WRITTEN QUESTION E-1691/99 by Francisca Sauquillo Pérez del Arco (PSE) to the Commission. Situation of an official in the light of the Disciplinary Board's conclusions.
Date: 1999-09-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ECHO, European official, damage, disciplinary proceedings, psychological harassment

C 203 E/26

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2000

(2000/C 203 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1691/99

by Francisca Sauquillo PØrez del Arco (PSE) to the Commission

(29 September 1999)

Subject: Situation of an official in the light of the Disciplinary Board(cid:146)s conclusions

Even though the former ECHO director has been cleared of any blame by the College of Commissioners
following the conclusion of the disciplinary procedures laid down in the Staff Regulations, individuals are
launching initiatives within the Commission and other institutions with the aim of reopening the case.

1.
Does the Commission take the view that the exoneration of the former ECHO director by the College
of Commissioners following the intervention of the Disciplinary Board and the investigation carried out by
the former UCLAF constitutes the end of the proceedings and that, now that judgment has been passed,
the case can be reopened only under the conditions laid down in Article 11 of Annex IX to the Staff
Regulations?

2. Will the Commission provide assistance, in accordance with Article 24 of the Staff Regulations, to an
official who is continuing to suffer harassment from the staff of the Commission and from members of
other institutions even though he has been exonerated under the Commission(cid:146)s own procedures? What
form will this assistance take?

How will the Commission make good the harm done to this official now that his innocence in the

3.
ECHO affair has been proven?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 1999)

The Commission can confirm to the Honourable Member that the disciplinary proceedings which
1.
were instituted against the former Director of ECHO were closed by the Commission(cid:146)s decision of 14 July
1999 in accordance with the reasoned opinion delivered by the Disciplinary Board. The decision to close
the proceedings was based on the facts which were then at the disposal of the Commission. In any
disciplinary case, it is only possible to re-open proceedings if new facts are discovered.

2. and 3.
Any official who is threatened, attacked, insulted or defamed as an official in relation to facts
in respect of which a decision has been taken not to discipline him or her is entitled to assistance from the
Institution of their employment under Article 24 of the Staff Regulations. This assistance will usually take
the form of paying the individual(cid:146)s legal fees. The Commission can confirm that it is providing such
assistance in the case at issue, in keeping with the Regulation.

(2000/C 203 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1698/99

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 September 1999)

Subject: Adverse effects of replacing national quality marks with (cid:146)self-certification(cid:146) by manufacturers on the

basis of (cid:145)ConformitØ EuropØenne(cid:146)

1.
Can the Commission confirm that introduction of the CE ((cid:145)ConformitØ EuropØenne(cid:146)) marking for
consumer goods and professional equipment enables manufacturers to decide independently whether their
products satisfy the requirements for safety, quality, energy-efficiency and protection of the environment,
in contrast to the system currently existing in the various Member States where a product can only be
marketed if a quality mark has been supplied by a body designated by the national authority, such as
KEMA in the Netherlands?

In what way will the Commission verify the extent to which products covered by the European

2.
directives on CE marking actually comply with the requirements laid down in those directives?