Schroder urges parliament not to oust Commission over allegations

The German Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schroder, yesterday called on the European Parliament not to vote the present Commission out of office on account of allegations of corruption. But he called for the establishment of an anti-corruption group drawn from the Parliament, the Commission and the European Council to investigate the charges and to publish findings before the end of March.

The entire Commission was in Bonn yesterday for talks with Mr Schroder's cabinet at the start of Germany's six-month EU Presidency. The President of the Commission, Mr Jacques Santer, welcomed the Chancellor's suggestion as "an excellent idea".

Mr Santer and the 19 other members of the Commission could be forced to resign on Thursday if the European Parliament passes a no-confidence motion.

The motion was inspired by a report to the Parliament by an EU assistant auditor alleging widespread fraud and mismanagement, as well as efforts by Commission officials to suppress his investigation.

Mr Schroder said that the EU needed a stable Commission to have any hope of reaching agreement on Agenda 2000, a package of reforms covering such issues as the EU budget and farm policy. Mr Schroder hopes to complete negotiations on the reforms by the end of March.

Bonn's support for the Commission could determine the outcome of Thursday's vote because, with 99 MEPs, Germany has the largest national group in the European Parliament.

While Mr Schroder held private talks with Mr Santer, the other 19 Commissioners met their counterparts in the German government to discuss the progress of the Agenda 2000 negotiations. Mr Schroder is determined that any new arrangements for financing the EU should ease the burden on Germany, which currently makes a net contribution of DM20 billion a year.

Mr Santer was obliged yesterday to tone down remarks he made to a Berlin newspaper when he suggested that the former chancellor, Dr Helmut Kohl, would be a suitable successor as President of the EU Commission. Dr Kohl made it clear yesterday that he is not available for the post.

Mr Santer told a news conference after talks with Mr Schrder: "I have known him a long time and I said Yes, but I won't say anything on my successor before government leaders have decided on a successor."