The European Union is breaching its own guidelines by diverting hundreds of millions of euros intended for aid projects into attempts to keep out unwanted migrants, triggering a call for auditors to investigate.
The 27-member bloc agreed to spend only 10% of funds within its seven-year €79.5 billion development budget on efforts to curb unauthorized arrivals, a ceiling inserted by the European Parliament after fraught negotiations for the 2021-27 period.
But 14% was committed to “actions supporting management and governance of migration and forced displacement” in 2021 and 2022, according to a document seen by the Parliament’s development committee.