The Netherlands to European Court for FresQ monies
The Netherlands wants to go to the European Court if the European Commission reclaims overpaid GMO subsidies.
The Netherlands feels it is within its rights in the settlement of the FresQ subsidy case from ten years ago. Due to the subsequent bankruptcy of FresQ (2017), the overpaid GMO subsidy of €52 million cannot be recovered. That money was advanced back because FresQ did not meet the subsidy conditions, which led to a fraud case being started.
Leave judgment to judge
The Netherlands believes that the European Commission has procedures in place to charge the uncollected amount to the EU fund in the event of bankruptcy. The Netherlands has done everything it can to reclaim the amount, writes Henk Staghouwer, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), in answers to parliamentary questions.
If the European Commission decides otherwise, the Netherlands will submit that decision to the European Court. “Ultimately, it’s up to the judge to make a judgment about that,” Staghouwer writes.
Postponement possible
There is no question of a refusal to refund the amount, the minister said. Due to the bankruptcy of FresQ, the amount cannot be reclaimed within eight years. That is a term stated in the regulations. The discussion with the European Commission now revolves around the question of extending the eight-year term. If this extension is not forthcoming, the question remains who will pay the bill.
If the term is extended, the question is how the Netherlands can then reclaim the money. Staghouwer does not write about the settlement of the bankruptcy, but does write about the ongoing criminal case against ‘former executives of FresQ’.
React? Log in here
Or register to respond.