Belgische rechtbank vervolgt voormalig eurocommissaris Edith Cresson niet voor fraude (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A Belgian court has dropped embezzlement charges against former Commissioner Edith Cresson due to lack of evidence.

Ms Cresson is still awaiting the verdict of an internal Commission investigation which could lead to a case being lodged at the European Court of Justice.

The charges against Ms Cresson - a former French premier - including signing 13 false mission orders to employ her former dentist Rene Berthelot to the tune of 150,000 euro have now been dropped.

The court, however, said on Wednesday there were "no grounds for prosecution" of Ms Cresson or any of her co-defendants, AFP reported.

Ms Cresson, who was at the centre of nepotism and mismanagement allegations that brought down the previous Commission in 1999, appeared before the EU executive this morning over allegations that she might have failed in her obligations as a Commissioner.

Commission sources told EUobserver that the European Commission will decide "before the summer break" whether further steps need to be taken.

The 30-strong EU executive could decide to take the case to the European Court of Justice, which would lead to her being deprived of her pension rights, or if cleared, bring the procedure to an end.

The European Commission, however, refused to divulge details about the "confidential meeting" that took place this morning and which lasted for more than an hour.

"This was a confidential meeting. Only the Commissioners were present. There is no communication on the issue", a European Commission spokesperson said on Wednesday after the meeting.