CEUTP Hosts a TAIEX Study Visit with Representatives from Lithuania

The purpose of the visit was to gain a deeper understanding of the organization and practical functioning of the public procurement oversight system within the intermediate body. The program included, among other things, a discussion of the division of responsibilities among individual organizational units, the principles of cooperation between ex ante, ex post, and methodological functions, as well as issues related to the oversight of tender procedures, the imposition of financial corrections, and the ways in which beneficiaries can challenge audit findings. Another key element was an analysis of the practice of Polish administrative courts in cases involving financial corrections.

The event was attended by representatives of the Lithuanian administration responsible for procurement and the prevention of irregularities: Živilė Cibutavičienė, Gediminas Golcevas, and Laura Kuoraitė from the Procurement and Irregularities Prevention Department at the CPMA. On the Polish side, experts from CEUTP and a representative of the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy— Karolina Ptaszyńska, Ewa Paderewska, Przemysław Ostrowski, and Ewa Kostrzyńska—were involved in the program.

The agenda for the three-day meeting focused on the practical aspects of overseeing the implementation of EU projects. On the first day, discussions included the institutional framework for the supervision of EU-funded programs, the roles of the managing, intermediate, and audit authorities, as well as the operational and legal challenges associated with the supervision model used by the Lithuanian side. The program also included a session devoted to environmental aspects that should be included in tender documentation, including issues related to the resilience of infrastructure to climate change, environmental impact reports, and green public procurement criteria.

On the second day, participants focused on issues related to financial corrections, the interpretation of EU guidelines, and the practical application of the principles of proportionality and consistency in assessing infringements. The discussion also covered the sources of disputes and litigation, the case law of Polish courts and the Court of Justice of the European Union, the quality of the audit process, and the use of digital tools and data analytics to support supervisory activities. A separate session was devoted to the selection of cases for audit based on risk analysis and the practical implementation of ex ante audits.

The third day of the visit took the form of a workshop and included an analysis of practical cases related to ex post controls, case management, and tender documentation used in Poland. Participants also discussed the process of imposing financial corrections, beneficiaries’ appeal options, and the practices of national courts in Poland and Lithuania. The program concluded with a discussion on the role of international cooperation in developing institutional capacity and on opportunities for further cooperation between CEUTP and its Lithuanian partner.

The study visit provided an opportunity for institutions responsible for implementing and overseeing projects co-financed by European funds to exchange experiences. The meeting’s agenda underscored the importance of international expert cooperation in establishing efficient, transparent, and effective oversight mechanisms, particularly in the areas of public procurement and the monitoring of infrastructure projects.