ΛΟΓΟΔΟΣΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗ ΕΝΩΣΗ

X Πρόλογος not only regulated but alsomanaged and audited in order to enforce transparency and accountability. Milionis’ approach is thus focused on these three levels of con- trol. After exploring all relevant aspects of the concept of public accountability in chapter one, chapter two pays attention to a lesser-known element of auditing: i.e. the importance of the general principles of audit, which create a fundament for re- liable oversight. He elaborates further on the concept of accountability when he re- lates it to public audit in chapter three. Based on this profound general analysis of accountability, Milionis contributes sig- nificantly to the knowledge on the EU’s finance auditing. Milionis, as a distinguished member of the European Court of Auditors, is an experienced observer for this sub- ject. On the EU level, audit as a basis for accountability is a complex issue because themajority of spending takes place on themember state level; accordingly, shared management – besides shared finance – is an inherent part of the system. On the basis of an annual cycle, EU auditors test the legality and regularity of spending un- der the different headings of the Multiannual Financial Framework. The practice of audit takes place by transaction testing in member states, for instance in the field of agriculture – a speciality of Milionis as a member and the former dean of the competent chamber within the ECA - or regional development. He was reporting member for a series of important special reports: Report 11/2021 on support to EU milk producers; Report 21/2019 on antimicrobial resistance; Report 18/2019 on EU greenhouse gas emissions; Report 4/19 on the control system for organic products; Report 01/2017 on Natura 2000 network; Report 25/2016 on Land parcel identifi- cation system; Report 26/2016 on cross-compliance and simplification in Common Agricultural Policy (CAP); Report 25/2015 on EU support for rural infrastructure and Report 24/2014 on forest fires. From 2016 to 2021 he has been reporting member for the compliance of audit of heading 2 of themulti annual budget for sustainable growth: natural resources. Besides financial and compliance audits, which are both a part of the above de- scribed annual cycle, the ECA publishes numerous special reports on performance in various policy fields. Such special reports seek to answer the question of wheth- er EU citizens get value for their money. Both the annual reports on legality and regularity and the special reports on performance in specific policy fields are well appreciated by the European Parliament as important and detailed sources of in- formation concerning the EU’s financial management. Based on these reports the EU decides on the European Commission’s discharge. In this regard, the ECA’s an- nual and special reports serve to ensure transparency. The last step before the ac- countability cycle finds its way of completion is for the EU Council to draw lessons for the ECA’s findings and recommendations published in its annual and special re- ports. Chapter 1 to 4 offer an in-depth analysis of the accountability landscape in the EU, whereas the last Chapter - Chapter 5 - sheds light on the recent stress test to