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Auditors slam EU's external migration spending

Xinhua, March 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Court of Auditors has published a report on the external migration policy of the European Union (EU), condemning the bloc's spending in neighbourhood countries as "lack of effectiveness".

The report published just hours before the leaders of the EU institutions and member states gathered in Brussels for a two-day summit on migrant crisis.

The auditor's survey covered countries in the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood, specifically Algeria, Georgia, Libya, Moldova, Morocco and Ukraine.

After examining 23 projects, which represent a contract value of 89 million euros(100.77 million U.S. dollars) out of a total amount of 742 million euros, the auditors highlighted a number of spending weaknesses: complexity of policy objectives and governance, impossibility of measuring policy results, limited success in returning migrants to their countries of origin and coordination problems between different EU bodies and between the European Commission and the member states.

The auditors found out there was no clear strategy for EU's financial instruments. It is therefore not possible to assess the degree to which they have furthered the EU's external migration policy.

More seriously, it is impossible to determine the total expenditure. The auditors estimated that total expenditure was 1.4 billion euros for 2007-2013, but they were only able to determine 304 million euros spending with precise data.

According to the report, the objectives were only partly achieved in two thirds of the completed projects audited. This was often due to their excessively vague or general nature, which frequently made it impossible to measure results.

The auditors listed key areas where EU's external migration policy effectiveness was lacking.

Firstly, there are only partial signs of migration having a positive impact on development. Secondly, return and re-admission support is having little impact. And thirdly, respect for human rights is only rarely translated into practice.

Meanwhile, the report said the coordination of external migration spending between the EU and its member states is very difficult.

As EU countries may contribute directly to external migration spending, an effective coordination mechanism is essential. However, there was no funding strategy to determine who was financing what or how the funds should be distributed.

"Migration represents a fundamental challenge for the European Union", said Daniele Lamarque, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report.

"EU spending on migration in the neighbourhood countries will only be effective if clear objectives are set, if funds are allocated to well-defined priorities, and if governance and the coordination between EU bodies and with member states are improved," the auditor added. Enditem