The annual financial report has been published by the European Commission. This report shows detailed information on what the EU money was spent on and how was it managed. According to Commissioner responsible for Financial Programming and Budget Janusz Lewandowski, it is essential that EU taxpayers are provided with the fullest possible information. In addition, the implementation rate of the EU budget reached 97% in 2010.

The European Commission published the annual financial report in which is presented what the EU budget helped to achieve in 2010. This report is also important because it provides detailed information on what the EU money was spent on and how was it managed. The Commissioner responsible for Financial Programming and Budget Janusz Lewandowski underlined the importance of providing the fullest possible information to EU taxpayers.

In 2010, according to the report, the four biggest recipients of EU funds were Spain (€13.2 billion), France (€13.1 billion), Germany (€11.8 billion) and Poland (€11.8 billion) while compared to their respective GNI, Lithuania (5.9%), Estonia (5.8%) and Luxemburg (5.2%) were the biggest beneficiaries of EU funds. Commissioner Lewandowski highlighted, in the light of these results, that comparing Member States' contributions to the amounts of funds received to assess the benefits of membership of the EU is both simplistic and misleading. According to Mr Lewandowski this affirmation leaves out other advantages such as contracts awarded to private companies in the framework of cohesion policy, infrastructure benefitting the good functioning of the Internal Market, progress made thanks to the pooling of efforts in research and innovation, trade agreements negotiated on behalf of the 27 Member States, consumer protection and many other benefits.

The report shows that over €25 billion were invested in the framework of the Competitiveness and Innovation programme (CIP) and 338,310 jobs were created. In addition, €300 million were dedicated to external border control, free movement of people inside the EU and the effective management of migration issues. In this framework, around 1,800 designated border crossing points have been monitored by the EU and 20 joint operations have been carried out lasting all together 6,471 days. Through the 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development, more than 2,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and SME associations invested in research and development in 2010. Over 293,000 education grants were awarded to students or teachers.

On the other hand, the report also informs that, in the framework of the cohesion policy, through the European Territorial Cooperation, 5,800 new businesses have been created and 115,000 jobs created or secured in 2010. 6,234 million workers benefited directly from European funding through the European Social Fund (ESF). Moreover, €69 million was invested in nuclear safety, geological disposal of radioactive waste and radiation protection.