WRITTEN QUESTION E-4073/00 by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The mysterious lawyer who worked for Mrs Cresson.
Date: 2001-01-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commissioner, feasibility study, lawyer, provision of services, remuneration of work

C 235 E/56

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2001)

In the wake of Parliament(cid:146)s resolution of 13 April 2000 deferring the discharge, the Commission launched
an administrative investigation into the matter. It emerged from that investigation that no irregularity had
been committed and thus no administrative or disciplinary proceedings were instituted. More specifically it
emerged from that investigation that there had been no deliberate withholding of information when the
performance audit carried out by the financial control DG on the activities of the Joint Research Centre
(JRC) was processed.

It goes without saying that, as regards the basic matter of safety when handling nuclear materials at the
JRC, the necessary operational action was taken in order to tighten up compliance with the rules in this
area and improve the monitoring of their implementation by, for example:

Recruiting a second expert qualified in radiation protection (selection procedure concluded in late 2000)
and creating a position of a port for an official in charge of transporting fissile and radioactive materials
(April 2000).

Redefining specific supervised areas for the storage of fissile and radioactive materials (completed in late
1999).

Closing down nuclear laboratories in order to reduce the number of operating licences and the
accompanying potential risks (completed in 2000).

Extending the staff training programme (begun in April 2000).

Moreover, the JRC has set up a standing committee on these matters, whose task is to monitor any
changes made to European and Member-State regulations on this matter and to ensure that the safety rules
applying at the JRC(cid:146)s various sites comply.

Since the administrative investigation was expedited under the 1998 discharge the investigation report and
the information on the conclusions drawn can be passed on under the provisions of Article 276 (formerly
Article 206) of the EC Treaty, while maintaining confidentiality. Indeed, that report contains aspects that
are likely to affect individual rights.

(2001/C 235 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4073/00

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: The (cid:145)mysterious lawyer(cid:146) who worked for Mrs Cresson

(10 January 2001)

On 25 May 2000 the German magazine (cid:145)Der Stern(cid:146) printed a report headed (cid:145)The mysterious lawyer(cid:146),
referring to a Mr Timm Riedinger. Riedinger is supposed to have been in the service of
former
Commissioner for Research Edith Cresson and to have processed Commission projects on her behalf.
According to the report, the Commission could not at the time find any trace of Mr Riedlinger in its
records.

What steps has the Commission taken in the meantime to establish whether Mr Riedinger was in fact
entrusted by Mrs Cresson with the processing of Commission projects?

Will the Commission also state:

(a) which projects were involved?

(b) how and by whom Mr Riedinger was paid for his services?

(c) whether his activities on behalf of the Commission were compatible with Article 213 of the EC Treaty
the Commission to be completely

and in particular the provision requiring the Members of
independent in the performance of their duties?

(d) whether it intends to start proceedings against Mrs Cresson before the Court of Justice for breach of

her obligations?

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/57

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2001)

(a) and (b). The Commission has carried out checks to establish the extent of any working relationships
between Mr Riedinger and the departments which between 1995 and 1999 were under Mrs Cresson(cid:146)s
authority.

So far these checks have shown that:

1. A contract concerned with a feasibility pilot study on the creation of a European Institute of
Comparative Law was concluded between the Directorate-General for Research and Mr Riedinger
at the beginning of 1996. An amount of € 11 000 was committed in July 1995 but the file shows
that this study was not carried out and that no payment was made.

2. A contract concerned with a feasibility study on the networking of the forward study centres of
Central Europe and the Community was prepared by the Joint Research Centre. However,
according to the information available to the Commission at this stage, this contract was never
signed and, consequently, the amount of € 84 200 committed on 1 June 1995 was not paid. The
commitment was cancelled in 1999.

3. A contract for € 10 500 was concluded in 1996 between the former DG XXII and a lawyers(cid:146)
office to cover travelling and subsistence expenses arising from accompanying Mrs Cresson to
South Africa and to pay for the drafting of a report by Mr Riedinger on the legal framework for
sending young European doctors to South Africa as part of European voluntary service. The files
show that this contract was not honoured and gave rise to no payment.

4. An administrative inquiry to elucidate the circumstances in which these contracts were concluded

is in hand and the OLAF has been informed.

(c) and (d). Until

the conclusions of

this inquiry are available,

the Commission considers that

the

questions under (c) and (d) are premature.

(2001/C 235 E/062)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4074/00

by Nicole Thomas-Mauro (UEN) and Dominique Souchet (UEN) to the Council

(10 January 2001)

Subject: Increasing production of feed proteins in response to the recent ban on use of animal meal

The ban on animal meal in farm animal feed will increase the Community(cid:146)s demand for vegetable protein.
It is necessary to meet that demand without increasing either our dependence on imports or our exposure
to GMOs.

Does the Council
vegetable protein along the following lines:

intend to implement an emergency plan for increasing Community production of

1. As regards protein crops such as peas,

field beans and lupins, which are not subject

to any

international restrictions, raising payments per hectare would be the key factor.

2. As regards the Blair House agreements,

(cid:145)food(cid:146) oilseeds to
4 934 000 ha will end in 2002 with the removal of specific aid, which is to be replaced, in accordance
with Agenda 2000, by compensatory aid common to all arable crops. The critical year will therefore
be 2001, for which a derogation for reasons of (cid:145)force majeur(cid:146) will have to be negotiated with our
partners in order to allow areas to be increased on the basis of the current level of aid.

limits on Community production of

3. As regards dehydrated fodder, given that alfalfa is an entirely wholesome source of protein we can
substantially increase the maximum guaranteed quantity and aid per tonne for artificially dried fodder.