WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3168/97 by Graham MATHER to the Commission. Voting rights of non-national EU citizens in Member States
25. 5. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 158/47 (98/C 158/58) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3167/97 by Anne McIntosh (PPE) to the Commission (9 October 1997) Subject: EU Stabex Funding Vanuatu Is the Commission aware that there is increasing concern over apparent fraud at a local level in the administration of European Union Stabex funding in Vanuatu? If this is the case, what action does the Commission intend to take to prevent such fraudulent activities in Vanuatu and what redress is there for those companies operating in the country that have suffered as a result? Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (3 December 1997) The Commission is aware of recent allegations by overseas buyers and local exporters against the Vanuatu commodities marketing board (VCMB), the organisation responsible for the purchase and export of certain agricultural commodities in Vanuatu. The allegations do not concern the management of Stabex funds, but rather relate to difficulties for local exporters in obtaining export licences. Stabex funds have been allocated to VCMB in the past, most recently under the Framework of mutual obligations (FMO) signed in 1993 governing the use of 1988-1991 Stabex transfers (4. 9 MECU in all, of which 1 MECU was allocated to the VCMB). This amount was to be payable in instalments, on three conditions (the publication of the results of a government-commissioned judicial enquiry; the publication of the annual financial audits of the VCMB and the holding of an European development fund (EDF) financed review into the accounting and management practices of the VCMB). These conditions were laid down as a result of the Commissionís concerns over the quality of the management of the VCMB and, in particular, over possible excessive political interference in its commercial decision-making. The final instalment of the 1988-1991 FMO (ECU 250 000) was paid to the VCMB in December 1996 on fulfilment of the final condition of the FMO. At no time has the Commission found any evidence of illegal use of Stabex funds. Nevertheless, the Commission continues to have reservations regarding the management of the VCMB. As a result, no further Stabex funds have been allocated to the organisation since the 1988-1991 transfer, and none is envisaged. Companies which consider that they have suffered as a result of actions by VCMB are free to seek redress through the Vanuatu courts. (98/C 158/59) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3168/97 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (13 October 1997) Subject: Voting rights of non-national EU citizens in Member States Under the Treaty on European Union, every citizen has the right to vote in municipal elections in the EU Member State where he or she is resident under the same conditions as nationals of that country. Directive 94/80 (1) laid down the detailed arrangements for the exercise of those rights and was to have been transposed into national law by 1 January 1996. One of my constituents has been told by a French department office that she is not eligible to vote in the relevant local elections because she has not been continually resident there for not less than six months