FRANCE SPENT an estimated €171 million during its six-month presidency of the EU compared with an average of €70 million to €80 million, according to the country’s national audit office.
The cost is significantly greater than previous French presidencies of the EU, estimated at €14 million in 1995 and €57 million in 2000.
A dinner for European heads of state to mark the beginning of the Mediterranean summit in Paris in July last year cost €1 million of the summit’s total cost of €16.6 million. Almost €4.4 million was spent on installing, cleaning and disassembling the event; the podium cost €301,208; gardening costs amounted to €194,977; and €91,456 was spent on the carpet, Le Figaro reported.
The head of the senate finance committee, Jean Arthuis, said the huge costs were a result of poor management and an excessively ambitious programme. He said France’s “hyperactive” president, Nicolas Sarkozy, had been praised for his diplomatic efforts to tackle the economic crisis and broker peace between Russia and Georgia, but the presidency’s success was not due to the vast amount spent.
“Not all the 500 events organised by the French presidency were essential, and their number did not contribute to the French success, which was based on two or three events, like the handling of the financial crisis or war in Georgia.”
The bill was comparable to that of other big countries holding the rotating presidency, such as Germany in 2007, Mr Arthuis added. – ( Guardianservice)