EU budget: "Make EU effective but value for money"

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 11th Feb 2004

"EU governments should give the European Union institutions the resources they need to do the job", said London's LibDem Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford of European Commission's proposals for the EU's long-term budget.

But she added: "And the EU has to prove it can make best use of the money, which must involve further reform of the Common Agricultural Policy."

"Member States must remember that when they ask the European Union to take on new valuable tasks like ensuring secure borders and cross-border policing, they must will the means to carry them out."

"Governments should also ruthlessly tackle waste and fraud, most of which occurs at national level, and target spending on real priorities to ensure maximum value for money for taxpayers."

"This year the EU will integrate ten new Member States. Europe is faced with important new responsibilities abroad, and the challenge of keeping us safe from crime and terrorism at home. It is therefore unreasonable to refuse a sensible budget increase."

"If Member States demonstrated a real willingness to reform the CAP further and ended the £100 million per year monthly traveling circus from Brussels to Strasbourg, it would be easier to take their calls for parsimony seriously."