ReSPA, in cooperation with SIGMA and the Centre of Excellence in Finance (CEF), is pleased to announce a joint trilateral regional PFM workshop on “Smart Controls 4 Strong Governance: Managing Growth Funds, Indicators, and Double-Financing Risks.” The workshop will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 8-10 September 2026

1. Overview

The workshop is designed to support public administrations from the Western Balkans, Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine in strengthening their Public Internal Financial Control (PIFC) systems and internal audit capacity in the context of the EU Growth Plan, the Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) and other EU instruments. With disbursements under the RGF being results-based and conditional on sound public financial management, the practical and operational demands on national control systems have significantly increased.

This event responds directly to those demands. It is not a generic PIFC overview, but a hands-on applied learning workshop built around real country bottlenecks, practical tools, and concrete outputs.

2. Programme Objectives

The workshop pursues three linked purposes:

• Translate PIFC principles into operational control routines for Growth Plan and RGF-linked reforms
• Build assurance capability in risk-based audit planning, data verification, and irregularity management
• Produce country-ready outputs — templates, draft risk registers, audit plans, and one-page action roadmaps — that can be implemented immediately after the event

The learning approach follows a “prepare → diagnose → practise → apply → follow up” cycle, consistent with ReSPA’s implementation-first methodology and CEF’s practice-oriented programming. The key topics that will be covered are:

• Control architecture for EU Growth Plan and Reform and Growth Facility measures
• Risk-based internal audit planning for reform-linked measures
• Double-financing detection: practical routines and escalation protocols
• Indicator quality: defining, verifying, and defending indicators in payment files
• Irregularities and fraud prevention under RGF conditionality
• Reporting to the European Commission: evidence chains and payment-condition verification
• Clarifying assurance roles: managers, control units, internal auditors, and technical verifiers

4. Format

The workshop is structured as a three-day applied learning cycle:

Day 1 — Control Architecture for Growth Plan Measures

• Opening keynote and diagnostic panel on PIFC roles and EU Facility conditionality
• Facilitated country clinic: mapping control bottlenecks
• Output: draft country risk map and clarified roles matrix

Day 2 — Internal Audit, Double Financing, and Indicator Quality

• Practical labs on risk-based audit planning and double-financing detection
• Indicator quality clinic and payment-file evidence review
• Output: audit planning checklist, overlap-detection matrix, indicator quality sheet

Day 3 — Reporting, Follow-Up, and Country Action Plans

• EC reporting drill and control self-assessment exercise
• Action-planning lab: one-page national roadmaps
• Output: country roadmap, EC reporting fiche, agreed peer network

Keynote inputs will be kept concise. Most workshop time will be devoted to clinics, peer review, and structured drafting exercises.

5. Participant Profile

5.1 Target Participants

Each administration is invited to nominate up to three (3) participants/ 2 participants for Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia, ideally forming a cross-functional team from:

• Internal audit units in key line ministries and/or ministries of finance
• Central Harmonisation Units (CHUs)
• Reform Agenda and RGF coordination units
• Budget and treasury officials handling payment files
• Institutions involved in EU accession, public administration reform, or policy coordination

5.2 Requirements

• Strong professional relevance to internal audit, financial control, or reform coordination under the EU Growth Plan / RGF or other EU facilities.
• Motivation to actively engage in group work, clinics, and peer exchange
• Commitment to implement a follow-up pilot action in their home institution
• Good command of English (working language; no interpretation provided)

6. Expected Outcomes

Through this workshop, participants will:

• Gain practical knowledge of risk-based audit and control routines for Growth Plan measures
• Strengthen their ability to detect and address double-financing risks and irregularities
• Develop skills to verify and defend indicator quality in EC reporting contexts
• Produce a concrete country risk map, audit plan, and one-page action roadmap
• Contribute to a regional peer network for ongoing support and follow-up exchange

7. Logistics & Practical Information

7.1 Pre-Workshop Preparation

Nominated participants will be asked to complete a short pre-workshop questionnaire and prepare a one-page country case note prior to the event. Background materials will be distributed in advance.

7.2 Registration

Nominations should be submitted by 17 August 2026. A registration link and further instructions will be communicated to Liaison Officers in due course.

7.3 Financial Coverage

• ReSPA will cover international travel for nominated participants
• Participants will receive per diems to cover accommodation, meals, and local transportation
• Participants are responsible for booking their own accommodation in Ljubljana
• In case of cancellation, flight costs will be covered by participants’ respective institutions

A detailed Practical Information Sheet will be sent to confirmed participants upon nomination. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

Rozalija Karchicka – Vasilevska
Senior Programme Manager- PFM, ReSPA