The world’s biggest aid donor, the EU wants to ensure its euros are going to the right places. And more of today's headlines from Europe.

The News: Emergency response

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15733540/n001-111109-001-en_mf.srt

The world's top aid donor, the EU, spent  €1.1 billion on humanitarian aid in 2010.

VOICE represents 83 NGOs  dealing with disasters.

The director explains how every cent spent  is accounted for by the EU aid office ECHO.

NGOs are subject to an in-depth  pre-selection by ECHO.

They then give a detailed report on  how many people they have helped.

They are also audited  in the field by ECHO staff,

Afterwards they are audited  at headquarters.

The EC claims it helped 151 million people  in 80 non-EU countries in 2010.

MEPs voted on a report to make sure  these accounts are accurate.

We must develop controls  at the beneficiary level,

but also at the administrative level,  in this case, the European institutions.

The buck doesn’t stop  at humanitarian aid.

We have to be certain that aid,  trade and all the other policies

that we deal with in this house  and with the 27 Member States

do not conflict with  what we’re trying to achieve,

which is to get these countries  into a better place and a better situation.

NGOs will be paying attention  to the EU’s accounts.