WRITTEN QUESTION No. 60/99 by Paul RÜBIG Traditional units of measurement for beverages
Date: 1999-01-27
Institutions: European Parliament, RUEBIG
Subjects: Austria, EU initiative, beverage, packaging, preparation for market, weights and measures

C 341/42

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.11.1999

The Commission would also like to stress that disciplinary measures are not being taken because the official in
question reported cases of fraud.

They are being taken because, without authorisation, and contrary to the Staff Regulations, he transmitted the
following documents among others to third parties:

(cid:30) documents sub judice in a case initiated by the Commission, thereby jeopardising the investigations;

(cid:30) provisional audit documents not yet subject to the adversary procedure with the body audited;

(cid:30) documents containing unfounded allegations against his colleagues.

The disciplinary procedure is strictly an adversary procedure and that the person in question is entitled to be
defended by a legal representative of his choice.

In August 1997, the Financial Controller and UCLAF launched an investigation into Group 4/Securitas.
Following the submission of UCLAF’s report, the Commission requested the Royal Prosecutor for Brussels to
commence a judicial investigation and launched an internal administrative investigation, which lead to
disciplinary proceedings against four officials in July 1998. These proceedings are currently in motion.

In October 1997, UCLAF launched an investigation into four contracts signed by ECHO. UCLAF reported on
the findings on 18 May 1998. The conclusions drawn from the on-the-spot inspections of the firms in
question were incorporated into a final report on 10 July and immediately transmitted to the judicial
authorities on the same day. The administrative investigation following the UCLAF report of 18 May 1998 and
the comments made by the people responsible were recorded in a report dated 9 November 1998. Here, the
Commission has commenced disciplinary proceedings in three cases.

(1999/C 341/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0060/99

by Paul Rübig (PPE) to the Commission

(27 January 1999)

Subject: Traditional units of measurement for beverages

The SLIM initiative is now entering its fourth phase, when the areas of company law, dangerous substances and
legislation on prepackaging are to be assessed. The prepackaging category also includes units of measurement
for food and drink. In Austria and in other Member States, 0,3 and 0,5 l units are customarily used for
beverages. This is part of a long-standing tradition which has become part of the culture and identity of the
population. In the light of subsidiarity, it must remain possible for such units of measurement to be established
in the Member States.

In what way will the Commission take adequate account of these elements of traditional values in the current
assessment process?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 1999)

The Commission will take care to inform the SLIM team of the points raised by the Honourable Member’s
question.

The conclusions of the work of the team should be made available, together with the Commission comments,
to the Parliament and the Council, on the occasion of the Internal Market Council meeting of 21 June 1999.