Emma McClarkin MEP hails George Osborne’s refusal to sign off EU accounts

Conservative East Midlands MEPs Emma McClarkin and Roger Helmer have today welcomed George Osborne’s decision not to sign off the EU accounts.

The UK, along with the Swedish and Dutch governments, has abstained in the vote to approve the accounts for 2009, which the Court of Auditors was unable to give a so-called unqualified statement of assurance regarding.

Conservative MEPs are the only major UK delegation to have consistently voted against granting discharge to (‘sign off’) the EU accounts, until the Court of Auditors can produce a full unqualified statement.

Speaking about the refusal, Emma and Roger said, “European auditors have found irregularities and faults in the EU’s accounts for year after year, yet Labour Ministers kept agreeing to sign them off.

“This is a clear message from George Osborne to the European Commission that this situation will not be tolerated any longer, and that they will have to get a grip.

“Until the commission does something about the annual farce of signing off the EU accounts, it will never be taken seriously. I hope that the actions of our Chancellor and his allies will kickstart them into action.”