WRITTEN QUESTION P-1978/03 by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Termination of business relations between the Commission and Planistat.
Date: 2003-06-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Anti-fraud Office, European Commission, contract, economic offence, fraud against the EU, payment, services company, termination of a contract, trade relations

C 70 E/58

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.3.2004

(cid:1) Health and consumer protection DG;

(cid:1) Environment DG;

(cid:1) Information Society DG;

(cid:1) Taxation and Customs Union DG;

(cid:1) Eurostat;

(cid:1) PHARE;

(cid:1) European Development Fund.

Can the Commission confirm this information? Could the Commission state what sums have been paid to
the Group over the last 10 years, with a breakdown by financial year and Directorate-General?

(2004/C 70 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1978/03

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 June 2003)

Subject: Termination of business relations between the Commission and Planistat

On 19 March 2003, OLAF filed charges against the Planistat Europe SA group of companies with the Paris
Public Prosecutor. Planistat stands accused of being involved in fraudulent activities, including helping to
create slush funds by issuing bogus invoices and, subsequently, receiving payments from those slush funds.

On its Internet site, the Planistat Group claims to have done business with the Commission worth several
millions.
the Commission: External
Relations, Industry, Enterprise, Consumer Protection, Development, Environment, Research, Information
Society, Energy and Transport, Taxation and Customs Union, Trade, and Eurostat.

it works for the following directorates-general at

It claims that

Can the Commission confirm this information? Can it indicate the amount of the payments made to this
group of companies since 1993?

Can the Commission forward a list of the contracts with the Planistat Group which were still in force in
March 2003 when OLAF laid its charges?

Can the Commission indicate when it stopped payments to Planistat?

Can it indicate when it terminated or will terminate contracts still in force?

Can the Commission indicate when it began verifying all the contracts concluded with Planistat with a
view to identifying further possible irregularities?

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-1705/03, P-1807/03 and P-1978/03
given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(22 September 2003)

As a matter of principle, the awarding of new contracts is subject to the provisions of the new Financial
Regulation (1) in force since 1 January 2003. This also applies to the contracts with Planistat.

No recommendation was made in the audit report on the Datashops that the firm should be excluded
from future contracts.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Planistat was not signaled in the Commission’s Early Warning System until 23 July 2003. In addition, the
Secretariat General was not informed of OLAF’s findings until 3 April 2003, and this information was
given in general terms without mention of the name of Planistat, as OLAF’s investigations are subject to
rules of confidentiality provided for in Community legislation (2) and these investigations were external
investigations.

On 9 July 2003, the Commission decided, on the basis of information brought to its attention, to suspend
all contracts with Planistat pending the ongoing enquiries. Eurostat has already suspended payments to
Planistat with respect to activities in relation to Data Shops. Moreover, on 23 July 2003 the Commission
instructed its authorizing officers to terminate all contracts with Planistat.

A thorough examination of all contracts in force and the work carried out by the firm is ongoing. For
work effectively carried out, the Commission remains liable to pay the corresponding amounts. Should the
ongoing investigations of OLAF and the judicial authorities in France reveal a breach of the financial rules,
the Commission will take the appropriate action immediately. It should also be noted that the Commission
has lodged a complaint under the procedure initiated by the Paris Public Prosecutor in response to
information supplied by OLAF.

The total amount of payments made by Eurostat to the firm in question in the last ten years (from
01.01.1993 to 30.06.2003)
is EUR 41 096 217,43. The total amount of payments made by other
Commission departments to the firm in question in the last ten years (from 01.01.1993 to 30.06.2003) is
EUR 7 960 050,34. The total amount of payments made to the firm in question in the last ten years (from
01.01.1993 to 30.06.2003) with a breakdown by financial year and Commission department can be found
in the table sent direct to the Honourable Members and to Parliament’s secretariat.

The part of the question relating to the possible existence of a ‘slush fund’ is currently under investigation.

(1) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the

general budget of the European Communities, OJ L 248, 1.9.2002.

(2) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999.

(2004/C 70 E/062)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1717/03

by Freddy Blak (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 May 2003)

Subject: Stowaways

It is estimated that at any given time there are approximately 6 000 stowaways on board ships world wide.
Typically, stowaways are people from poor countries fleeing starvation, poverty, political persecution or
unemployment in the hope of a better existence. The journey as a stowaway often ends in tragedy as a
result of the duration of the voyage in unaccustomed surroundings and uncertainty, possibly with death as
the outcome through gas from the cargo or being enclosed in spaces which are not designed for
transporting people.

from the obviously tragic human consequences,

Apart
expenditure each year for the shipping industry (cid:1) money which could be better spent.

stowaways entail considerable additional

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has issued resolution No A.871(2) laying down certain
guidelines for the treatment of stowaways. The IMO has also adopted further rules concerning stowaways
in IMO resolution No FAL. 7(29) supplementing the above.

However, since these are only guidelines, far from all countries comply. Will the Commission therefore
play a more active role in this area in the IMO and endeavour to persuade other countries to comply with
these rules?