Top EU health official resigns over tobacco probe

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details 17.10.12
Publication Date 17/10/2012
Content Type

In an unprecedented move, EU Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner John Dalli resigned in October 2012 after an investigation by the EU anti-fraud agency OLAF connected him to an attempt to influence EU tobacco legislation. Anti-fraud and transparency campaigners welcomed the move.

Subsequently, Malta nominated Foreign Minister Tonio Borg to replace John Dalli as its European Commissioner.

On the 24 October 2012 at a press conference in Brussels Mr Dalli vowed to sue the European Commission in connection with his resignation over the alleged tobacco bribery scandal, escalating the messy dispute between the Maltese politician and his former boss, José Manuel Barroso, the Commission President.

The case was said to be among the worst scandals to hit the European Commission since its members resigned en masse in 1999 after France’s Edith Cresson was found to have put friends on the EU payroll and abused taxpayer funds.

Christiaan Timmermans, the chair of OLAF's advisory board stepped down on the 22 October 2012 over the scandal surrounding Mr Dalli.

Source Link http://www.dw.de/top-eu-health-official-resigns-over-tobacco-probe/a-16310834
Related Links
EUObserver, 17.10.12: EU freezes tobacco law after lobbying scandal http://euobserver.com/institutional/117898
EurActiv, 16.10.12: EU health commissioner resigns over anti-fraud case http://www.euractiv.com/general/eu-health-commissioner-resigns-a-news-515451
BBC News, 19.10.12: Former EU health commissioner Dalli insists he is innocent http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20012147
European Commission: RAPID: MEMO/12/788: Press statement on behalf of the European Commission http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-12-788_en.pdf
European Commission: DG Health and Consumers: Public health: Tobacco http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/policy/index_en.htm
EurActiv, 22.10.12: Malta nominates foreign minister as new EU commissioner http://www.euractiv.com/future-eu/malta-nominates-foreign-minister-news-515539
European Voice, Vol.18, No.37, 18.10.12: Tobacco law in disarray after Dalli resignation http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/tobacco-law-in-disarray-after-dalli-resignation/75395.aspx
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 22.10.12: Commissioner Dalli’s resignation raises questions (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/2921231-commissioner-dalli-s-resignation-raises-questions
EUObserver, 22.10.12: Disgraced commissioner seeks help from EU parliament http://euobserver.com/institutional/117950
European Commission: Memo/12/797: Statement of the European Commission following the meeting between President Barroso and Dr Tonio Borg http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-12-797_en.htm
EurActiv, 24.10.12: MEPs look for smoking gun after Dalli resignation http://www.euractiv.com/health/meps-seek-smoking-gun-dalli-exit-news-515611
EurActiv, 25.10.12: Dalli resignation row turns to war of words with Barroso http://www.euractiv.com/health/dalli-barroso-war-words-news-515653
European Commission: Memo/12/803: Letter of President Baeeoso to Mr. Dalli http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-12-803_en.htm#PR_metaPressRelease_bottom
BBC News, 25.10.12: John Dalli row: EU's Barroso denies ousting colleague http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20079384
La Tribune, 26.10.12: “Dalligate” begins to look like a crime novel (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/2949811-dalligate-begins-look-crime-novel
EUObserver, 08.11.12: MEPs unhappy with commission secrecy on Dalli affair http://euobserver.com/institutional/118134
Der Spiegel, 30.11.12: Big Tobacco at home in Brussels (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/3099271-big-tobacco-home-brussels
EurActiv, 11.01.13: Parliament seeks secret Dalli file, mulls special inquiry http://www.euractiv.com/health/parliament-seeks-secret-dalli-do-news-516971
European Ombudsman: Draft recommendation of the European Ombudsman in the inquiry into complaint 257/2013/OV against the European Commission , April 2014 http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/cases/draftrecommendation.faces/en/54021/html.bookmark
European Ombudsman: Press Release, 11.04.14: Ombudsman calls on Commission to release Dalli documents http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/showResource?resourceId=1397138842582_press_release_2014_10_EN.pdf&type=pdf&download=true&lang=en
EUObserver, 11.04.14: EU commission pressured to release graft inquiry documents http://euobserver.com/institutional/123835
Corporate Europe Observatory: Press Release, 11.04.14: The European Ombudsman urges the Commission to release hidden documents on the Dalligate scandal http://corporateeurope.org/pressreleases/2014/04/european-ombudsman-urges-commission-release-hidden-documents-dalligate-scandal

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