BRUSSELS: Around 13,000 EU employees were given the credit cards – meaning they spent an average of £6,000 each in 2013.
The majority of cardholders were based in Belgium but 143 UK-based officials spent £36,000 – or £250 each.
As well as accommodation and food, officials can also claim for an “entertainment allowance” while on business.
The staggering total does not include train and air travel costs.
The cards are linked to the bureaucrats’ own bank accounts, meaning they can make personal purchases as well.
They then apply to the European Commission for money to pay off the credit card bill.
But EU sources refused to disclose how much of the £85.9million was claimed back in expenses – because it would involve “lengthy and costly” research.
Officials have also turned down requests to break the costs down item by item.
But Pawel Swidlicki of the Open Europe think tank called for a more transparent approach.
He said: “If all EU officials’ expenses are above board there is no reason why these should not be made available for public scrutiny.
Transparency is the best way of preventing abuse.”
