AnswergivenbyMrsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(9September2003)
There are currently no Community rules regulating driving bans or restrictions within the Union.
TheCommissionhadmadeaproposalin1998(1)onmeasurestoinformUnioncitizensofdrivingbans,
toharmoniseexemptedvehiclesandloads,andtoalignthenationalrulesonthelengthofbans.FollowingstrongoppositionfromthoseMemberStatesimplementingdrivingrestrictions,theCommissionadoptedanamendedproposal(
2)tohighlightthatthescopeoftheproposalonlyconcernedTransEuropeanRoad
Networks,tolistexplicitlythosenationalholidaysonwhichdrivingrestrictionsapplyandtorecognise
withinarevisedtimeframethevastmajorityofcurrentdrivingrestrictions.FollowingParliament’sfirst
reading of the amended proposal on 2July 2002, the Commission has decided to adopt a revisedproposal(
3) on 1August 2003 which takes on board the majority of clarifying and amplifying
amendmentsproposedbytheParliament.
(1) OJC198,24.6.1998.
(2) OJC120,24.4.2001.
(3) COM(2003)473final.
(2004/C58E/183) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2456/03
byErikMeijer(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(23July2003)
Subject:Eurostat:slowprocessingofmaterialsuppliedtwoyearsagorelating,interalia,toirregularities
sinceacknowledged
1. Does the Commission recall that on 13August 2001 Paul van Buitenen, who was then a
Commissionofficial,submittedtotheCommissiona5000-pagefraudfileandthatCommissionerKinnockhasconfirmedthathereceivedacopyoftheaccompanying234-pagememorandumatthebeginningofSeptember2001?WhyhastheinvestigationintothisfilestillnotbeencompletedwithinthevariousEUdepartments?Whenwillafinalresultbeavailable?Whowillthenbepermittedtoknowaboutit?
2. Doesthefilereferredtoat1aboveincludeachapterconcerningthevariousirregularitieswhich
occurredatEurostatoveraperiodofyears,anddotheseincludenumerousmatterswhichgobeyondwhathassofarcometopublicattention?HadmanyCommissionofficialsalreadyknownaboutthesemattersforsometime,inthelightoftheinternalcorrespondenceonthesubject?
3. DoestheVanBuitenenfilementionanyothermattersonwhichitappearsinretrospectthatthe
Commissionmaynothavetakentherightaction?
4. WhydidCommissionerKinnockmakeOLAFresponsibleforthechapteronEurostatinthesecond
reportbyVanBuitenenof31August2001?WasthisontheassumptionthatDGAdminwouldthennolongerbeinvolvedinthecase?
5. WhataretheCommission’spresentintentionsasregardshowthisquestionshouldbedealtwithand
anyrecurrencepermanentlyprevented?
AnswergivenbyMrKinnockonbehalfoftheCommission
(7October2003)
1.,3.and4. On31August2001,MrVanBuitenensubmittedthefiletowhichtheHonourableMember
refersbothtotheDirector-GeneraloftheAntifraudOffice(OLAF)andtotheDirector-GeneraloftheCommission’sDirectorateGeneral(DG)AdministrationandPersonnel(ADMIN).AshasbeenreportedtoParliament,onthebasisofpreliminarydraftssubmittedbyMrVanBuitenenOLAFandDGADMINhadalreadyhelddiscussionsatserviceslevelandidentifiedthoseaspectsofthedossierwhichappearedtobewithinOLAF’sremit,assetoutinArticle1(3)ofCouncilRegulation1073/1999,andwerethereforeforOLAF to investigate. Other aspects of the dossier were to be investigated by DG ADMIN. TheseC58E/170 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
investigationswerehandledbytheCommission’sInvestigationandDisciplinaryOffice(IDOC,partofDG
ADMIN)whichwasbeingsetupatthetime.
ApreliminaryverificationoftheirrespectivepartsofmaterialprovidedbyMrvanBuitenenwascompleted
byOLAFandIDOCinFebruary2002.AswasreportedtoParliamentatthetime,andintheCommission’spressstatementsof26and28February2002,asaresult,4newinvestigationswerelaunchedbyOLAF,furtherverificationwasrequiredin4casesbeforeadecisiononappropriateactioncouldbetaken,andtherewasinformationofpotentialrelevanceto31on-goinginvestigationswhichhadcommencedbefore31August2001.Thisinformationwastransferredtotheappropriatefiles.Underthetermsofthe1999
decisionestablishingOLAF,theCommissionwasneitherinformedaboutthenatureofOLAF’sworkon
Eurostat,norwasitbriefedonwhichallegationsthisconcerned.
FullinvestigationofallthemattersraisedbyMrvanBuitenenandconsideredtogiverisetoconcernshas
inevitablybeenverytimeconsumingduetothevolumeofthematerialsupplied.ReportsonallIDOCenquiriesrelatingtothatmaterialhavehoweverbeensubmittedtotheappointingauthority.Onthisbasis,theAIPN(
1)hasopenedanumberofdisciplinaryproceedingsandhasreviewedtheconductofaformer
Commissionertowhomithassentadraftstatementofobjections.Inalimitednumberofcases,theAIPNisstillreviewingtheIDOCreports.
TheCommissionisinformedthatOLAFhasnotcompletedalltheinvestigationstowhichthematerial
provided by Mr Van Buitenen was considered to be potentially relevant. Until all investigations arecomplete,itisobviouslyimpossibletodeterminewhethercorrectactionwastakeninallcases.
Parliamentwillbeinformedoftheoutcomeofanydisciplinaryproceduresinitiatedonthebasisofthe
enquiryreports.
2. ThefilesubmittedbyMrVanBuitenencontainedachapteronEurostat.Thischapterwasconsidered
tofallwhollywithinOLAF’sremit,inparticularsinceOLAFwasalreadyconductinginvestigationsinto
someoftheissuesraised:thusitwasforOLAFtoinvestigate,andnottoDGADMIN.Further,sincethewholereportcontainedsensitivemattersrelatingtopossibledisciplinaryandcriminalaction,theonlyofficialsconcernedwiththedisciplinaryprocesswhohadaccesstoitwerethose,onaneedtoknowbasis.
5. The Commission has recently taken a formal decision to request Directors General of the
Commission to provide reports to their respective Commissioners which refers to cases of possiblefinancialirregularitydetectedorsuspectedintheirDirectoratesGeneral.Inaddition,inordertoreinforceco-operationandinformationflowbetweentheCommissionandOLAF,thepartieshaveagreedthedraftMemorandumofUnderstanding.Thisdocument,whichwasputforwardtotheCommissionon23July2003,isalreadyappliedprovisionally,pendingconsultationwiththeParliamentandOLAF’sSupervisoryCommittee.
(1) AuthoritéInvestieduPouvoirdeNomination(AppointingAuthority).
(2004/C58E/184) WRITTENQUESTIONP-2462/03
byRosaMiguélezRamos(PSE)totheCommission
(16July2003)
Subject:EuropeanInvestmentBankloansinGalicia
TheEuropeanInvestmentBank,whosetaskistocontributetointegration,balanceddevelopmentand
economicandsocialcohesionintheMemberStates,grantsloansonextremelyfavourabletermsforthispurposetoMemberStategovernments,regionalgovernmentsandlocalcouncils,aswellastoprivateindividuals.6.3.2004EN C58E/171 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion