The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has raised serious concerns about the EU’s handling of its post-COVID recovery fund, accusing it of enabling preferential treatment among member states and withdrawing funds without clear justification. These funds were easily used for political blackmail rather than economic reimbursement.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), created in the aftermath of the pandemic, offered EU countries €650 billion in loans and subsidies aimed at reviving the European economy. Rather than reimbursing actual project costs, the European Commission awarded funds based on the achievement of pre-set targets and project milestones outlined in national recovery plans.
However, according to the ECA, it remains “unclear whether the countries that were given the money actually achieved the targets set out and whether EU citizens are really getting value for their money.” The auditors also warned of a lack of uniformity across the bloc, noting that “there was no clear method for determining the targets that countries had to achieve,” making comparisons between member states problematic and opening the door to unequal treatment.
ECA member Ivana Maletic stressed the importance of reform: “In the future, the policy makers in the EU should gather information about the genuine costs before transferring money and do a better job of linking the financing to results.”
