EU fails its spending audit, again
Long sequence of poor reports continues, with auditors warning of continuing problems with cohesion funds. The European Court of Auditors has, for the 14th year running, refused to give a clean bill of health to the EU's spending. In its annual report published today (10 November), the auditors give their verdict on the EU's budget for 2007. They warn of continuing problems with the cohesion funds, which are supposed to support the EU's poorer regions and social groups, and of growing problems with payments for rural development. The auditors estimated that at least 11% of the €42 billion spent on cohesion should not have been paid out because the EU's rules were not complied with. That compares with an estimate of 12% made in last year's report, suggesting that there has not been a significant improvement. The auditors said that the errors were often the inclusion of ineligible costs, an exaggeration of what money had been spent, for which reimbursement was sought, and failures to respect the procurement rules. The auditors criticised both the controls imposed by member states on spending and the Commission's supervision of the member states. Siim Kallas, the European commissioner responsible for the accounts and the audit, said the auditors' verdict was “an improvement on last year.... snip http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2008/11/eu-fails-its-spending-audit,-again/63002.aspx Quelle surprise
Long sequence of poor reports continues, with auditors warning of continuing problems with cohesion funds. The European Court of Auditors has, for the 14th year running, refused to give a clean bill of health to the EU's spending. In its annual report published today (10 November), the auditors give their verdict on the EU's budget for 2007. They warn of continuing problems with the cohesion funds, which are supposed to support the EU's poorer regions and social groups, and of growing problems with payments for rural development. The auditors estimated that at least 11% of the €42 billion spent on cohesion should not have been paid out because the EU's rules were not complied with. That compares with an estimate of 12% made in last year's report, suggesting that there has not been a significant improvement. The auditors said that the errors were often the inclusion of ineligible costs, an exaggeration of what money had been spent, for which reimbursement was sought, and failures to respect the procurement rules. The auditors criticised both the controls imposed by member states on spending and the Commission's supervision of the member states. Siim Kallas, the European commissioner responsible for the accounts and the audit, said the auditors' verdict was “an improvement on last year.... snip http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2008/11/eu-fails-its-spending-audit,-again/63002.aspx Quelle surprise