EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/776

(2004/C 84 E/0873)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0337/04

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 February 2004)

Subject: Subsidies for Parmalat

According to press reports, the financial scandal surrounding the Italian food manufacturer Parmalat seems to be taking on ever greater proportions.

Can the Commission say whether the bankrupt dairy manufacturer Parmalat has received funding from EU sources?

If so, can the Commission say what amounts were paid out and over what period?

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(29 March 2004)

Parmalat has received Community funding.

Since 1990 it has received, by way of expenditure directly managed by the Commission, payments totalling EUR 2 278 448,00, broken down as follows:

Year/period Amount 1990 733 747,76 1991-1998 677 636,24 1999-2003 867 064,00 Total 2 278 448,00

By way of indirect expenditure (under shared management), i.e. the award of Community aid financed or co-financed by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) under the common agricultural policy, the attention of the Honourable Member is drawn to the following two remarks:

— firstly, the agricultural aid payments financed by EAGGF, Guarantee Section are managed by the Member States under the provisions of shared management. The accounting information concerning these aid payments is held by the Member States and transmitted to the Commission in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2390/1999 (1) which, under Article 2(3), obliges the Commission to ensure that the information received is kept confidential. The Commission is therefore unable to provide details of the amounts received by Parmalat under EAGGF Guarantee;

— secondly, Parmalat may also have been awarded aid under programmes co-financed by EAGGF Guidance. Rural development measures assisted under EAGGF Guidance are incorporated in operational programmes in accordance with the Objective 1 programming rules laid down in the regulations on the Structural Funds (2). In accordance with these regulations the programmes in question do not contain financial information at the level of the final recipient of the aid. Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 438/2001 (3) concerning the management and control systems for assistance granted under the Structural Funds lays down the form and content of the accounting information the Member States must hold.

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2390/1999 of 25 October 1999 laying down detailed rules of the application of Regulation (EC) No 1663/95 as regards the form and content of the accounting information that the Member States must hold at the disposal of the Commission for the purposes of the clearance of the EAGGF Guarantee Section accounts, OJ L 295, 16.11.1999.

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 438/2001 of 2 March 2001 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 as regards the management and control systems for assistance granted under the Structural Funds, OJ L 63, 3.3.2001.