Brussels, 19/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The procedures required to finalise the draft agreement between the European Commission and the Development NGO Liaison Committee to the Union (CLONG) are underway. The formal agreement should soon arise, either by written procedure, or during the meeting of the College, next week, and thus close a conflict born from the conclusion of a financial audit (see EUROPE of 12 April p.8 and 11 April, p.10).
EUROPE believes that the draft agreement covers the following elements: a) reimbursement by CLONG of an amount slightly above EUR 300,000, according to a timetable staggered over several years (the initial audit had figured at EUR 1 million the amount to be recovered; the final audit had lowered this amount to EUR 565,000); b) freeing by the Commission of funds it had frozen following the presumption of mismanagement by CLONG (EUR 700,000 immediately, remainder at the end of suspended contracts); c) arrangement concerning future relations between CLONG and Commission (level of financing granted by Commission, and enhancement of CLONG administrative and financial structures).