Belgians pursue alleged Ecosoc fraudster

By Martin Banks

Date: 07/04/05

THE European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has been asked to waive the immunity of one of its members, who is alleged to have made fraudulent expense claims.

The request, from the Belgian public prosecutor, will be considered by the EESC's bureau, its main decision-making body, at its next meeting on 10 May and by the plenary session the following day.

The Committee member is alleged to have obtained compensation from his or her member organisation for travel expenses that had already been reimbursed by the EESC, also known as Ecosoc.

An investigation by OLAF, the EU's anti-fraud office, concluded earlier this year that there was strong prima facie evidence that the member had fraudulently claimed up to €45,000 in expenses over a six-year period. The inquiry was prompted by allegations made in a letter.

OLAF forwarded its findings to the office of the Belgian public prosecutor, which has now written to Anne-Marie Sigmund, the EESC president, asking for the member's immunity from prosecution to be lifted.

The member, who has not been named, strongly denies the allegations.

Sigmund said the request would be considered according to EESC rules which require "due respect for the right to a fair hearing" and a majority vote.

Sigmund said: "We have co-operated fully and openly with the OLAF inquiry, a fact that OLAF expressly recognised in its report, and the Committee will follow the same approach towards the Belgian authorities."

The EESC, whose members are drawn from trade unions, employers' groups and other members of civil society, is consulted on EU legislation.

Members are not paid a salary by the EESC, but are paid by the organisations they represent. The EESC does, though, reimburse their expenses.

Next week the European Parliament will be asked at its plenary session to approve the EESC's accounts for 2003. The allegations concern earlier years.

Article reports that the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) was asked to waive the immunity of one of its members, who was alleged to have made fraudulent expense claims.