1995 discharge: clearance of accounts EAGGF-Guarantee

The committee adopted the report by Jan Mulder (ELDR, NL) recommending that discharge be granted in respect of the clearance of accounts of the EAGGF-Guarantee Section for the 1993, 1994 and 1995 financial years, subject to the receipt of further information concerning the Fléchard case, the export refund scheme and the operation of the common organisation of markets. The committee said it would reserve judgment until the Court of Auditors had reported on the "Fléchard case", in particular the allegations that officials had arbitrarily reduced the penalty from EUR 17.6 million to EUR 3 million. It would also reserve judgment on the question of the aid regime for flax, pending the report by the Anti-Fraud Office on the action taken by the Spanish judicial authorities on alleged mismanagement or fraud in that sector. The resolution expressed concern about the consistently high levels of financial corrections. It called on the Court of Auditors to work with the Commission and the relevant Member State bodies and agencies to explore the feasibility of drawing up a separate Declaration of Assurance (DAS) for the EAGGF. The report also called for the Integrated Administration and Control System to be fully operational in all Member States before April 2002 and for the clearance of accounts system to be extended to include the Guidance Section of the EAGGF. �