller has been approved from their side, they are in charge to establish the link between the controller user and project partners in Jems.
Controller templates
The NWE templates are largely based on the Interact Harmonised Implementation Tools. Please find the templates below for the control report, checklists and certificate.
Control report template Control checklists template Control Certificate template
Control report on suspected or established cases of fraud
Please find below a template for the reporting on cases of suspected or established fraud. This template should be filled in by the controller and sent directly to the audit and control officer of the Joint Secretariat. Get in touch.
Potential or established cases of fraud reporting template
Control seminars
Please find below the presentation from the control seminar held online on February 7, 2024.
Control seminar presentation - 7 February 2024