WRITTEN QUESTION E-1695/99 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU coordinator Hombach.
Date: 1999-09-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, European official, Western Balkans, fraud, remuneration of work

C 170 E/78

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2000

non-governmental organisations and associations formed by the socially excluded and the elderly), in the
form of preparatory measures for Community action on the basis of Article 137 of the EC-Treaty
(ex Article 118) regarding combating social exclusion. A first call for proposals for preparatory actions
was issued in October 1998, under which 40 projects were funded.

In the 1999 budget, budget line B3-4104 was incorporated into budget line B3-4112 (preparatory
measures combating and preventing social exclusion). Further calls were issued in June 1999 under this
line addressing exclusion of older people as well as all other types of exclusion, and the Commission is
currently evaluating the proposals received.

(2000/C 170 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1695/99

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 September 1999)

Subject: EU coordinator Hombach

For weeks, the EU(cid:146)s international coordinator for reconstruction of the Balkans, Bodo Hombach, has been
publicly suspected of involvement in bribery cases with considerable ramifications (relating to his private
house in M(cid:252)lheim and his luxury home in Canada). On 27 August 1999, in response to these serious
allegations, he decided of his own volition to resign from his party posts.

In view of this situation, which still remains very unclear, as well as the utterly incomprehensible plan to
locate his office in Brussels rather than in the immediate vicinity of the region to which his duties pertain,
which will hardly be conducive to efficiency, the following question is surely inescapable: does the
Commission intend to suggest to Mr Hombach that he should resign from his highly responsible post as
EU representative for the democratic and economic reconstruction of the Balkan region?

Under the circumstances, it would moreover be desirable, in the interests of transparency, to announce
publicly what remuneration was promised to Mr Hombach when he took up the post. Will
the
Commission do so?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(9 November 1999)

According to the Treaty on European Union (Article 18 ex Article J8), the appointment of special
representatives is the responsibility of the Council.

The requested elements relating to the remuneration of the special representative are established in a
(cid:145)financial statement(cid:146) which, in accordance with Article M of the inter-institutional agreement regarding
financing of the Common foreign and security policy of 16 July 1997, is communicated by the Council to
the Parliament.

(2000/C 170 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1699/99

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 September 1999)

Subject: Discrimination against immigrants in Luxembourg as regards entitlement to social aid

Immigrant workers from other Member States living in Luxembourg suffer discrimination when they apply
for social aid. In order to be eligible for aid, they have to submit a declaration of capital assets held in their
country of origin, and the decision to grant the aid depends on the content of that declaration.