Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-20-Speech-2-308"
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"en.20040420.13.2-308"2
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".
Mr President, the Commission would like to thank Parliament for the opportunity to clarify once more the actions that it has taken after being informed in May 2003 about the serious events at Eurostat and at some of its contractors, most of which had occurred – as investigations have shown – in the period up to 1999.
With comprehensive modernisation of structures, systems, internal controls and management and personnel policy now in place, the Commission will continue to review actions taken and improvements made, so as to maximise the safeguards against any repetition of the practices detected in Eurostat or any similar conduct. We are being aided by the sustained and shared commitment of Parliament to that end and we are grateful for that support.
As soon as the Commission had evidence of the problems in Eurostat, it took action. The Director-General and all the directors were moved to advisory posts while the Commission conducted a thorough investigation into who was directly involved. The Commission launched an Internal Audit Service examination of Eurostat contracts and grants. Following the reports by the IAS and the special task force, contractual relations between Eurostat and other Commission departments and certain organisations were brought to an end. OLAF (European Anti-fraud Office) was encouraged to conclude, as soon as possible, outstanding enquiries there.
The Commission was determined to rectify and strengthen its relevant rules and practices, and to fully implement the staff and financial reform begun in 2000.
As the House will know, on 25 September 2003 Commission President Prodi presented his action plan to a meeting of the Conference of Presidents, enlarged to include members of the Committee on Budgetary Control. This action plan had three basic components: first, thorough restructuring of the Eurostat Directorate-General; second, consolidation of the reform regarding relations between Commissioners, their private offices and services, and centre-periphery relations in the area of control and audits; third, revision of OLAF's legal framework, with the presentation of new legislative proposals.
Mr Prodi provided further clarification of his undertakings when, in November 2003, he presented the Commission's legislative and work programme for 2004 to the European Parliament. In the meantime, the Commission has further discussed matters concerning this case with Parliament and its bodies and has expanded on its plans.
One main forum for these discussions involved the Committee on Budgetary Control when the follow-up to the 2001 discharge was dealt with and when information was provided on the Commission reforms. However, the continuing concern of the Committee on Budgets as to the progress of the reform has been of considerable help, most recently at its meeting in early April this year.
The Commission welcomed the efforts made by the chairman of the Committee on Budgetary Control, Mrs Theato, to help ensure better understanding of the causes for concern. The work undertaken by Mrs Avilés Perea, Mr Casaca, Mr Bösch and other members of the committee helped the Commission to implement suggestions that have improved our action.
On 1 October 2003, with these proposals in mind, the Commission adopted the new Eurostat establishment plan. That plan was put into operation, as planned, on 1 November. On 21 January 2004, the Commission was informed of the action plan for Eurostat's activities in 2004, put in place at Mr Solbes' initiative. On 9 February 2004, the Commission adopted the communication providing a progress report on its financial and administrative reform, which includes a specific section on the measures that the President had presented on 18 November 2003, as well as proposals for two regulations amending the legal framework of OLAF.
The Commission acknowledges the careful and thorough monitoring work undertaken by Parliament and its bodies in the discharge process, and in its other monitoring activities, with regard to the Eurostat case. It is grateful for the concern and commitment that the Committee on Budgetary Control continues to demonstrate in relation to the implementation of the Commission reform. Both are essential."@en1
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