170505, Info from the AFCO-session on 3 May 2017
EU-Commissioner Frans Timmermans: ‘we decided not to do a second corruption report‘.
On the 3rd of May, 2017, EU-Commissioner Frans Timmermans speaking on behalf of the European Commission in the European Parliament’s Commission of Constitutional Affairs (AFCO-session from 17:16 – 18:22) was very clear in saying ‘we decided not to do a second corruption report’. (Video streaming of the session via the multi-device player – original language, minutes 1:03:06 – 1:05:12, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/de/committees/video?event=20170503-1700-COMMITTEE-AFCO )
He had heard that complaints had only come from Germany. He wants now to be informed in full about what was mentioned in the article he read in the FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung). He stated that it is his intention, after he has all information to come back and answer the questions posed by MEP Sven Giegold (Greens/EFA). He also referred to earlier questions by the same MEP referring to an already existing Second Anti-Corruption Report. As at that time, his answer is now that there is not such a report, but that anyhow he is looking for full disclosure before giving his final conclusions.
‘The philosophy’ is now that corruption will be better tackled country by country instead of by reporting comprehensively in a ‘horizontal report on corruption’ in all EU-countries. According to his observations the impact of the comprehensive First Anti-Corruption Report ‘was not so huge’. Anyhow, he called the expressed opinion about an already existing ‘Second Report’ an ‘allegation’ which needs to be proven as unjustified.
Abgekürzt
Timmermans hat auf Sven Giegold‘s Frage im AFCO geantwortet:
– Er hätte gehört, die Beschwerde käme ausschließlich aus Deutschland.
– Er würde das prüfen und sich ordentlich bei MEP Sven Giegold zurück melden.
– Wir haben entschlossen nicht mit ein Zweites Anti-Korruption Bericht zu kommen.
– Die Antwort enthielt keinerlei Zusage gegenüber Sven Giegold‘s Forderung, ein Datum für die Veröffentlichung des zweiten Berichts zu liefern.