WRITTEN QUESTION E-1693/99 by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Council. VEBA AG real estate affair ‐ EU Balkan representative Bodo Hombach.
1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/15 (2000/C 219 E/019) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1654/99 by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission (22 September 1999) Subject: Use of agricultural products for non-food purposes If oil seeds are sown in the European Union on set-aside land, there is a hectare premium of EUR 68,83 per tonne. However, this premium is paid only for oil seeds listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1586/97 (1). Oil seeds not appearing on the list are not eligible for a premium. This means that it is difficult to introduce new crops for non-food purposes. Is the Commission prepared to take action so that all oil seeds are eligible for the same subsidy, thereby giving every opportunity for agricultural products to be developed for non-food use? (1) OJ L 215, 7. 8. 1997, p. 3. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (26 October 1999) It is true that, for the purposes of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1586/97 of 29 July 1997 laying down detailed implementing rules for the use of set-aside land for the provision of materials for the manufacture within the Community of products not primarily intended for human or animal consumption, the so- called non-food Regulation, the compensatory payment provided for in Article 2(5) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1765/92 of 30 June 1992 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops (1) was granted exclusively for the raw materials listed in Annex I or, as appropriate, Annex II to the aforementioned Regulation. However, with the recasting of the non-food Regulation following the adoption of Agenda 2000, the subsequent repeal of Regulation (EEC) No 1765/92 and the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 of 17 May 1999 (2), the classification of the various raw materials in the two annexes was also re-examined. Thus, in Annex I to the draft Regulation concerning the use of set-aside land for non-food raw material production, the combined nomenclature (CN) code ex 1205 00 90 for rapeseed is now worded to take account of the fact that, for reasons of consistency, simplification and sound management, in order to determine the eligible varieties reference should be made to the common catalogue of agricultural plant species, as specified in the new draft Regulation laying down detailed rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999. Consequently, in the case of certain oilseeds, the development of new crops for non-food purposes will be encouraged by the granting of the area aid. (1) OJ L 181, 1. 7. 1992. (2) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999. (2000/C 219 E/020) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1693/99 by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Council (30 September 1999) Subject: VEBA AG real estate affair ü EU Balkan representative Bodo Hombach 1. Before appointing ex-minister Bodo Hombach as the EU representative in the Balkans, was the European Council aware of his possible involvement in the VEBA AG real estate affair, which had been alleged in the German press? C 219 E/16 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Before Hombachís appointment, did the President of the European Council, a member of the Council 2. or a Council representative consult about the accusations concerning the building of Hombachís private house? If so, what was the outcome? Is the Council aware that on 13 August 1999, as anticipated, the 12th criminal division of Bochum 3. Regional Court (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) convicted Hombachís former building project manager of perjury? Is the Council aware that the conviction was based on the fact that the project manager had initially denied under oath having illegally charged to VEBA AG payments for Hombachís house in Mülheim an der Ruhr, but subsequently admitted that VEBA had paid a ásix-figure sumí towards Hombachís construction costs? 4. In the light of this judgment and of the new code of honour for EU Commissioners, which is applicable mutatis mutandis, does the Council consider that Hombach can continue to perform his duties as EU coordinator for the Balkans and remain in office? (2000/C 219 E/021) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1694/99 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council (30 September 1999) Subject: EU coordinator Hombach For weeks, the EUís international coordinator for reconstruction of the Balkans, Bodo Hombach, has been publicly suspected of involvement in bribery cases with considerable ramifications (relating to his private house in Mülheim and his luxury home in Canada). On 27 August 1999, in response to these serious allegations, he decided of his own volition to resign from his party posts. In view of this situation, which still remains very unclear, as well as the utterly incomprehensible plan to locate his office in Brussels rather than in the immediate vicinity of the region to which his duties pertain, which will hardly be conducive to efficiency, the following question is surely inescapable: does the Council to Mr Hombach that he should resign from his highly responsible post as EU intend to suggest representative for the democratic and economic reconstruction of the Balkan region? Under the circumstances, it would moreover be desirable, in the interests of transparency, to announce publicly what remuneration was promised to Mr Hombach when he took up the post. Will the Council do so? (2000/C 219 E/022) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1776/99 by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Council (12 October 1999) Subject: The CentrO Affairí 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?