Decision (EU) 2018/818 imposing a fine on Austria for the manipulation of debt data in Land Salzburg

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details L137, 04.06.18
Publication Date 04/06/2018
Content Type

Summary:

The European Commission recommended to the Council of the European Union in February 2017 that a fine be imposed on Austria over the manipulation of statistics in Land Salzburg. The Council adopted its Decision on 28 May 2018.

Further information:

The Commission launched on May 2016 a formal investigation into the potential manipulation of statistics in Land Salzburg. The investigation aimed at assessing whether the serious indications of misrepresentation of debt and deficit data in 2012 and previous years could be confirmed and, if so, whether it was the result of intent or serious negligence.

On 22 February 2017, the Commission published its report on the investigation. The report concluded that the Landesrechnungshof (LRH), the State Office and the State Government of Land Salzburg, i.e. entities within the general government sector of the Republic of Austria, were seriously negligent in not ensuring appropriate compilation controls and reporting procedures.

Thereby those entities facilitated the fact that the Budget Unit of the State Office of Land Salzburg could misrepresent and conceal financial transactions, leading to the misrepresentation in 2012 and 2013 of Austria’s debt data regarding years 2008-2012 to Eurostat.

Source Link Link to Main Source https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2018.137.01.0023.01.ENG
Related Links
EUR-Lex: SWD(2017)105: Opinion of the Republic of Austria concerning the preliminary report on the findings of the investigation related to the manipulation of statistics in Austria http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2017:105:FIN
EUR-Lex: COM(2017)93: Proposal for a Decision imposing a fine on Austria for manipulation of debt data in Land Salzburg http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2017:093:FIN
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 28.05.18: Land Salzburg: Austria fined for misreporting government debt data http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/05/28/land-salzburg-austria-fined-for-misreporting-government-debt-data/
The Local (Austria), 04.05.16: EU probes possible financial data manipulation in Salzburg https://www.thelocal.at/20160504/eu-launches-investigation-into-salzburg
EUR-Lex: COM(2017)94: Report from the Commission on the investigation related to the manipulation of statistics in Austria http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2017:094:FIN

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