# CE2004084EN.01048101.xml

| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/481 |
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3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 84/481

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(2004/C 84 E/0558)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2154/03

by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission

(24 June 2003)

Subject:   Delays in the disbursement of funding for SMU projects

Subject:

One of the aims of the 5th and 6th Framework Programmes for Research is to encourage innovation. Against this background, the Commission asked interested parties to submit by 15 March 2002 proposals for innovative projects under the reference number INN/01/02. Following the assessment process, in June 2002 31 projects were approved. However, by late December 2002 only four contracts had been concluded.

Can the Commission state why, more than one year following the award of funding, contracts have not been drawn up for 27 of the 31 projects and when it intends to conclude those contracts?

Does the Commission share my view that delays of this kind pose a serious threat to individual projects? If so, what measures is the Commission taking in order to minimise the problems which these delays may cause?

In respect of how many projects under the 5th and 6th Framework Programmes for Research have contracts not yet been signed, even though the assessment of those projects was completed one year, or even longer, ago?

As of late May 2003 the backlog of payments under the budget title covering research and technological development totals some EUR 7 billion. Can the Commission state how quickly it intends to reduce that backlog, what measures it is taking in order to achieve that aim and whether there is a danger that some of the appropriations will be cancelled? In that connection, are delays also occurring in the disbursement of funding for projects already under way and in respect of which invoices are regularly submitted? If so, in how many cases (absolute and relative proportion of all current projects) and for what reasons?

Supplementary answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2003)

(18 September 2003)

In answer to the third part of his question, the Honourable Member will find below a list of unsigned research contracts the assessment of which was completed over a year ago

This list only relates to the 5th framework programme (RTD). The question cannot apply to the 6th framework programme, for which implementation did not begin until the end of 2002.

| — | ten individual grants in the ‘Human factor and mobility’ field; |
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ten individual grants in the ‘Human factor and mobility’ field;

| — | twenty CRAFT projects in the Industrial Technologies field; |
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twenty CRAFT projects in the Industrial Technologies field;

| — | two projects in the Environment field; |
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two projects in the Environment field;

| — | four projects in the ‘Knowledge-based society and economy’ field. |
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four projects in the ‘Knowledge-based society and economy’ field.

In most cases, the delays are attributable to the contractors (contractor in liquidation, withdrawal, change of details requiring a new entry in the third party ledger, etc.) or to the instability of partners within the consortia (bankruptcy, change of priorities, change of partners or coordinator, etc.).

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