Bulgaria to Return EUR 24.5 M in Agriculture Funds to EU

Bulgaria has to return EUR 24.5 received for agriculture in 2009 to the EU budget, the European Commission has announced.

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.

The money has been charged to Bulgaria for insufficient levels of on-the-spot checks, weaknesses in the LPIS-GIS and provision of inaccurate information and insufficient guidance to farmers with regard to area aid (also relates to area based Rural Development measures);

A total of EUR 530 M in agriculture money has to be returned by a total of 10 EU member states as a result of the European Commission's financial corrections. The Commission carries out over 100 audits every year, verifying that Member State controls and responses to shortcomings are sufficient, and has the power to claw back funds in arrears if the audits show that Member State responses are not good enough to guarantee that EU funds have been spent properly.

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