EU starts a 200 million Euro
ESF refund procedure
Amsterdam, August 2, 2001.
The Dutch Social Affairs Minister Vermeend announced yesterday that the European Commission decided to start a "article 24" procedure over the 1994- 96 ESF subsidy period.
The Dutch government is not able to give full accounts of the subsidy spending according to EU rules.
The total amount of the demanded refund is 203 million Euro over the 1994- 96 period.
The "article 24" procedure gives the Dutch Government a two month period to make its case for a smaller final refund. Minister Vermeend hopes that in this time span the Commission Koning will finish its independent investigation in what is now known as the ESF scandal.
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PvdA Lower House Leader
Ad Melkert hits popularity low because of ESF scandal
Amsterdam, August 1, 2001.
The appointed "Crown Prince" of Prime Minister Wim Kok has hit a popularity low according to the market research institute
NIPO
.
Only 16% of the Dutch voter sees him as a good candidate to succeed Wim Kok as Prime Minister. A clear majority of 61% don't think he is the right man to hold the highest position in the country.
Melkert faces accusations of mismanagement of European Social Fund subsidies during his period (1994- 1998) as Social Affairs Minister.
The European Commission is claiming a 200 million Euro refund of unaccounted ESF subsidy spending.
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PvdA Parliamentary Leader Melkert faces trouble over EU Social Fund spending
Amsterdam, July 17, 2001.
PvdA parliamentary leader Melkert faces accusations of absolute mismanagement during his period (1994- 1998) as Social Affairs Minister.
EU Commissioner Diamantopoulou demands a 200 million Euro payback for unaccounted EU subsidies spending in the 1994 till 1999 period. The Social Affairs Ministry received in total about 1.5 billion Euro of ESF (European Social Fund) subsidies in that period.
Until now, the Social Affairs Ministry is unable to present a full report on the money spend at jobs providing projects.
According to the (real) paper version of the second largest Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant issue of July 16 EU Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou wrote a harsh letter to the present Dutch Social Affairs Minister Vermeend.
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