HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Liddell pledges to use UK´s EU presidency to deal with fraud and waste [November 1997]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 18 November 1997.

The Government will make full use of its Presidency of the European Union during the first half of next year to push forward an active agenda to deal with fraud and waste, Economic Secretary Helen Liddell made clear today.

Commenting on the publication of the Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors she said;

“This report makes disturbing reading, but it is also a useful tool in the UK’s fight against fraud and mismanagement in the Community Budget. This report highlights the good sense of the Government in making fighting fraud a key priority of our Presidency of the EU.

Our determination to make better use of taxpayers money was highlighted in our manifesto. At the Amsterdam Intergovernmental Conference we obtained Treaty changes which strengthen the powers of the European Court of Auditors and will make it easier to fight fraud in the Community Budget.

A modern European Union must be fair and strong, fraud and waste hold back the achievement of our aspirations.”