The head of the audit office has the allegations back.
(Photo: imago / tagesspiegel)
Brussels It was a damning article in the French magazine Liberation that sparked a crisis at the European Court of Auditors a few days ago. For pages the journalist Jean Quatremer cited allegations against the members of the court, in particular against the president, Klaus-Heiner Lehne, who was MEP and chairman of the CDU Düsseldorf until his move in 2014. Other media outlets even spoke of “corruption”.
The picture that the article paints is one of lazy, highly paid EU officials who enjoy undreamt-of privileges and do not have to answer anyone for them. That would be a scandal, especially at the Court of Auditors, because it is supposed to ensure that EU citizens’ tax money is used sparingly and sensibly. If things go wrong there, it could have an impact on the whole EU, so concerns in Brussels.
And in fact, Lehne had to admit on Tuesday evening that he and his colleagues enjoy a disproportionate privilege: For just 8 cents per kilometer, they can use the auditor’s service privately. And they can use their company car for an unlimited amount of private use for a flat rate of 100 euros per month. “That doesn’t look optimal,” said Lehne at a hearing before the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament.
The scheme was created under a backrest. Before that, it was even worse, he now said: At the time, the Court of Auditors accounted for the kilometers driven, which brought in significantly less money and fully utilized one employee. That’s why they switched to a flat rate.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
Lehne sharply rejected the other allegations. He was accused of only pretending to have rented an apartment at the headquarters of the Court of Auditors in Luxembourg, together with three colleagues, and of hardly staying there. Other members are also often absent from meetings.
Lehne offered to inspect documents – and shares his apartment with colleagues
However, Lehne offered to inspect documents that are supposed to prove that attendance averages 96 percent – with the exception of the restrictions caused by the Covid pandemic. And he actually shares his apartment with a colleague, because otherwise he has no use for the many rooms, commutes to his family on weekends and is often on business trips. After all, he represents the Court of Auditors at meetings in Brussels, Strasbourg and international organizations.
If the further investigations do not refute his statements, there will probably be no further consequences from the process. The most important point of criticism of the Court of Auditors remains: Its 27-strong team has long been considered a storage location for worthy party cadres or unpleasant competitors.
Because if you want to become a member, you don’t have to show any competencies, you just have to get your home government nominated. Members then receive 22,430 euros per month plus 15 percent residence allowance – to prevent corruption. A useful side effect: Members are not allowed to get involved in politics during their term of office.
This means that the competence of the management body is in doubt. “Some members of the Court of Auditors are completely unsuitable for their job or have conflicts of interest,” says EU MP Daniel Freund (Greens). Not only he sees it that way. The European Parliament has rejected candidates for the office in the past, but has not been heard. Only the member states could prevent an appeal, which they usually do not.
The committee chairman Monika Hohlmeier (CSU) said on Tuesday that parliament had often warned that a different appointment procedure was needed. However, an amendment to the EU treaty is necessary for this. And that will be ruled out in the years to come.
More: So that 750 billion euros do not seep away: EU Court of Auditors warns of wasting Corona aid