Abuse Europe must curb

European Union funding is one of the major tools that many businesses and NGOs avail themselves of in order to strengthen and invest in their organisation. It is also a very important instrument for national governments to carry out huge infrastructural works in their respective countries. Many roadworks, restoration projects and embellishments would not have been possible had it not been for part financing by the EU. Many countries, including ours, would have been far worse off had it not been for such funds. This also applies to educational programmes and schemes that are up and running with the help of these monies that the EU makes available in a clear effort to invest in our students.

The EU cannot afford to let any funding go to waste- David Casa

Unfortunately, though, the funds sometimes end up in the wrong hands and are subsequently misused for other purposes.

In order to deal with this worrying situation, the European Parliament has called for stricter rules to administer such funds. All this calls for a reform in economic governance, where transparency will be the order of the day. Shady organisations will find it very tough to access such funds and the EP is adamant to set up a committee within three months to investigate the abuse of these funds.

Throughout the years, criminal organisations have infiltrated the public sectors of various countries and are, thus, availing themselves of millions of euros that ultimately come out of the taxpayer’s pockets.

Through their connections and infiltration, these mafia-style companies obtain funding for what seems to be a legitimate project and end up using them for their own means, many a time in conjunction with money laundering and other illegal activities.

With the present scenario of ailing economies and unstable financial markets, the need to curb such illegal activities is more important than ever.

In order to rehabilitate our economies we need to get rid of this cancer that has been sucking millions of euros out of our coffers. Banking secrecy should be addressed with more strictness and funds should be monitored from the starting point to the finish. Only in this way can we ensure that the funding is used solely for its intended purpose.

It is an uphill struggle. Many institutions have ingrained practices that, even though originally implemented to safeguard them and their clients, have now been hijacked and are being used to the advantage of those who have made it their business to misappropriate EU funds. These practices need to be changed or, even better, eradicated.

This serious problem is more rampant in certain countries, however, no one can afford to sit back and relax.

Crime knows no borders and these professionals will try and avail themselves of every situation that is presented to them, be it in Sweden or in Cyprus. We have to work as a unit to be one step ahead of these people and, to be able to do so, we have to have everyone’s full and unrestricted cooperation.

The EU cannot afford to let any funding go to waste. The European institutions and the national governments are united in this battle and now it is important to get the IMF and the World Bank on board too.

I am not saying that these two very important institutions have set any obstacles but, as their position stands at the moment, there is much more that they can do to help combat this blatant fraud.

Most of the funds are indeed used for legitimate purposes and we, as a European Parliament, intend to ensure that things remain that way.

Many lives have been bettered, many youths have been given opportunities they never dreamed of and many towns and villages are now better places because the EU has funded one project or another.

I cannot leave out the thousands of SMEs that avail themselves of the many schemes that are offered to them in order to be able to invest and grow, ultimately for the benefit of the whole community. By closing all the doors to fraudsters we will be in a better position to increase this type of funding and helping those who need it most.

Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.