In a written answer on 3 July 2026, Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis stressed that Member States bear primary responsibility for protecting EU financial interests under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), responding to allegations that Spanish authorities misused European funds for fraudulent recruitment. The answer, addressed to MEPs Jorge Buxadé Villalba and Hermann Tertsch (both PfE), follows a question citing a February 2026 media report that a PSOE militant was hired using RRF funds in a former minister's cabinet. Dombrovskis outlined the Commission's control framework, including system audits and assessments of national internal controls, but noted that Spain's authorities are already investigating the matter and confirmed that no contracts linked to the individual have been included in payment requests. The Commission will follow up to establish facts and assess corrective measures, but did not commit to a general audit of Spain's fund management, as requested by the MEPs.
The answer contains no concrete proposals or numerical targets, instead reaffirming existing procedures under the RRF Regulation. Politically, Dombrovskis balanced acknowledging the seriousness of fraud allegations with deferring to Spain's primary investigative role, signalling no immediate escalation. Institutional follow-up will involve continued monitoring and potential financial corrections if irregularities are confirmed.