WRITTEN QUESTION E-2331/00 by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Management of the European Social Fund in the Canary Islands.
Date: 2000-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Canary Islands, EU financing arrangements, European Social Fund, fraud against the EU

C 103 E/120

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

(2001/C 103 E/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2331/00

by Fernando FernÆndez Mart(cid:237)n (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 July 2000)

Subject: Management of the European Social Fund in the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands, which is one of the outermost regions of the European Union and has Objective 1
status under the ERDF, has one of the highest rates of unemployment of any region of the Union. It is thus
entitled to the assistance and aid earmarked for such regions under the European Social Fund.

The various programmes run in the Canary Islands to promote employment and combat unemployment
are financed in large part from Community funds, managed by the Canary Islands(cid:146) institute for training
and employment (ICFEM), which reports to the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs of the Canary
Islands regional government. For several years, ICFEM(cid:146)s administration and the management of its budget
have been the subject of almost continuous controversy, and even scandal, and the Canary Islands
parliament has debated the matter on numerous occasions. The Minister for Employment and Social
Affairs himself has admitted that he is unable to provide details of how considerable sums, running into
billions of pesetas, have been spent. He stated recently that the amount not yet accounted for totals some
PTA 5 billion.

A complaint has been lodged against the regional government(cid:146)s Minister for Employment and Social
Affairs and two other senior officials, and is due to be examined by the courts. The report by the region(cid:146)s
court of auditors contains serious criticism of the way in which public funds intended to finance schemes
for the promotion of employment have been managed.

In addition to this, all of these facts have been brought to the attention of the European Parliament(cid:146)s
Committee on Budgetary Control, which has in turn forwarded the information to the European
Commission(cid:146)s Anti-Fraud Office.

Is the Commission aware of any or all of these facts?

Will the Commission give details of measures it has taken or intends to take?

(2001/C 103 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2551/00

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

(28 July 2000)

Subject: European Social Fund resources allocated to the Autonomous Community of the Canaries

Is the Commission aware of any irregularities affecting the granting or use of European Social Fund
resources allocated to the Government of the Autonomous Community of the Canaries during the period
from 1993 to 1999 and, if so, has it been informed of any complaints lodged with OLAF?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2331/00 and E-2551/00
given by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(13 October 2000)

The last check by the Commission on the use of aid from the European Social Fund (ESF) in the Canary
Islands took place in May 1998 and revealed none of the facts referred to by the Honourable Member in
Written Question E-2331/00.