# CE2004070EN.01013001.xml

| 20.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 70/130 |
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20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 70/130

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(2004/C 70 E/132)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2709/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(11 September 2003)

Subject:   OLAF investigation into Eurostat

Subject:

On 8 July 2002, OLAF issued a press release entitled ‘OLAF investigation into Eurostat’ (OLAF/06/02) in which it stated that it had on that date forwarded to the State Prosecutor of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg information it had gathered during two enquiries into matters liable to result in criminal proceedings concerning possible fraud relating to contracts concluded between Eurostat — the Statistical Office of the European Communities — and private companies. OLAF had conducted the two enquiries as part of a series of investigations into Eurostat.

Could the Commission clearly state whether:

| — | it has any news concerning the activities of the State Prosecutor of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in respect of the information gathered by OLAF and forwarded on 8 July 2002, which is to say what, if any, measures have been taken in respect of officials and/or companies; |
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it has any news concerning the activities of the State Prosecutor of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in respect of the information gathered by OLAF and forwarded on 8 July 2002, which is to say what, if any, measures have been taken in respect of officials and/or companies;

| — | the investigation involved persons and/or companies who were also involved in the investigation referred to in letter No 003411 of 18 March 2003 from the Director-General of OLAF to the Paris Public Prosecutor (Reference CMS No 10120021510); |
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the investigation involved persons and/or companies who were also involved in the investigation referred to in letter No 003411 of 18 March 2003 from the Director-General of OLAF to the Paris Public Prosecutor (Reference CMS No 10120021510);

| — | the ‘series of investigations’ in progress on 8 July 2002 included the enquiry that led OLAF to forward information to the French authorities on 18 March 2003, or in other words, is OLAF still conducting investigations into Eurostat? |
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the ‘series of investigations’ in progress on 8 July 2002 included the enquiry that led OLAF to forward information to the French authorities on 18 March 2003, or in other words, is OLAF still conducting investigations into Eurostat?

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

(22 October 2003)

The Commission was informed by the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF) that following the transmission to the Luxembourg judicial authorities on 8 July 2002 of information relating to two enquiries, two investigations were started into two private Luxembourg companies in connection with Eurostat. One judge is currently carrying out the two investigations, which are covered by confidentiality of judicial proceedings.

The file relating to a French company based in Paris sent to the Paris Public Prosecutor on 19 March 2003 is completely separate from the two files sent to Luxembourg.

The file sent to the Paris Public Prosecutor was part of the ‘series of investigations’ into Eurostat which were in progress on 8 July 2002. OLAF is currently carrying out other enquiries into Eurostat.

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