# CE2004078EN.01014301.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/143 |
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(2004/C 78 E/0148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2641/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(10 September 2003)

Subject:   Refunds on exports from Member States to the Vatican City State of beet and cane sugar and chemically pure sucrose in solid form (code 1701) for 2000

In response to questions E-1477/03 and E-1480/03( 1 ) relating to refunds on exports of agricultural products from Member States to the Vatican City State (VCS), Commissioner Fischler stated on 21 May 2003 that the Commission was collecting the information it needed to answer the question and would communicate its findings as soon as possible.

The following supplementary data can be supplied in relation to the export of beet and cane sugar and chemically pure sucrose in solid form (code 1701):

| (a) | the European Commission's CATS (Clearance Audit Trail System) database shows that in 2000:
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311650 kg were exported from Germany to the VCS with a refund of EUR 164 007,53, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,53/kg; —
701 150 kg were exported from Italy to the VCS with a refund of EUR 356 906,17, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,51/kg; | — | 311650 kg were exported from Germany to the VCS with a refund of EUR 164 007,53, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,53/kg; | — | 701 150 kg were exported from Italy to the VCS with a refund of EUR 356 906,17, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,51/kg; |
| --- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| — | 311650 kg were exported from Germany to the VCS with a refund of EUR 164 007,53, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,53/kg; | | | | |
| — | 701 150 kg were exported from Italy to the VCS with a refund of EUR 356 906,17, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,51/kg; | | | | |

| (b) | the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) database shows that in 2000:
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312 400 kg were exported from Germany and 1 126 000 kg from Austria to the VCS, | — | 312 400 kg were exported from Germany and 1 126 000 kg from Austria to the VCS, |
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| — | 312 400 kg were exported from Germany and 1 126 000 kg from Austria to the VCS, | | |

| (c) | This indicates that:
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unwarranted aid of EUR 356 906,17 was paid on an additional 701 150 kg not shown in the OECD data; —
no application was made for aid of EUR 583 260,26 for the export of 1 126 750 kg on which Community aid could have been paid. | — | unwarranted aid of EUR 356 906,17 was paid on an additional 701 150 kg not shown in the OECD data; | — | no application was made for aid of EUR 583 260,26 for the export of 1 126 750 kg on which Community aid could have been paid. |
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| — | unwarranted aid of EUR 356 906,17 was paid on an additional 701 150 kg not shown in the OECD data; | | | | |
| — | no application was made for aid of EUR 583 260,26 for the export of 1 126 750 kg on which Community aid could have been paid. | | | | |

Could the Commission state the technical reasons for the foregoing of this Community aid?

Does it not agree that the increasingly patent omissions and the discrepancies between the data from the different institutional sources seriously affect the credibility of these institutions and might be due to possible fraud against Community funds, or is it already able to discount this possibility of fraud?

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( 1 )  OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 45.

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