Workshop on Professional Integrity, Professional Behavior and Competence in EU Fund Management, Anti‑Fraud, Anti‑Corruption, Anti‑Money Laundering, Prevention of Double Funding and Conflicts of Interest

 Day 1 — December 7th

The Integrity Mission: When Judgement Is Tested

Opening: “The Snow Is Falling, But the Risks Are Rising”

09:00 – 09:30

Opening — “The Snow Is Falling, But the Risks Are Rising” Teams enter the Christmas Control Room and receive their mission briefing.

Participants are welcomed into the fictional setting of the Christmas Control Room, where

several EU-funded programmes are approaching year-end closure. Claims must be verified,

payments must be authorised, and several sensitive integrity signals have just arrived.

Teams are formed and receive their first mission package.

Learning focus:

• Understanding the workshop mission.

• Creating a competitive but safe learning environment.

• Introducing the link between integrity, fraud prevention, risk analysis, controls

and professional judgement in EU Funds Management,Control and Audit.

09:30 – 10:30

Mission 1 — The Integrity Compass

Financial, Personal and Organisational Integrity Under Pressure

Teams receive a series of sharp integrity cases. Each case contains a professional

dilemma involving pressure from management, unclear rules, personal relationships,

sensitive information, gifts, time pressure or political expectations.

10:30 – 10:45 — Coffee Break

10:45 – 12:00

Mission 2 — The Dilemma Arena

Carefulness, Professional Behaviour and Confidentiality

Teams enter the Dilemma Arena. They receive more complex cases where all answers

seem partly right, but only one answer is professionally strongest.

12:00 – 13:00 — Lunch Break

13:00 – 14:15

Mission 3 — The Control Room Test

Teams receive a fictional EU-funded project file. The file looks complete at first sight, but

contains weaknesses, missing evidence and unclear explanations.

14:15 – 14:30 — Coffee Break

14:30 – 15:30

Mission 4 — The Santa’s Ethics Hotline Simulation

Handling Signals, Rumours and Whistleblower Information

A fictional signal arrives through the “Santa’s Ethics Hotline”:

15:30 – 16:30

Mission 5 — The Integrity Snowstorm

High-Pressure Final Round Day 1

Teams face a fast-moving simulation. Several events happen at once.

16:30 – 19:00 — Vienna Walking Tour & Festive Food Tasting

A relaxed, atmospheric afternoon to unwind after an intensive training day.

Highlights include:

• Vienna Old Town Walk — St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben, Kohlmarkt
• Imperial Vienna — Hofburg, Spanish Riding School, Michaelerplatz
• Christmas Market Experience — seasonal lights, crafts, music
• Festive Food Tasting:
  • Wiener Würstel variations
  • Kaiserschmarrn tasting
  • Christmas punch or non‑alcoholic Punsch
  • Traditional Viennese pastries (Sachertorte bites, Vanillekipferl)

A perfect blend of culture, networking, and seasonal atmosphere.

Day 2 — December 8th

The Anti‑Fraud & Anti‑Corruption Mission

09:00 – 09:20

Day 2 starts with a festive but serious message:

“Yesterday, you protected your professional judgement. Today, you protect the funds.”

09:20 – 10:30

Mission 6 — Red Flags in the Christmas Tree

Team Game challenge:

Teams must build a Red Flag Christmas Tree.

From Integrity Judgement to Fraud Awareness

10:30 – 10:45 — Coffee Break

10:45 – 12:00

Mission 7 — The Anti-Fraud Christmas Decorations in the Tree

Team Game challenge:

Teams create their own AFC Decorations based on their own good practices and their

own needs to protect the Funds.

12:00 – 13:00 — Lunch Break

13:00 – 14:00

Mission 8 — Strengthening the Anti-Fraud Skills and Expertise in Christmas

atmosphere

Team Game challenge:

Under the festive Christmas tree, the teams put their anti-fraud skills to the test and

sharpen them using real fraud case studies.

14:00 – 14:15 — Coffee Break

14:15 – 15:15

Mission 9 – COI Christmas Court

Conflict of Interest: Appearance, Risk or Reality?

Teams act as professional panels in the COI Christmas Court. They must assess

different conflict of interest scenarios.

15:15 – 16:00

Mission 10 —Anti-Corruption Essentials: The Influence Map

Gifts, Pressure, Favouritism, Collusion and Hidden Interests

Teams receive a network of people and organisations connected to a funded project.

Some connections are innocent, others may indicate corruption or conflict of interest.

16:00 – 16:45

Mission 11 —Double Funding Detective

 One Cost, Two Claims, Many Explanations

Teams investigate a possible double funding case.

The beneficiary claims that several costs are eligible under an ESI project.

However, similar costs appear in another IPA, AMIF, ISF or national programme file.

16:45 – 17:00