The Commission, the EU’s executive, said on Thursday it had decided to block the bulk of future EU structural funding for transport, regional and economic development programmes because of „serious deficiencies” in Romania’s management and control systems.
„The problems lie in the areas of public procurement, sound financial management and in the prevention and detection of fraud and conflicts of interest,” it said in a statement.
No further payments will be made until Romania remedies the faults, said the Commission, which last audited EU funding to Bucharest in June and July of this year.
The Commission also threatened to withhold about half a billion euros in funding for development projects already under way in Romania over which it also had concerns.
More details: UK. Reuters.com