WRITTEN QUESTION E-0466/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (19 February 1997)

Subject: Project implementation

With reference to the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors concerning the financial year 1995, ((OJ C 340, 12.11.1996. )) the chapter on 'Cooperation with developing and third countries (except Central and Eastern Europe)' contains the following finding: 'Data on the implementation of the budget for external actions in 1995 draw attention to the difficulties that the Commission has in implementing the programmes with their current scale and diversity. Whereas commitment appropriations, as in previous years, were almost entirely used, the utilization of payment appropriations in several areas reflected slower than planned real implementation of the programmes, projects and actions. The volume of outstanding commitments, which reflects the portfolio of operations which the Commission has to manage, grew considerably in 1995'.

How will the Commission ensure that payment appropriations are put to use more quickly and projects implemented on schedule?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (24 April 1997)

Rapid growth in cooperation with developing countries has lead to an increase in the number of multiannual projects. As a result, a significant volume of appropriations has been committed, followed over the years by the corresponding payments. Payments are dependent on various factors, some of which are totally independent of the Commission, in particular the delay in forming on-the-spot teams where the recipient countries are involved (sometimes difficulties within governments), problems encountered by other donors and problems relating to invitations to tender and deliveries.

However, the Commission is aware of the need to take measures to improve its management. Under SEM 2000 (sound and efficient management), there are plans to programme commitments more regularly so that payments can be managed more efficiently and to revise the Financial Regulation to include a maximum implementing period.

In 1996, an attempt was already made, and the rate of payments from Chapters B7-30 (Asia) and B7-31 (Latin America) was 99% and 97% respectively. Moreover in spite of the delay in adopting its legal basis, the rate of payments from Title B7-4 (Mediterranean countries) was 76.8%. In addition, files were reviewed in order to reduce the legacy of the past, and significant amounts of commitments were released.

The chronic inadequacy of budgetary funds available for humanitarian aid obliges the Commission to increase its allocation from the emergency aid reserve, following utilization of the appropriations for the year. Since these increases are made late in the year, the payment appropriations then granted to cover these commitments cannot all be utilized and must be carried forward.

Lastly, it is necessary to emphasize the staffing problems encountered by the Commission and underlined in the course of the current discharge procedure (1995) by the rapporteur of Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control, who explains the low rate of utilization of appropriations as 'due to serious bottlenecks in its (Commission) staff allocation and to difficulties in the programme management ...'. The Commission has undertaken to partially solve this problem of lack of staff by proposing in the supplementary and amending budget No 1/96 to establish facilities to support management of programmes, in particular, the Meda, Phare and Tacis programmes to the mutual benefit of the recipient countries and the Commission.