WRITTEN QUESTION E-2709/03 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. OLAF investigation into Eurostat.
Date: 2003-09-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Anti-fraud Office, Eurostat, data collection, fraud against the EU, judicial investigation, services company

C 70 E/130

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.3.2004

The recent strong rise of applications for refund licences of Non Annex I products during 2002/2003 has
indeed led to ever increasing reduction coefficients (42 % first tranche, 95 % last tranche) in order to
respect the Union’s World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments. These reductions were particularly
felt by the egg product industry in view of the quite unique position of egg albumin amongst the many
Non Annex I products being manufactured from one raw material alone. According to trade statistics
available until June 2003, no dramatic drop of export can yet be observed.

(2004/C 70 E/132)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2709/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(11 September 2003)

Subject: OLAF investigation into Eurostat

On 8 July 2002, OLAF issued a press release entitled ‘OLAF investigation into Eurostat’ (OLAF/06/02) in
which it stated that it had on that date forwarded to the State Prosecutor of the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg information it had gathered during two enquiries into matters liable to result in criminal
proceedings concerning possible fraud relating to contracts concluded between Eurostat (cid:1) the Statistical
Office of the European Communities (cid:1) and private companies. OLAF had conducted the two enquiries as
part of a series of investigations into Eurostat.

Could the Commission clearly state whether:

(cid:1) it has any news concerning the activities of the State Prosecutor of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
in respect of the information gathered by OLAF and forwarded on 8 July 2002, which is to say what,
if any, measures have been taken in respect of officials and/or companies;

(cid:1) the investigation involved persons and/or companies who were also involved in the investigation
referred to in letter No 003411 of 18 March 2003 from the Director-General of OLAF to the Paris
Public Prosecutor (Reference CMS No 10120021510);

(cid:1) the ‘series of investigations’ in progress on 8 July 2002 included the enquiry that led OLAF to forward
information to the French authorities on 18 March 2003, or in other words, is OLAF still conducting
investigations into Eurostat?

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

The Commission was informed by the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF) that following the transmission
to the Luxembourg judicial authorities on 8 July 2002 of information relating to two enquiries, two
investigations were started into two private Luxembourg companies in connection with Eurostat. One judge
judicial
is currently carrying out
proceedings.

the two investigations, which are covered by confidentiality of

The file relating to a French company based in Paris sent to the Paris Public Prosecutor on 19 March 2003
is completely separate from the two files sent to Luxembourg.

The file sent to the Paris Public Prosecutor was part of the ‘series of investigations’ into Eurostat which
were in progress on 8 July 2002. OLAF is currently carrying out other enquiries into Eurostat.