Strasbourg, 17/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - European Ombudsman Jacob Soederman has contributed to the settlement of a litigation between the European Commission and a firm with its headquarters in the United Kingdom (HTS-Hunting Technical Services) that had lasted six years and in which the amount at stake, over 1.5 million euro, was "one of the largest ever to have been involved in a decision by the Ombudsman", says a press release.
The company concerned had worked since 1993 on a technical assistance project financed in Niger by the 7th European Development Fund. The decision of the European commission, in 1996, of suspending all aid to projects in this ACP country had had as consequence putting an end to the project in which HTS was participating, which had thus suffered considerable financial losses. In 1996 already, HTS had lodged a complaint for compensation to the European Commission. The latter, however, claimed that it had no responsibility in the matter, as it was not party to the contract, and that the complaint should have been sent to the Government of Niger. Which the Ombudsman disputed, in particular citing the proof of the plaintiff by which the Commission had "indicated to the company that it should lodge the complaint before it".
The Ombudsman thus recommended that the Commission find a solution, and the Commission finally informed Jacob Soederman that it accepted his recommendation, and "proceeded to settle the litigation", says a press release.