Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, in a written answer on 19 June 2026, defended the European Union's oversight of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) following the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) 2025 annual report, which revealed 518 active NextGenerationEU cases with estimated damages of €5.07 billion. Dombrovskis stressed that Member States bear primary responsibility for safeguarding EU funds and that the Commission's control framework—including system audits and action on serious irregularities—remains robust, with 86% of new EPPO investigations triggered by national notifications, indicating strengthened controls.
The answer came in response to a parliamentary question from Alexander Jungbluth (ESN, Germany), submitted on 8 April 2026, who asked about structural vulnerabilities in NextGenerationEU oversight, particularly in green and digital transformation projects, and whether the fraud cases suggest perverse incentives in the instrument's design. Dombrovskis did not acknowledge specific vulnerabilities in green or digital spending, instead asserting that the Commission is confident in the RRF's audit and control frameworks across all policy areas and investment sizes. He noted that the Commission has adopted its proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) in July and September 2025 and remains committed to fighting fraud under the next MFF.
The answer contains no new concrete proposals, numerical targets, or deadlines, instead reiterating existing mechanisms: Member States must correct irregularities and recover misused funds, and the Commission may reduce or recover payments if issues persist. The policy orientation is defensive, emphasising the effectiveness of current controls rather than signalling reforms. Institutional follow-up is likely to involve scrutiny by the European Parliament's Budgetary Control and Budgets committees, with potential calls for tighter rules in the next MFF negotiations.