EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/252

(2004/C 78 E/0253)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3280/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(5 November 2003)

Subject: Lack of specific monitoring of product quantities exported from Member States to the Vatican City State under the export refund system

Knowing that:

(a) Extracts from the European Commission's Clearance Audit Trail System (CATS) database, which contains data from the Member States on refunds for exports of Community agricultural products to third countries, were annexed to the supplementary answer to Written Question P-3202/02 (1).

(b) Consultation of the CATS database shows that in the period 1998-2001: — 321 711 242,39 euro were refunded for exports to the Vatican; — 281 866 767,22 euro were refunded for exports to Switzerland; — 35 414 204,76 euro were refunded for exports to Andorra; — 429 415,48 euro were refunded for exports to Liechtenstein; — and 41,92 euro were refunded for exports to San Maríno.

(c) The supplementary answer to Written Questions E-1477/03-E-1480/03 (2) states that: — There is no specific monitoring of the quantities of beet and cane sugar and chemically pure sucrose in solid form exported from Member States to the Vatican City State. The quantity of exports to this country appears reasonable. — In the case of exports of agricultural products with refund from the Community to the Vatican City, the Vatican City authorities certify that they have been released for consumption in the territory of the Vatican City or the institutions and offices of the Holy See. — As regards the special provisions for products exported with refund to the Vatican, the customs agreement between Italy and the Vatican City and Community legislation on export refunds … apply

(d) Article 11 of the Lateran Treaty, which governs the relations between the Vatican City State and the Italian Republic guarantees the central bodies of the Catholic Church exemption from ‘any interference on the part of the Italian State’.

In the light of the above, can the Commission indicate:

— why no specific checks are conducted on the quantities of beef, cane sugar and chemically pure sucrose in solid form exported from Member States to the Vatican City State?

— whether it has a list of the Holy See institutions and offices located outside the Vatican to which the goods are exported?

— whether any infringement of the Community rules on export refunds should be exempt from interference on the part of the Italian State within the meaning of Article 11 of the Lateran Treaty?

— which assessments provide the basis for its statement that the quantity of exports to the Vatican appears reasonable?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 December 2003)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to his Written Question P-3202/02 (3) which include a listing with aggregated refunds paid for various destinations including the Vatican State City (VA).

The Honourable Member wrongly quotes from this answer. The correct amount for the Vatican State City (VA) is EUR 4 000 813,01 and not EUR 321 711 242,39 as claimed by the Honourable Member.

In the light of the exact amount (EUR 4 000 813,01) for the Vatican State City (VA) the Commission considers the questions to be without relevance.

(1) OJ C 137 E, 12.6.2003, p. 172.

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

(3) OJ C 137 E, 12.6.2003.