91999E1776

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1776/99

by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Council

(12 October 1999)

Subject: The CentrO Affair and EU Special Co-ordinator Bodo Hombach

1. Does the Council know that Mr Bodo Hombach has been accused of neglecting to verify the allocation of EU monies when he chaired a committee of inquiry in the North Rhine-Westphalia Land Parliament?

2. Does the Council also know that, according to a European Court of Auditors audit report, there have been irregularities in accounting for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) monies in connection with the CentrO shopping and leisure centre in Oberhausen (unlawful settling of DEM 60 million in EU assistance monies) and that this has been examined by the committee of inquiry referred to above?

3. What action does the Council propose to take if the accusation by the European Court of Auditors is substantiated in a statement to be delivered to the Court by the North Rhine-Westphalia Minister for Economic Affairs, Peer Steinbrück, by 15 October 1999?

4. Does the Council take the view that Bodo Hombach can continue to occupy the office of EU Special Co-ordinator for the Stability Pact for South-East Europe in spite of the debate on the private financial affairs with which he has been linked and that his term of office, which ends on 31 December 1999, should be extended?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1693/99, E-1694/99 and E-1776/99

(14 February 2000)

The Council is aware of the allegations made in the German press on the activities undertaken by Mr Hombach prior to his appointment as EU Special Representative and Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact.

In light of the clarifications given by Mr Hombach to the Presidency on the questions concerning him and in the absence of any conviction by a court of law, the Presidency and the Council continue to support him in performing the role entrusted to him.