# CE2004078EN.01014401.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/144 |
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(2004/C 78 E/0149)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2642/03

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 2001

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 2001:
—
24 150 kg were exported from Germany to the VCS with a refund of EUR 10 118,61, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,42/kg; —
2 285,30 kg were exported from Italy to the VCS with a refund of EUR 1 016,39, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,44/kg; | — | 24 150 kg were exported from Germany to the VCS with a refund of EUR 10 118,61, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,42/kg; | — | 2 285,30 kg were exported from Italy to the VCS with a refund of EUR 1 016,39, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,44/kg; |
| --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| — | 24 150 kg were exported from Germany to the VCS with a refund of EUR 10 118,61, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,42/kg; | | | | |
| — | 2 285,30 kg were exported from Italy to the VCS with a refund of EUR 1 016,39, equivalent to aid of EUR 0,44/kg; | | | | |

| (b) | the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) database shows that in 2001:
—
96 000 kg were exported from Germany and 1 207 700 kg from Austria to the VCS, | — | 96 000 kg were exported from Germany and 1 207 700 kg from Austria to the VCS, |
| --- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| — | 96 000 kg were exported from Germany and 1 207 700 kg from Austria to the VCS, | | |

| (c) | This indicates that:
—
unwarranted aid of EUR 1 106,39 was paid on an additional 2 285,30 kg not shown in the OECD data; —
no application was made for aid of EUR 551 674,62 for the export of 1 279 550 kg on which Community aid could have been paid. | — | unwarranted aid of EUR 1 106,39 was paid on an additional 2 285,30 kg not shown in the OECD data; | — | no application was made for aid of EUR 551 674,62 for the export of 1 279 550 kg on which Community aid could have been paid. |
| --- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| — | unwarranted aid of EUR 1 106,39 was paid on an additional 2 285,30 kg not shown in the OECD data; | | | | |
| — | no application was made for aid of EUR 551 674,62 for the export of 1 279 550 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?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2631/03, E-2632/03, E-2633/03, E-2634/03, E-2635/03, E-2636/03, E-2637/03, E-2638/03, E-2639/03, E-2640/03, E-2641/03 and E-2642/03

given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(28 October 2003)

The Honourable Member has received data from various sources, which all have been collected in a certain context and for certain purposes and consequently have their own significance as it has been explained in the Commission's joint reply to the Honourable Member's Written Questions E-1477/03 to E-1480/03( 2 ) and to its reply to the Honourable Member's Written Question E-2586/03( 3 ).

As it has been stated in these replies, both databases are conceptually different and therefore no conclusions can be drawn upon possible discrepancies.

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

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

( 3 )  See page 129.

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