EPP asks for 'real reason' for resignation of OLAF Supervisory Committee chairman

The EPP group coordinator in the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament has demanded full transparency on the reason for the resignation of the chairman of the OLAF Supervisory Committee, Christiaan Timmermans, in the wake of the resignation of European Commissioner John Dalli. MEP Inge Gräßle said: "The OLAF Supervisory Committee has to disclose the real reason for the resignation of its chairman in the immediate aftermath of the resignation of Commissioner Dalli.” She said that the members of the OLAF Supervisory Committee also had to demonstrate that Mr Dalli's dossier was handled in full respect of the procedural and legal requirements of OLAF and the OLAF Supervisory Committee, and in full compliance with the rights accorded to persons under investigation by OLAF, also in the light of the court ruling in the Franchet/Byk case. According to a statement this evening Christiaan Timmermans resigned the chairmanship of the OLAF Supervisory Committee “for personal reasons”. He continues to be a member of the committee.