Trumpeter 4 Europe

 9th Feb 09. No evidence of fraud and corruption in EU accounts

For the last 14 years the auditors have failed to sign off European Union accounts and on the face of it embarrassing for europhiles. It's certainly a good stick with which to beat the eurosceptic drum but fraud isn't the problem which needs to be addressed. The member countries are responsible for 80% of all EU money and the weakness is mainly in regard to producing error free documentation. The auditors themselves have specified there's an acceptable error rate. Green light if less tha 2%, amber between 2 and 4%. An error rate above 4% and the accounts fail to get the auditors approval.

T4E has always maintained that the accounts should be available for public scrutiny. We would then know which countries are at 'fault' and whether Britain is one of them.

It may well be of interest to readers to know that all the British MEPs except two voted in 2008 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg for the publication of the auditors report. Those two MEPs against were Roger HELMER and Robert KILROY-SILK, both representing the East Midlands constituency. So much for their concern regarding EU transparency.

For further detailed reading copy and paste into browser: http://euobserver.com/19/27110