WRITTEN QUESTION P-2030/02

by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(2 July 2002)

Subject: EU JOP programme: application from Hans Baier shoulder pad factory under facilities 2 and 3

The Hans Baier shoulder pad factory made an application for a grant from the JOP programme, which was still operational at that time. The firm subsequently invested in the textile industry in the Czech Republic.

The application was made on 15 December 1998 and the grant was approved by the responsible EU authority on 13 July 1999. A number of additional questions were posed subsequently but these were all answered satisfactorily.

Unfortunately, the Hans Baier shoulder pad factory has yet to receive any funding.

However, if the company is to continue to survive, it is imperative that the grant approved by the Commission under the JOP programme is paid out promptly.

Will the Commission, therefore, say:

- why no payments have yet been made to the Hans Baier shoulder pad factory,

- when the first payments to the company can be expected, and

- what it recommends to the company concerned in this case?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 2002)

The Commission made a first payment of EUR 1 714 to the Financial intermediary (FI) (Investitions-Bank NRW) with value date 25 September 2000; this amount covered 50 % of the eligible costs of the Prefeasibility study as foreseen in the Specific agreement. An advance payment for the costs of the Feasibility study was not foreseen in the Specific agreement (signed by the Financial intermediary on 15 January 2000).

The reason why a second, more substantial payment (maximum EUR 24 720) has not yet been made, can be explained as follows:

- The Specific agreement for this project has been accepted and signed by the Financial intermediary on 15 January 2000. As a consequence, the deadline for presenting the Feasibility study and all documentary evidence was 15 July 2000. After a number of extension requests, made by the Beneficiary and his consultants to exceed this deadline, the Beneficiary finally made its payment request through the Financial intermediary, Investitions-Bank NRW on 12 February 2001. This request unfortunately was not accompanied by the necessary documentation; among others neither proofs of payment of claimed expenses nor details about tasks executed by experts were presented. On 4 April 2001 the Commission asked the FI to provide this additional information. Only on 20 January 2002 did the Commission receive a part of the requested information. Regrettably, there was another delay before the Commission forwarded a reminder to the Beneficiary (through the FI) on 24 June 2002 for the remaining documentation.

- The Commission will make a full payment regarding the preparation of the Feasibility study within 60 days after receipt of the complete documentation concerning the costs of this Study as requested in its fax dated 24 June 2002.

- The Commission recommends that the Beneficiary submits as quickly and completely as possible, with the help of the Financial intermediary, the financial documentation concerning the real costs of the Feasibility study incurred by the Beneficiary and all other information as requested in its fax dated 24 June 2002.

The text so far relates to the Facility 2 project. (J2Invschup)

Turning to the Facility 3 project (J3Invschup) whilst it was accepted by the Steering Committee on 27 March 2002 with a grant of EUR 40 825, the Commission cannot proceed with this payment before the Facility 2 project has been finalised (see article 6.2 of the Specific Agreement).