The Andreasen affair (II)

The Commission has been promising an administrative reform that is aimed at improved transparency and accountability.

However this is the eighth year running that the Court of Auditors has been unable to issue the required "statement of assurance" that the EU has put taxpayers’ money to proper and efficient use.

This year the auditors have qualified the accounts on all but an insignificant 5 per cent of the EU’s € 95 billion budget.

Staff is being asked to be more and more accountable without being given the resources to assume this responsibility. How can individuals be held accountable for the management of the funds on an accounting system known to be vulnerable for years.

Marta Andreasen did not discover anything. It was known for years. She has only brought this fundamental failure of the reform, to the attention of those that need to decide on urgent change. She has highlighted that accountability will not be achieved without a reliable accounting system. This should have been the starting point for the reform.