Business without Debate— EUROPEAN UNION DOCUMENTS
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 119(11)),
That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 12810/12 and Addenda 1 to 4, a Commission Report on Protection of the European Union’s financial interests: Fight against fraud—Annual Report 2011, Unnumbered European Document dated 12 November 2012, European Court of Auditors’ Annual Report concerning the financial year 2011, and Unnumbered European Document dated 12 November 2012, European Court of Auditors’ Annual Report on the Activities Funded by the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth European Development Funds (EDFs) in the financial year 2011; believes that it is unacceptable that the EU budget has been given a qualified audit by the EU oversight body, the Court of Auditors, every year for the past eighteen years; agrees with the Government that when domestic governments are facing severe fiscal constraints and making tough decisions on national spending, efficient spending of EU money in a targeted way is more vital than ever; supports the Government’s decision to oppose granting discharge to the EU budget for the second time; encourages the Government to continue to work with other like-minded Member States to put pressure on the Commission and other Member States to take their responsibility for managing EU funds more seriously and to push for clear steps to be taken towards much needed improvements to the quality of EU financial management; and supports the Government’s approach of ensuring, where possible, that the EU implements the recommendations relating to EDFs advocated by the European Court of Auditors.— (Mr Evennett.)
Question agreed to.