Joint Audit by the Italian Corte dei Conti and Malta’s National Audit Office on the Interreg V A Italy Malta Programme

The Court of Auditors of Italy (CdC) and the National Audit Office of Malta (NAO) have completed a coordinated audit on the Interreg Italy-Malta (IIM) 2014–2020 programme. The IIM Programme is  a bilateral cooperation instrument between Italy and Malta funded under the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC).

This joint audit marks the first outcome of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 29 April 2024 between the two Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the two countries.  The agreement underscores a shared commitment to strengthening institutional cooperation and enhancing the quality, coherence and impact of public audit activities. This joint review also supports the sound and transparent management of European funds in the interest of citizens and local communities.

The assessments articulated in this audit report were formally endorsed by resolution of the Control Section for European and International Affairs within the CdC, Italy, as well as subjected to parallel and internal validation by the NAO in Malta. Thereafter, the report was endorsed during a bilateral meeting held in Rome on 25 July, between the Head of SAIs, President Guido Carlino and Auditor General Charles Deguara. Supported by this rigorous review structure, the report affirmed not only the pivotal role of the Interreg Programme in fostering cross-border collaboration between public and private stakeholders in Sicily and Malta, but also its demonstrable capacity to deliver results aligned with the Programme’s stated objectives.

In this context, the Italian and Maltese SAIs recognise the substantial efforts undertaken by the Programme Authorities and the tangible results achieved. They nonetheless emphasised the need to introduce targeted improvements at both strategic and operational levels. These enhancements aim to maximise the programme’s efficiency and strengthen its overall impact within the context of territorial cooperation between Sicily and Malta.

To view the report (.pdf) please follow this link.