EC wants to spot-check government accounts
European Commission sees itself as watchdog to member states' chief auditing authority.
The European Commission has demanded new powers to police its member states’ accounts in a move that would make it the EU’s chief auditing authority.
Link: Review of EU’s accounting professions planned
The proposed laws would allow the Commission to carry out spot checks and ‘in-depth monitoring visits’ anywhere in the UK and at any time, reports the Daily Telegraph.
Euro-officials would be given powers to demand access to debt figures and ‘underlying government accounts’. The findings would also be made public if figures were found to be misleading.
But Britain yesterday attacked the plan: ‘Our statistical body has a worldwide reputation for excellence and doesn’t need Eurostat officials marching in,’ the Telegraph reported one British official saying. ‘Brussels should be focusing on countries that have problems.’