Marta Andreasen, the top Commission auditor who has led a bold fight against EU fraud, explains her experience with the EPP:

“In May 2002, I contacted MEPs from all political groups to make them aware of the vulnerability of the EU accounting system. From the EPP only the British Conservatives - with the exception of one German Christian Democrat MEP- listened to my claims and took action (other MEPs who supported this action were NOT from the EPP but from socialist, far right or far left parties).

“When the Budgetary Control Committee, under the initiative and pressure from Chris Heaton-Harris, finally voted (September 2002) to hear me about the failures of the accounting system, the Conference of Presidents with the vote of the EPP added to European socialists and liberals, banned my appearance before that committee.

“BUT what is more important is what is going on today:

1) With the vote of the EPP the European Parliament votes for giving discharge to the Commission every year in the knowledge that;

- The Computer system on which the EU funds are managed continues to be highly vulnerable.
- No independent treasury audit has been performed in the last 14 years.
- OLAF never finds enough proof to initiate prosecution.
- Directors General avoid taking any responsibility for the funds because of the unreliability of the accounting system.
- The Court of Auditors continues to refuse clearance of 95% of the EU budget expenditure.

2) In this state of affairs the European Commission demands significant increase in the EU budget for the next 7 years and the European Parliament - again with the majority that the EPP -is defending a significant increase.”