Why does the EU hide its accounts?

[Brillopad]

Very interesting article from Frederick Forsyth, Author, writer and political commentator: Why does the EU hide its accounts?

"In all the argy bargy about Britain's supposed £50 billion divorce bill from the EU, there is one possible solution I have not seen mentioned - so permit me. Any company hiding its accounts would rapidly attract he attention of the Serious Fraud Office and the EU has never provided its accounts - examined and endorsed by the Courts of Auditors as demanded by its own constitution.- for 20 years, maybe more.

Perhaps we should agree to consider the divorce bill demanded of us only if the EU will fulfill its duty by providing these accounts back to the last time they appeared.

The reason the EU is so shy about its accounts is the suspicion that staggering sums over the years have simply 'gone missing'.

Given that we are and have always been the second-largest contributor to their budget behind Germany, that can only mean many billions of British money are unaccounted for - say £50 billion. End of controversy.

And still on money matters, I saw some ass on the box the other day wailing that measures to promote pure air and water would become impossible after Brexit.

The fact is that collorative measures for mutual benefit are perfectly feasible between nation states and take place all the time.

There are hundreds of such measures across trade, learning, student exchange, arts, culture, sports, air security, maritime safety - the list of commonsensical co-operation just goes on and on".

I thought this a very interesting and informative article. Apart from everything else it goes a long way to explain why the EU don't want Britain to leave the EU with it being the second-largest contributor.

The article speaks volumes about the EU in my opinion. Thoughts please.

[smudgie]

Makes sense to get an itemised bill before you hand over the cash, in any transaction, even more so if it is such a large amount.
Basic housekeeping.

[Cherie]

Makes sense to get an itemised bill before you hand over the cash, in any transaction, even more so if it is such a large amount.
Basic housekeeping.

Can you imagine the number of pages :laugh: but then even if they were available wouldn't it all be in billions anyway so easy to squirrel away millions, does any government actually produce accounts that can be viewed by the public :suspect:

[Beso]

Cause its leader junker ran luxembourg...and hes corrupt..best away from that lot of crooks.

[Brillopad]

Makes sense to get an itemised bill before you hand over the cash, in any transaction, even more so if it is such a large amount.
Basic housekeeping.

If there are any suspicions about the EU and its honesty how can we ever trust them and why would we want to be a member of a union with them.

It is beginning to sound like the EU itself has something to hide and may have turned into the corrupt dictatorship the West so despises. Maybe a case of power going to its head!

I really don't know what to make of these revelations but certainly there do appear to be reasons not to trust them. I think it is of paramount importance they produce these accounts and toot sweet.

[Northern Monkey]

Seems like a plan.No deal until they show the books

[jaxie]

Hidden accounts are extremely shady and I agree not a penny should be paid unless we see the books. They don't get to make up random figures and we open the bank.

[user104658]

Hidden accounts are extremely shady and I agree not a penny should be paid unless we see the books. They don't get to make up random figures and we open the bank.

I agree jaxie, and thus, I am going to refuse to pay council tax and income tax until both the local authority and the HMRC fully disclose their accounts to me. It's sure to work out, right? I mean... this is how it works, isn't it?

[Brillopad]

I agree jaxie, and thus, I am going to refuse to pay council tax and income tax until both the local authority and the HMRC fully disclose their accounts to me. It's sure to work out, right? I mean... this is how it works, isn't it?

This is entirely different. There is a suggestion British money has gone missing yet they demand a fortune from us. I think May would be well within her rights to require evidence of this before being expected to hand over any money, nevermind the figures the EU are demanding.

[user104658]

This is entirely different. There is a suggestion British money has gone missing yet they demand a fortune from us. I think May would be well within her rights to require evidence of this before being expected to hand over any money, nevermind the figures the EU are demanding.

The HMRC take a fortune from me and never tell me where it's going :fist:. Not different at all.

[Brillopad]

The HMRC take a fortune from me and never tell me where it's going :fist:. Not different at all.

Still legitimate - the EU may be stealing from us and others. Actually I hope they are and it all comes crumbling down around them. The EUs days are numbered in my opinion.

[user104658]

Still legitimate - the EU may be stealing from us and others. Actually I hope they are and it all comes crumbling down around them. The EUs days are numbered in my opinion.
How do I know if it's legitimate or not if they won't show me their full accounts :think:

[the truth]

and people stil wonder whether we should lave these crooks behind? leaving is the best and bravest thing weve done since defeating the nazis

[jaxie]

I agree jaxie, and thus, I am going to refuse to pay council tax and income tax until both the local authority and the HMRC fully disclose their accounts to me. It's sure to work out, right? I mean... this is how it works, isn't it?

If you are telling me that you would leave a club or organisation and would pay any large bill given without question, then you will be a poor man TS. :shrug:

Paying some sort of unspecified bill when leaving a club or organisation is completely different to paying your taxes.

[user104658]

If you are telling me that you would leave a club or organisation and would pay any large bill given without question, then you will be a poor man TS. :shrug:

Paying some sort of unspecified bill when leaving a club or organisation is completely different to paying your taxes.
Unspecified, OK, I'll admit, there should be a breakdown before any "bill" is paid. But the idea that the UK can swan off and owes absolutely nothing is... Optimistic. At best. Though I hope they stick to their guns and it happens, because then if we are ever lucky enough to see Scottish indy come to pass, Westminster won't have a leg to stand on when Scotland says the exact same thing. "Oh Yeh you fink we owe you money doo yer well prove it then go on bruv."

[jaxie]

Unspecified, OK, I'll admit, there should be a breakdown before any "bill" is paid. But the idea that the UK can swan off and owes absolutely nothing is... Optimistic. At best. Though I hope they stick to their guns and it happens, because then if we are ever lucky enough to see Scottish indy come to pass, Westminster won't have a leg to stand on when Scotland says the exact same thing. "Oh Yeh you fink we owe you money doo yer well prove it then go on bruv."

I don't recall saying anything about owing nothing, I said I wanted to see accounts for anything claimed.

[user104658]

I don't recall saying anything about owing nothing, I said I wanted to see accounts for anything claimed.
They know fine well that detailed accounts going back decades simply will not exist. They're trying to "dodge" paying anything by looking for loopholes.

[Cherie]

They know fine well that detailed accounts going back decades simply will not exist. They're trying to "dodge" paying anything by looking for loopholes.

How difficult can it be? They know what they have planned for the future which is why they are asking for the cash as they say when the planning took place it was costed to include the UK contribution. Break it down by contribution by country then detail where the money is spent, salaries, subsidies, infrastructure, etc, it's not done with ink and a quill, there must be accounts somewhere, if not how do they know how much they need to fill the coffers :suspect:

[Northern Monkey]

We also own a share of all those shiny buildings in Brussels.

[Cherie]

Coming back to the HMRC analogy, if they demand more money from you TS they do produce the figures proving why you need to pay more, they don't just say umm let's call it 2,000, not telling you how we came to that figure though, just pay up

[user104658]

Coming back to the HMRC analogy, if they demand more money from you TS they do produce the figures proving why you need to pay more, they don't just say umm let's call it 2,000, not telling you how we came to that figure though, just pay up
I don't owe them anything dunno what you've heard but I'm taking nothing to do with it two grand you're avvinalarf.

[Kizzy]

Two words.... Panama. Papers.