EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/681

(2004/C 88 E/0700)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0116/04

by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 January 2004)

Subject: Leader II projects – Blue Dragon case

1. Regarding Leader II projects, can the Commission confirm that the Kingdom of Spain is receiving 30 % of the European subsidies?. Is the Commission aware that in the Blue Dragon 2000 case, the accounts of the GAL Salines-Bassegoda were certified by the Spanish Government? Is the Commission aware that a sum of EUR 43 000 was transferred in France? Is the Commission aware that the Regional Minister Josep Grau, in charge of the local control, recognised the Blue Dragon 2000 people as victims, but that no complaint was ever lodged to any penal court?

2. Knowing that the people of Blue Dragon supported OLAF with material evidence leading to a penal treatment of the case from September 2000 to November 2001, is the Commission aware that, although acknowledging irregularities, OLAF adhered to the Spanish conclusions? Can the Commission explain why no investigation on both Spanish and French territories was opened?

3. Knowing that an official complaint was placed against the Kingdom of Spain on 9 March 2002 by the people of Blue Dragon, how would the Commission interpret that the validity of this complaint seems still under scrutiny?

4. The owners of Blue Dragon 2000 have experienced extreme difficulties and damages in the last five years, which they described as extreme prejudice due to important deficiencies of the shared management process. How would the Commission advise these owners, European citizens that were willing to trust the European system, to act in order to try to repair the moral and financial damage caused?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 2004)

The Leader II Programme that ran from 1994 to 1999 is at present in the closure stage and thus it is not yet possible to state the exact amounts paid to each Member State.

The initial allocation to Spain was however EUR 1,162 billion, i.e. 30 % of the total budget.

OLAF has stated that its investigation was opened on 1 February 2001 and closed on 12 December 2002.

From opening onwards the Commission and OLAF shared their information on the case despite suspension of the investigation given that national-level checks were already being made.

Following these the Spanish authorities issued an order for recovery of EUR 46 874,42 from the LAG on account of irregularities found in management of the Blue Dragon project.

Our information is that in neither France nor Spain has judicial scrutiny led to criminal investigation. The French authorities considered that on geographical grounds they were not competent to investigate. The Spanish authorities did not act on the complaint owing to lack of support from the civil parties.

The Committee on Budgetary Control will very soon be receiving detailed information from OLAF on this dossier.

The other points raised in the Honourable Member's question, particularly in paragraphs 3 and 4, reflect grievances raised by Blue Dragon in a complaint addressed to the Commission that we are at present investigating. We have sent a detailed request for information to the Spanish authorities. A reply is expected in the near future and we think it more appropriate to examine it before passing on further information.