Question for written answer E-010738/2011
to the Commission
Rule 117
Ingeborg Gräßle (PPE)

The following questions arise in connection with the building of a ski slope on the Danish island of Bornholm with support from the EU budget.

1. How much EU funding has been allocated to the project to build and operate a ski slope on Bornholm, when was it allocated and for what precise purposes?

2. As long ago as in 2008 this ski slope was the subject of a hearing of the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Fischer-Boel, held as part of the 2007 discharge procedure. At the meeting of the Committee on Budgetary Control held on 2 December 2008, Commissioner Fischer-Boel said that she accepted the criticism of this project on the island of Bornholm, where snow virtually never falls, and even hinted at a procedure to recover the 25 % share of the funding provided by the EU. What efforts were made to recover those funds? Why was the recovery procedure halted?

3. The Bornholm ski-slope project is still being criticised even now as an appalling example of the inefficient use of funds. The project is making losses and almost certainly does not meet the criteria laid down in Article 33 of the EAGGF Regulation concerning the sustainable diversification of farmers’ activities. What conclusion has the Commission reached regarding this project?

4. In a new documentary on the wasteful use of EU funds broadcast a few days ago on ARTE the operator of the ski slope reported that he had made a fresh application for funding, this time to ‘modernise’ the slope, and that his application had once again been approved. Is this correct? How much EU funding is involved? On what grounds and for what purpose will funding be provided? What action is the Commission taking to limit the damage to the EU’s image?

OJ C 180 E, 21/06/2012