ItlateremergedthattheregionofCampaniahadproposedanamendmenttopoint4.9ofitsregional
operationalprogrammeinanefforttohavetheCommissionreviewthelimitsandprohibitionsaffectingfundingofthetomato-processingsector.
Withoutanamendmentofthiskind,theAgrifuturoprogrammecontractcouldnotbefunded,asitwasin
breachofthespecificprovisionsofpoint4.9,underwhichplantmodernisationresultinginanincreaseinprocessingcapacitywasnoteligibleforassistance.
TheCommissiondidnotaccepttheproposedamendmentandnotifiedtheregionofCampaniaofits
decisioninApril2002.
Inthelightoftheabove,willtheCommissionascertainwhether,despitetherejectionoftheproposed
amendmenttopoint4.9ofCampania’sregionaloperationalprogramme,fundingfortheabovementionedprogrammecontracthasbeenprovidedbytheItalianStateand/ortheregionofCampaniaand,ifso,
whetherinfringementproceedingshavebeeninitiated?
(1) OJC161E,10.7.2003,p.180.
AnswergivenbyMrFischleronbehalfoftheCommission
(5June2003)
TheCommissionrequestedfromtheItalianauthoritiesallthedataneededtoascertainiffundinghadbeen
accordedAgrifuturo.
TheItalianauthoritiesrecentlysuppliedthesame.Noproceedingshaveyetbeeninitiatedasthesaiddatahasstilltobeanalysed.
(2004/C58E/095) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1539/03
byJonasSjöstedt(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(7May2003)
Subject:EIBloanstoMorocco/dashallegedirregularitieswithriskcapitalgiventoSMEs
Inanotedated21February2003,MrAbdelkaderChatri,former‘ResponsableduContrôleRégionaledu
CréditAgricoleduMaroc(CNCA)’hasdrawntheattentionoftheEuropeanInvestmentBanktoserious
irregularitiesinconnectionwithEIBloansgiventothecompanyBiopain.
WhatstepshavebeentakenbytheEIBtofollowuptheseallegations?HastheEIBinformedtheEuropeanAnti-FraudOfficeOLAFabouttheseallegations?WhatstepshavebeentakensofarbyOLAF?
AnswergivenbyMrsSchreyeronbehalfoftheCommission
(30June2003)
TheCommissionhasreceivedthefollowinginformationfromEIB:
TheEuropeanInvestmentBank(EIB)receivedaletterfromMrChatri,formerfinancialcontrollerof
oneoftheparticipatingbanksinanapexgloballoantotheMoroccanGovernment.Inthatletter,MrChatricomplainedthatproceedsoftwosub-loanswerenotusedfortheintendedpurpose.Inlinewithprevailingprocedures,theletteranddocumentswereimmediatelytransmittedtoEIB’sHeadofC58E/78 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
InternalAuditwhoisresponsibletoEIB’smanagementandAuditCommitteeforconductinginitial
investigationsintoallegationsofirregularities concerningEIBorEIB-managedfunds.EIB’sInternalAudit(IA)hasreviewedallrelevantdocumentsandproceduresandhasinterviewedstaffconcerned.
TheCommissionhasreceivedthefollowinginformationfromOLAF:
InlateMay2003,theEIBsentacompletedossierregardingthismattertoOLAF.OLAFispresently
analysing this information and will shortly decide on whether it should open an investigationregardingtheallegationsofirregularitiesinconnectionwithEIBloanstoBiopain.
(2004/C58E/096) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1569/03
byErikMeijer(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(8May2003)
Subject:Creation of a legal distinction between the conflicting roles of accountants as auditors and
consultantsoflargecompanies
1. IstheCommissionawareofthefindingsoftheinvestigationintofinancialdirectorsandchartered
accountantscommissionedbytheFinanciëelDagbladnewspaperandtheNovaTVprogramme,whichquestioned 935 financial directors of the largest companies in the Netherlands and 1000 charteredaccountantsfromtheNivraregisterofAuditors?
2. WhatistheCommission’sviewofthefactthatamajorityoftheaccountantssurveyedsaidthattheir
consultancyandauditingworkforcompanieswascloselyorinextricablylinkedandthattheyevencarriedoutactivitiesrelatingtotheprivateinterestsofdirectors?
3. DoestheCommissionsharemyviewthatthismaygiverisetoaconflictbetweenthepresumed
independenceofauditorsandtheirdependentpositioninthattheyarepartlyresponsiblefortheeffortsofcompanymanagementtoreduceartificiallytheprofitstobedeclaredtothetaxauthoritiesorincreaseartificiallytheprofitforecastsforshareholders,aswellasfortherewardsandgoldenhandshakespaidtodirectors,whicharenotusuallydisclosedtothepublic?
4. DoestheCommissionconsideritdesirablethatthetwoconflictingresponsibilitiesofaccountants
should be strictly separated? Which EU Member States already have legislation separating theseresponsibilities? What does the Commissionthink ofthe proposalin the Netherlands to appoint theFinancialMarketsAuthorityasanindependentandpubliclyfundedsupervisorybodyforaccountants?
5. HowcansuchadistinctionalsobeintroducedinMemberStateswhereitdoesnotalreadyexist?Is
theCommissiontakinganyinitiativesinthisdirection?
AnswergivenbyMrBolkesteinonbehalfoftheCommission
(13June2003)
1. TheCommissionisnotawareofthedetailsofthisinvestigation.2. InMay2002,theCommissionissuedaRecommendationon‘StatutoryAuditors’Independenceinthe
Union(
1).ThestartingpointoftheRecommendationisthatastatutoryauditorshouldnotcarryouta
statutory audit if there are any financial, business or other relationships between him and his client(includingtheprovisionofadditionalservices)thatwouldcompromisehisindependence.6.3.2004EN C58E/79 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion