Weigering van Europese Rekenkamer om EU-begroting te fiatteren leidt tot zorgen in Engeland (en)

The UK National Audit Office has said it will increase its scrutiny of EU accounts after the EU's Court of Auditors failed to approve the EU's accounts last year for the ninth year in a row.

Sir John Bourn, in his report to the UK Parliament, draws attention to the continuing problems in the management of European Union funds.

"It is a matter of concern that, for the ninth year in succession, the Court of Auditors has qualified its opinion on the reliability of the accounts", he said, according to epolitix.

"I endorse the court's view that this situation is unlikely to improve until the commission has completed the reform of its accounting policies and IT systems".

The EU's financial watchdog in its report on the 2002 accounts last November, found "significant errors" in agriculture, regional and social policy and administrative spending, representing around 90% of total EU spending.

Mr Bourn said that "the National Audit Office will play a full part in parliamentary scrutiny of the European Union", and added that the NAO will continue to work closely with the European Court of Auditors and the audit offices of the other 24 member countries to protect European Union funds.

National authorities administer 80% of the EU budget as they manage the money which goes for regional and social support programmes and farm subsidies.