By Martin Banks - 25th October 2010
Quango-land in Brussels is thriving
Open Europe
Eurosceptics have condemned the EU after it was revealed that EU spending on agencies and "quangos" has tripled since 2005 and is set to reach €2.4bn in 2011.
Open Europe, a UK-based think tank, published research at the weekend showing that while 192 quangos in Britain face the axe under the current spending review, "quango-land in Brussels is thriving."
It says the cost of EU quangos has tripled over the past five years.
It is particularly critical of an eight per cent increase in what it calls "quango costs," including the creation of five new EU quangos and support for the existing 47 ones.
They include the European Institute for Gender Equality, which will receive nearly €7.5m next year.
Open Europe analyst Sian Herbert said, "Despite the austerity measures sweeping Europe, the European commission has proposed a massive 8 per cent increase in the 2011 budget for EU agencies and committees.
"This comes as MEPs last week voted for a 5.9 per cent increase in the EU's overall budget."
Open Europe says that by cutting back immediately on the agencies and committees that "duplicate work and deal with issues already covered by other EU bodies," the EU could save over €600m in 2011.
Herbert said, "The huge increase in the cost of EU quangos stands in stark contrast to the deep cuts facing government agencies in the UK and other member states.
"It's rather unbelievable that the EU remains immune from the austerity measures sweeping the rest of Europe."
"Taxpayers are right to question why they should bankroll the EU's mushrooming bureaucracy when they themselves are being asked to tighten their belts, particularly as many of these agencies are merely talking shops or deal with issues that shouldn't concern the EU in the first place."
Emma Boon, of the UK TaxPayers’ Alliance, agreed, saying, “Taxpayers hand billions to the unaccountable, meddling EU every year and, despite cutting spending here, the EU is continuing to burn through our money at an even faster rate.
"While we are abolishing dozens of wasteful quangos, our savings are being undone as Brussels creates new ones."
