WRITTEN QUESTION E-0781/01 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Publication of an OLAF report.
Date: 2001-03-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Anti-fraud Office, access to EU information, confidentiality, report

C 350 E/34

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

In both instances, the current Commission has decided, in a spirit of increased transparency, to make
available on the website of Directorate General for Trade the texts of the requests for WTO consultations
and of the requests for the establishment for a WTO panel submitted by the Commission on behalf of the
Community. These documents provide a description of the measure or practice challenged in the WTO, as
well as the indication of the legal provisions which allegedly are breached.

(1) OJ L 349, 21.12.1994. A description of that regulation is also available on the website of DG Trade.

(2001/C 350 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0768/01

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Turbo pigs

What action has the Commission taken to protect European consumers in the aftermath of the (cid:145)turbo pigs(cid:146)
scandals in Austria and Germany involving revelations about the illegal use on Austrian and German pig
farms of antibiotics, growth-inducing hormones and vaccines smuggled into Europe from the Far East and
the United States, and what measures it has taken to ensure that no animal sold within the EU has been
treated with illegal substances?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2001)

Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996, on measures to monitor certain substances and residues
thereof in live animals and animal products (1) requires that Member States and third countries exporting
food of animal origin to the Community should control use, misuse and illegal use of veterinary medical
products.

Controls can be carried out by the Member States at the farm,
in the slaughterhouse or at border
inspection posts. Moreover, the Commission, through its Food and Veterinary Office, evaluates the ability
of Member States or third countries to carry out their controls through audits and inspections. Depending
on the findings of such audits and inspections, the Commission may recommend improvements, initiate
infringement procedures, delete a third country from the list of countries authorised to export food of
animal origin to the Community or apply a safeguard measure.

Therefore, the Commission considers that the current framework, if properly implemented, provides the
tools to ensure consumer protection from misuse and illegal use of veterinary medical products in food
producing animals.

(1) OJ L 125, 23.5.1996.

(2001/C 350 E/036)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0781/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Publication of an OLAF report

It is undoubtedly very much in the general interest that instances of fraud at the Commission(cid:146)s Stockholm
Information Office be fully and publicly clarified, so as to prevent further speculation.

Will the Commission publish the OLAF report on fraud at the Commission(cid:146)s Stockholm Information
Office? If not, will it state the reasons why the report is to remain secret?

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/35

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(29 June 2001)

The Commission has already had the opportunity to set out its position on publication of the report on
this case by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in its answer to Written Question P-3457/00 by
Mme Paulsen (1). In its answer, the Commission states that, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1073/
1999 (2) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations
conducted by OLAF, the investigation report was sent to the Commission and to the Swedish judicial
authorities. Information communicated and obtained in this context is subject to professional secrecy and
may not be passed on to persons other than those within the Community institutions or in the Member
States whose duties require them to know it, nor may it be used for purposes other than to combat fraud
and corruption.

In adopting Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999, the co-legislators thus decided that it was in the public
interest for this kind of report to remain confidential.

Following authorisation by the Swedish judicial authorities, OLAF has stated that it sent its report in
confidence to Parliament(cid:146)s Committee on Budgetary Control, at its request, on 19 March 2001.

Judicial proceedings are still in motion in Sweden.

The Commission will keep Parliament informed of the outcome of the proceedings in due course.

(1) OJ C 163 E, 6.6.2001.
(2) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999.

(2001/C 350 E/037)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0787/01

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Rotation of A1 and A2 Commission officials

According to the Commission document (SEC(2000) 2305/5), it is a general rule that A1 and A2 officials
are appointed for a maximum period of five years. The Commission(cid:146)s administrative reform is particularly
geared towards enhancing performance. The purpose of rotating officials is to counter job fatigue, which
can develop after occupying the same post for five years. In special cases, the period can be extended by
a further two years, resulting in a total of seven years.

There are Commission officials who have occupied their posts for more than seven years.

Why has the Commission not complied with its own rules?

Which officials have held the same position for over seven years and why?

Does this signal the failure of the Commission(cid:146)s internal reform?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(11 June 2001)

The Commission(cid:146)s commitment to the job rotation of senior personnel set out in its decisions of
September 1999 and December 2000 is clear, and significant progress has already been made by the
Commission in implementing its stated objectives.