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EU scandal: MEPs launch major probe into Ursula von der Leyen's Commission spending

THE European Parliament is set to launch a probe into Brussels spending on big consultancy firms.

By Joe Barnes, Brussels Correspondent

PUBLISHED: 08:49, Wed, Apr 14, 2021 | UPDATED: 15:00, Wed, Apr 14, 2021

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Senior MEPs will look into the European Commission’s relationship with the so-called “Big Four” – PwC, Deloitte, KPMG and EY. The firms received more than £401 million between 2016 and 2019. Eurocrats also forked out on separate multi-million euro deals with other firms, such as McKinsey and Accenture.

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German MEP Monika Hohlmeier told the Eurativ website: “We are going to look into how much money is given to the ‘Big Four’, but also to big companies and big NGOs.”

Her powerful budgetary control committee will start examining the Commission’s relationship with external contractors.

She said the investigation would go back as far as a decade to assess the extent of spending.

Splashing out on pricy contracts with external contractors has become common practice for the EU’s Brussels-based executive.

EU Parliament launches probe into Commission spending on outside firms (Image: GETTY)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Image: GETTY)

The firms are largely used to provide technical support to member states to assist with preparations for structural reforms.

Analysis of the most recently published data shows the Commission spent £21.1 million on contracts with the “Big Four” in 2019 – a third of the funds dedicated to technical assistance.

Ms Hohlmeier said: "We need to take a deeper look at the structural reform programme.”

The European Court of Auditors is also investigating the Commission’s dealings with external contractors.

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The European Parliament in Strasbourg (Image: GETTY)

Inspectors will publish their report early next year on whether the money paid to consultants was in the EU’s interests.

Following the announcement of the probe, 73 MEPS wrote to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to raise concerns with the amounts spent on external firms.

Ms Hohlmeier added: “We want money spent wisely. Expertise must not replace efficiency.”

MEPs suggested that some of the deals with contractors could present cases of conflict of interest.