By Mark Smulian | 13 August 2013

The European Commission is to claim back almost €180m that 15 member states have spent improperly under the Common Agricultural Policy, it revealed today.

Member states are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the controversial CAP, which provides subsidies to farmers.

Money will be reclaimed from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The most significant claims are €59m from UK, €39.2m from Poland and €11.5m from Denmark.

Member states manage most CAP payments and are also in charge of controls, for example verifying farmers’ claims for direct payments.

However, the commission carries out more than 100 audits each year, and has the power to claw back money if EU funds have not been spent correctly.

Among the problems revealed by the commission were failings in payment mechanisms, failings in verifications undertaken by individual countries, and failure to meet environmental standards.