The Court of Auditors is investigating French consulates abroad

2023-09-02 11:34:00

According to an article published at the end of August by La Lettre A, a questionnaire was sent by the magistrates of the Court of Auditors to 14 French consulates, notably those in London, Washington, Rome and Moscow.

A simple “current check”

The Quai d’Orsay responded by stating:

“This is a routine check by the Court of Auditors, as part of its public expenditure control missions. »

The ministry specified that this investigation related to the missions, the organization, the means, as well as the aspects of effectiveness of the consular services rendered to the French abroad. In addition, the organization would examine the supply of administrative services, the safety of French nationals abroad and the quality of the reception of users.

According to La Lettre A, the Court of Auditors would also seek to obtain information on the delays in issuing identity documents and the assessment of the quality of the services provided by these consulates.

The letter also mentions that the Court of Auditors will review the expenses of the consulates, with particular emphasis on the cost of organizing the elections and the subsidies granted to associations.

Letter A adds that the Court will pay particular attention to social aid and school grants, as well as to the measures put in place to fight once morest possible fraud. The Court of Auditors confirmed that an investigation had started in May 2023 with the consulates. However, she did not provide specific details regarding the contents of the survey.

No conclusion at this stage

If a report is published by the Court of Auditors following this investigation, it will not be available before 2024, according to the same source.

The Court concluded by stating:

“At this stage, no conclusion can be drawn from this investigation, which is neither completed nor contested” by the consulates concerned.

It should be noted that the financial magistrates had already published in 2013 a report on “ the evolution of the missions and organization of French consulates abroad “. Among the 20 recommendations made at the time was the idea of ​​” strengthen the rationalization of the consular network in countries where economic and security conditions are comparable to those of France, particularly in Europe as well as reducing the administrative burden on consulates.

The Quai d’Orsay stressed for its part that ” during its previous audits, and in particular in its report on the evolution of the missions and organization of French consulates in 2013, the Court underlined the very wide range of consular services offered to French nationals residing abroad, more extensive than that of countries with a comparable diplomatic network ».

The ministry added that certain procedures had since been dematerialized and that Internet voting, recommendations of the Court, had been put in place.