Ontslag Europese Commissie

[Daniel.HANEKUYK at DG3.CEC.BE]

Bijgaand de tekst van de Commissie over zijn ontslag:
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Statement by President Santer to the Conference of 
Presidents at the European Parliament (16/03/99)
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I promised that we would act on the report by the 
Committee of Independent Experts. Yesterday the 
Commission assumed its responsibilities. 
I would like to say a few things on its behalf.

1. The report considers a small number of specific 
cases which have recently attracted criticism from 
the European Parliament. The cases are analysed in 
great detail and, while the findings reveal certain 
malfunctions and one instance of favouritism, I 
would point out that there is no suggestion that any 
Member of the Commission was involved in fraud 
or corruption or stood to gain personally.

2. I note that on the basis of a tiny number of cases of 
fraud and malfunctioning, which did indeed merit 
criticism, the Committee_s report paints a picture 
of total absence of responsibility on the part of the 
institution and its officials. This picture is 
distorted. I consider the tone of the report's 
conclusions to be wholly unjustified.

3. I do not accept that four years of work, during 
which this Commission has achieved its full policy 
programme, can be reduced to six cases of 
irregularities, four of which date back to before 
1995. I would also have hoped that the Committee 
of Independent Experts might have attached 
appropriate significance to the very substantial 
reforms carried out by this Commission since 1995 
and the ambitious programme announced to 
Parliament last January.

4. The Commission_s decision yesterday was a 
political act.  We have taken our responsibilities, 
even if we judge the report to be unbalanced.  
Sometimes criticism can be salutory ; we must use 
this crisis as a catalyst for deep and lasting reform 
in all the European institutions.  I am hopeful that 
this crisis will help to reestablish the smooth 
functioning of the institutions.

5. I have informed the President of the European 
Council of the decision taken yesterday.  I pointed 
out to him that, in line with the Treaties, we will 
continue to perform our functions until our 
replacement is provided for under the relevant 
procedures.