Does the Netherlands spend EU grants in accordance with the rules?

It is important that grants that the Netherlands receives from the EU are spent in accordance with the rules. And that citizens can also see that this is the case. These grants involve large sums of money. And every year that money has to paid by citizens and businesses in the EU.

The ministers render account to the House of Representatives on the use of EU funds under shared management in the EU appendix to the ministerial annual reports. The Netherlands’ management and control systems have worked satisfactorily in recent years and expenditure, with the exception of that from the EAGF, has been legal and regular. The situation in 2024 is not yet clear because the option of postponing the 2024 accounts for a year has been exercised for several funds (ERDF, JTF, EMFF, ESF).

The position of the agricultural funds deteriorated in 2024. The certifying authority, the Central Government Audit Service, issued an adverse opinion on both the EAGF and the EAFRD on account of shortcomings in their governance systems. In the ADR’s opinion, the design of the control and sanction system represents a risk to EU money.

Most recently updated in June 2025, situation as in May 2025.