The Netherlands, Sweden, Britain refuse to sign off EU 2012 books

European Union flags fly in front of the European Commission headquarters in BrusselsThe Netherlands, Britain and Sweden on Tuesday voted against approving the EU’s accounts for 2012 because of an increase in mis-spending.

The Netherlands voted against approving the books because there are still too many uncertainties about the accounts. The error rate has again risen – from 3.9% in 2011 to 4.8% in 2012.

Finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem wants the EU’s audit office to publish the error rate on a country by country basis. This would facilitate proper discussion about the controls on the spending of EU money, news agency Novum quoted him as saying.

The EU’s auditors last year refused to give the accounts a clean bill of health for the 19th year in succession.

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