THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 on the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, and in particular the sixth subparagraph of Article 30(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Member States are required to report irregularities pursuant to Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 and in accordance with the provisions of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1972.
(2)
Financial interests of the Union should be protected in the same way irrespective of the fund used to deliver the objectives for which it was established. To that end Regulation (EU) No 223/2014, as well as Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1306/2013 and (EU) No 514/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council, empower the Commission to adopt rules on the reporting of irregularities. To ensure that identical rules apply in respect of all the funds governed by those Regulations, it is necessary that this Regulation contains provisions identical to those in Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2015/1974 (EU) 2015/1975 and (EU) 2015/1977.
(3)
In order to ensure an efficient analysis and overall management of cases of irregularity, Member States are required to submit to the Commission relevant information on detected irregularities on a regular and timely basis. In order to protect the Union's financial interests it is necessary to lay down uniform conditions for the submission of that information, in particular about its frequency and format.
(4)
In order to avoid an irregularity having repercussions outside the territory of the reporting Member State, that Member State should report any such irregularity to the Commission without delay.
(5)
In order to fully exploit the advantages derived from the use of electronic means for the exchange of information while preserving the security of exchanges, Member States should use the dedicated Irregularity Management System (IMS) provided on the Anti-Fraud Information System platform established by the Commission.
(6)
Member States and the Commission should ensure that transfer of data through the Irregularity Management System is performed in a secure manner allowing for availability, integrity, authenticity and confidentiality of information.
(7)
The use of the euro as the only currency for the reporting of irregularities is necessary to ensure the comparability of the information reported. For Member States which have not adopted the euro as their currency it is necessary to define the exchange rate to be used to convert the amounts concerned into euro and the exchange rate to be used to convert expenditure which has not been registered in the accounts of the certifying authority.
(8)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 223/2014.
(9)
As payments have already been made for the fund concerned and irregularities could occur, the provisions of this Regulation should be applicable immediately. This Regulation should therefore enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: