EU budget – greater government control urged

Ensuring that the EU's €110 billion annual budget is spent legally and properly is an awesome responsibility. It falls to the European Commission but is not easy as around 80% of the budget is spent at a national and local level - and can be difficult to track. Most of the money is spent on farming and rural development (46%) and on aid to poorer regions (30%). In October 2006 MPs and MEPs came together to see ways in which control of the budget can be improved.

European Parliament: Committee on Budgetary Control: Joint Committee Meeting, 9-10 October 2006 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/cont/site/auditions/joint_meeting/default_en.htm

---