WRITTEN QUESTION P-2835/03 by Heinz Kindermann (PSE) to the Commission. Approval of TERRA project Geoplantour — OLAF investigations.
Date: 2003-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, European Anti-fraud Office, decision-making, fraud against the EU, less-favoured region, project management, regional policy

C 51 E/262

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2003)

The Commission is very committed to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. It hopes
that the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003 will further raise the level of awareness and
information in the European society as a whole and thus help to reduce the inconveniences that citizens
who use assistance dogs might be confronted with.

Before the end of 2003, the Commission will present a proposal for legislation to protect the rights of
persons with reduced mobility, including disabled people when travelling by air. Among other things, the
proposal will cover the carriage of guide dogs.

The Commission does not plan to launch a programme aimed at training assistance dogs in the new
Member States. Given the nature of the activity and with respect for the principle of subsidiarity the
Commission believes that such training should better be provided at local or regional level.

The Commission does not intend for the time being to recommend to the Member States that they adopt
common standards and a distinguishing emblem with regard to assistance dogs. It shares the opinion of
the Honourable Member that assistance dogs are largely recognised to be necessary to their owners and in
the Union are now admitted to almost every place where their owners might need to go.

(2004/C 51 E/284)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2835/03

by Heinz Kindermann (PSE) to the Commission

(18 September 2003)

Subject: Approval of TERRA project ‘Geoplantour’ (cid:1) OLAF investigations

The European Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF, is investigating suspected irregularities (case reference IO/2001/
4030) in connection with the approval of a project entitled Geoplantour submitted under the EU’s TERRA
programme in 1997.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1.

Is the Geoplantour project approved in 1997 simply a modified version of the original project No. 57
B, ‘Bugewitzer Oderhaff-Zone’, or is a totally new project actually involved?

2. How does the Commission explain the fact that Directorate-General XVI (currently regional policy)
approved a Geoplantour project in the summer of 1997, i.e. a year after the deadline of 8 July 1986,
contrary to the implementing provisions for the TERRA programme and the principle of equal
treatment?

3. How does the Commission explain the fact that the Directorate-General for Regional Policy has to
date failed to answer two written inquiries from OLAF, thereby delaying OLAF’s investigations into
this matter?

4. What does the Commission now intend to do to step up the investigation into this case?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 October 2003)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.