Press Release: More effective measures for the Commission’s recovery of unduly paid funds

On 14.12.00 the European Commission adopted a proposal from Ms Michaele Schreyer, Member of the Commission with responsibility for the Budget, for an in-depth reform of recovery procedures for unduly paid funds (Action 96 of the White Paper on administrative reform). This reform places responsibility for pursuing debtors with the administrative departments, clarifies the role of the accounting departments and boosts the resources of the Legal Service and OLAF at the litigation stage. Ms Schreyer said '...recovery of unduly paid money is an essential aspect of the sound implementation of the budget and a vital responsibility towards the taxpayer. As a general rule, the Commission's departments perform this duty rather well, as shown by the €730 million cleared in 1999. However, further improvements are needed in the rate and the speed of recovery. Therefore we will strengthen the procedures and the resources available to the departments in this area '.

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