Stop corruption with EU funds

Why this?

In this quickly changing world, the European citizens need a stronger, more efficient and a proactive European Union. That is the only chance of all the EU countries to manage the forthcoming global economic, environmental and political challenges.

But today, there are many populist, hate-monger and corrupt European politicians who are attacking the core values of the European Union and using EU funds to weaken checks and balances, civil society and media freedom. The fraud with EU funds destabilizes democracies, endangers competitive economic environment, results oligarchic systems and finally leads us towards the framework of illiberal states. Thus, from West to East, and from North to South it is an existential interest of the EU that its citizens stand for our common values, democracy, the rule of law and clean public life. Only this way we can preserve the political, economic and global potency of European integration that has established peace after the World War II to the continent! That is why we have launched the “STOP FRAUD and ABUSE of EU FUNDS” European Citizens’ Initiative.

Short summary of our proposal to the European Commission:

“To prevent and penalise fraud and abuse of EU funds the European Institutions should be entitled to apply enhanced control in Member States which are not part of the European Prosecutor’s Office cooperation. This would include ex ante control of funding and procurement decisions in risky areas. We propose that such deepened control should cover complete exploration of all circumstances and also publication of fraudulent activities and other offences harming the financial interests of the EU.”

As our proposal was well received by almost everybody whom we and also Transparency International presented it, we carry on to promote it. Recent developments can also help us, among them the re-constitution of the Intergroup on Integrity, Transparency, Corruption and Organised Crime, the endeavour of Hungarian MEPs to have opposition municipalities get direct funding for their projects from the EU and also the regulation about linking EU funds to rule of law slowly taking shape.

We will co-operate with all forces who fight against corruption and abuse in EU funds and use this space to promote this fight and the possible solutions and give news both about blatant abuses and about initiatives and results in this fight. We ask you to notify us or send draft articles if you have anything to contribute.