WRITTEN QUESTION E-3973/98

by Riitta Myller (PSE) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Border crossing projects under the Tacis programme

In the European Union's budget for 1996, ECU 30 million was assigned to cross-border cooperation under the Tacis programme. Of this amount, ECU 15,5 million was budgeted for border crossing projects, consisting mainly of construction of border crossing points and procurement of equipment for them. The most important of the locations selected are the Salla and Svetogorsk border crossing points, both on the Finnish-Russian border. According to the information available, it is intended that work on them should be completed by the end of 1999. This is what Commissioner van den Broek, among others, has said. However, work on their construction has not yet begun, nor is it known whether calls for tenders have even been sent yet.

Why are the above projects, which were already provided for in the budget for 1996, behind schedule? Have tender documents relating to them been sent to bidders?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(15 February 1999)

The aim of the Tacis border crossing programme (CBC) is to improve efficiency at border crossings, so that traffic can flow more quickly, and queues can be avoided, without decreasing the effectiveness of the controls. This can not be solved only by the construction of buildings, but also requires wide-ranging changes in national and local administrative procedures, which in turn have implications for training of staff.

The agreement of the partner authorities was required on several issues of principle including for Svetagorsk and Salla that, on completion of works to be financed from the CBC 1996 and 1998 programmes, the crossings be opened fully to international traffic; acceptance that the priorities in developing the frontier points should be trade facilitation and efficient revenue collection; agreement that the scale of works should relate to modern risk analysis methods of working, especially for customs and border guards, so that queues are not shifted to off-road parking areas, but are processed quickly; and finally involvement of all working at a border crossing, which includes for Russia eight ministries (foreign affairs, interior, transport, agriculture (two departments - veterinary and phytosanitary), border guards, customs, security, and the federal migration service) as well as the private sector (customs agents, banks).

Feasibility studies were presented in January 1998, and discussions on the recommendations took place in February 1998. At that time, the Russian authorities placed some reserves on the Commission proposals, in that they had hoped that a much larger complex would be provided at Svetagorsk, more than doubling the costs, without treating the fundamental issue of working methodologies of the services at the frontier. These questions were re-examined by the Russian authorities, with the assistance of the Commission, and all parties have agreed to the Russian internal project statements, drawn up with the assistance of the Commission. This process was slower than expected. Financing memoranda are now with the authorities for signature, a vital step before work contracts can be signed.

With regard to the tendering procedures for the implementation of the programme, it is expected to contract the programme supervision unit by the beginning of February 1999. Pre-qualification for work contracts has taken place, and the full tender files will be sent to the pre-qualified bidders by mid-February. Contracting will be completed in time for work to commence in June 1999.

The programme is complex and time has been necessary for all parties to learn how to accept new ideas and co-operate effectively in this area, traditionally the reserve of national governments. This programme also is the first where works have been contemplated in the framework of Tacis, and while there is much in common with other co-operation programmes, there were some quite specific issues which required resolution, such as legal frameworks relating to building standards. Nevertheless the programme is now well under way and by the end of 1999 a substantial part of the 1996 programme should have been completed.