Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-10-23-Speech-1-142"
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"en.20061023.18.1-142"2
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"Mr President, I should like to thank the rapporteur for the almost forensic work he has put into this report. Apart from the obvious loss of money, which is very serious from an EU point of view, the public perception of fraud is quite large and to some extent it is unfair and detracts from the very good work that the European Union budget does throughout Member States. We should remember that by concentrating on the problem that is there. Unfortunately, the public blames this anonymous European Union, when the problem is much closer to home in their individual Member States. That message needs to go out very clearly too.
It is unacceptable that there is so much money outstanding – some EUR 3.5 billion is owed as of June 2002. A great deal of money in the agriculture sector has just not been recovered because of the difficulties with Member States not cooperating.
The reform of the common agricultural policy in 2003 should see an improvement in the position in relation to agriculture: the introduction of the single farm payment, its close links to cross-compliance measures, will ensure that money is only paid out when it should be. I have a niggling worry that because of past failures in agriculture, we are coming down very heavily in policing cross-compliance. I have farmers come to me saying that they get no notice of inspections and are faced with significant penalties for very minor mistakes. That is going too far, and we need to be careful not to push too far in that direction, because while it is very easy to tackle and trace EUR 5, EUR 5 billion seems to slip through the net. I am pleased that Commissioner Fischer Boel has said she will look at less draconian implementation, while at the same time ensuring we meet the rules.
We do need to get the money back. But I would like to end by making the point that the talk, and hopefully the work towards better regulation, should improve this position. The past is not a pretty picture. Let us hope the future is a nicer one."@en1
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