2016 EU Audit in Brief. Introducing the 2016 annual reports of the European Court of Auditors

Background and further information:

EU spending totalled €136.4 billion in 2016, or around €267 for every citizen. This amounts to around 1% of EU gross national income and represents approximately 2% of total public spending in EU Member States.

Ensuring that the budget is properly spent is primarily the responsibility of the European Commission, along with the other EU institutions and bodies. But for around 80% of spending – principally agriculture and cohesion – this responsibility is shared with the Member States.

The European Court of Auditors published in September 2017 its report on the EU annual accounts, an audit relating to the revenue and expenditure of the EU budget. It also provides its opinion on the extent to which the annual accounts are reliable and income and spending transactions comply with the applicable rules and regulations.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Communication: IP/17/3490, 28.09.17: European Court of Auditors signs off EU accounts for 10th time in a row and sends positive message on EU spending http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-3490_en.htm

RTÉ, 28.09.17: European Court of Auditors sign off 2016 accounts https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2017/0928/908270-european-court-of-auditors/

EurActiv, 28.09.17: Auditor recommends giving committed EU funds to UK after Brexit https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/auditor-recommends-giving-committed-eu-funds-to-uk-after-brexit/

Reuters, 28.09.17: 'Biggest ever' EU budget overhang casts shadow on Brexit bill https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN1C32UY

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