WRITTEN QUESTION P-2064/00

by Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Role of consultancy firms and project monitoring in the implementation of the LIFE Nature programme

According to the standard application form for LIFE Nature projects, the Commission is assisted by external consultancy groups in monitoring projects and ascertaining the formal and administrative correctness of proposals. The consultancy firms cannot provide assistance in devising a project or be involved in the institutional or financial preparation of a projects and must provide guarantees of transparency and impartiality in order to be able to carry out their work properly.,

Can the Commission specify:

- what requirements consultancy firms must meet in order to be declared suitable to draw up a contract for implementing the LIFE Nature programme;

- what role a consultancy firm must play in compliance with the terms of the contract;

- whether it is the task of the consultancy firm to express opinions on the strategies and aims of the measures carried out as part of the projects;

- what costs should be considered justified for the purposes of such contracts?

Can the Commission also say whether those in charge of a consultancy firm may have contacts with or hold strategic positions in companies or bodies benefiting under LIFE Nature projects?

Finally, can the Commission say what steps will be taken to ensure compliance with the principles of equity and transparency vis-à-vis all those taking part in the LIFE Nature programme?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2000)

The external LIFE-Nature groups appointed to assist the Commission are selected on the basis of a public invitation to tender. The qualifications required concern, amongst other things, professional experience, scientific competence, the composition of the group and its linguistic knowledge, and its independence in relation to proposers.

According to the contract, the consultant assists the Commission in its contacts with the proposers and the administrations during the phase of presentation of the requests for financial support. It provides, if necessary, complementary technical and scientific information useful for the evaluation of the projects presented. It follows the implementation of each project (analysis of the measures implemented, technical advice on each activity report produced by the beneficiary, a biannual detailed follow-up, and at the end of each project an assessment of the results of the project in comparison with the initial objectives). The consultant also provides a permanent interface between the Commission, the beneficiaries, the national administrations and the local communities and advises the beneficiaries on the preparation of the documents to submit to the Commission. Finally it encourages the exchange of experience between projects.

The external consultants deliver their opinions to the Commission, which then has to decide what attitude to take with regard to the projects concerned (e.g. making payments, requesting additional information or adjusting project aims). Justified outgoings of the external groups are chiefly staff costs and mission expenses.

The external groups and their staff are required to maintain strict independence vis-à-vis LIFE-Nature beneficiaries. They may neither accept any payment from them nor hold a position of influence on their management boards, even in a voluntary capacity.

The Commission does its best to ensure equal treatment for LIFE-Nature project proposers, as far as the available human resources allow. For example, the LIFE-nature information and training sessions held in the Member States are open to all, the Commission and the external groups do not respond to any request for information on the eligibility or the quality of a proposal under consideration and they do not accept any invitation to the site of a project before the Commission has taken its co-financing decision.