Press Release: Commission to recover €230m of CAP expenditure from the Member States

A total of €230 million of EU agricultural policy funds, unduly spent by Member States, was claimed back by the European Commission on 2 May 2013 under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure. However, because some of these amounts have already been recovered from the Member States the financial impact of this decision will be some €227m.

This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure. Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.