Strengthening audit capacity in the light of expanding EU budgets and high error rates

Question for written answer E-002426/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Dick Erixon (ECR) Subject: Strengthening audit capacity in the light of expanding EU budgets and high error rates The European Court of Auditors’ Review 03/2025 highlights a growing mismatch between the EU’s expanding financial ambitions and its capacity for effective oversight. With calls for a larger post-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) to fund new priorities and crisis responses, the review stresses that this must be accompanied by strengthened audit and control mechanisms. The experience of NextGenerationEU demonstrated that neither the Court of Auditors nor national audit institutions were sufficiently resourced to fully cover the surge in spending. This concern is reinforced by the Court’s finding of a record-high error rate in EU spending in recent years, signalling increasing risks to sound financial management. In the light of this: 1. How does the Commission intend to ensure that increases in the post-2027 EU budget are accompanied by a proportional strengthening of audit and control capacity? 2. Will the Commission commit to linking future budget expansions to guaranteed increases in resources for the European Court of Auditors and relevant national bodies? 3. What concrete steps will the Commission take to reduce error rates and ensure effective use of EU funds under the next MFF? Submitted: 16.6.2025 PE775.178v01-00