EU Auditors Examine Aid to Turkey

Posted by African Examiner Europe, Featured, Latest Headlines, World News Tuesday, June 6th, 2017

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The European Court of Auditors is to audit EU financial support for Turkey.

Turkey is the single largest beneficiary of the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), with more than 40% of all IPA allocations.

During the 2007-2013 period, Turkey was allocated €4.48 billion, of which €2.68 billion was committed and €2.19 billion paid out. Since 2014, a further €1.65 billion has been allocated but not yet paid out.

The aim of the IPA is to support the accession process and the underlying reforms in Turkey.

However, there is currently little progress in Turkey’s accession negotiations, and reforms have been backsliding in recent years.

“Turkey is the EU’s largest beneficiary of external aid and a strategic partner in the key policy areas of foreign affairs, defence, migration, the fight against terrorism and trade.

But up to now we have never audited the effectiveness of the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance to Turkey,” said Mr Hans Gustaf Wessberg, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the audit.

The audit will assess whether EU pre-accession assistance to Turkey has been well-managed and effective.

It will focus on three priority sectors: rule of law and fundamental rights; democracy and governance; and education, employment and social policies.

The results of the audit are expected by the first half of 2018.