Brussels, 25/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission should not proceed with its recovery claim for €92,000 from a French NGO. That was the recommendation from European Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros on Wednesday 20 October, following a complaint from the Strasbourg-based non-profit organisation Earth Data Network for Education and Scientific Exchange (EDNES).
The Commission asked EDNES to repay the major part of funding it had received for three research and technology projects in the former Soviet Union because it had subcontracted work to a Russian company in Moscow, something that was not allowed under the contract. The NGO objected, arguing that it would not have been able to complete the projects using only its own volunteers. It also claimed that the Commission had been continuously informed about the organisational set-up of the projects and had not objected to the arrangement. It went on to add that all three projects had been a success. The ombudsman took the view that to enforce repayment in this case would be disproportionate and unfair, since it would threaten the very existence of the NGO.
He called on the Commission to submit a detailed opinion to him by 31 December 2010. He also urged the Commission to take into account “the negative effect this case could have on other NGOs, which might be discouraged from participating in EU projects in the future”. (O.L./transl.rt)