WRITTEN QUESTION E-1619/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 June 2002)

Subject: Implementation of the 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF) in Greece

The Greek press reports that Commissioner Barnier has sent letters to the Prime Minister, Mr Simitis, and to the Transport and Finance Ministers, Mr Christodoulakis and Mr Verelis, containing a stern warning concerning the utilisation of resources under the 3rd CSF. The reports state that the letters are dated 18 April 2002 and focus on specific problems such as proceeding with infrastructure projects without carrying out the relevant studies, running over budgets, uncertainty over the completion of infrastructure by 2008, etc.

The Greek press reports that it is not the first time that Mr Barnier has tried to make the Greek Government more responsive; other letters have previously been sent to Mr Simitis, Mr Papantoniou and Mr Pachtas.

How many times has Mr Barnier sent letters to the Greek Prime Minister and the ministers responsible urging them to step up the take-up rate of appropriations under the 3rd CSF? Is it true that programmes more than two years behind schedule will start to be curtailed or cancelled from 2003? In which fields are the delays to be found and which major infrastructure projects are affected? Is it true that the Commission refuses to disburse additional funds for projects under the 2nd CSF which have overrun their budgets? Does the Commission know whether the Greek Government will cover these additional costs from the Greek national budget?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2002)

The press articles to which the Honourable Member refers relate to an exchange of letters between the Commission and the relevant Greek authorities about the findings of a number of checks which the

Commission carried out on three specific projects, part-financed under the Cohesion Fund, on the railway line between Patras and Greece's northern border. This is standard practice in the day-to-day management of the Fund: under the Cohesion Fund Regulation(1), the findings of checks on projects are to be examined in partnership with the national authorities concerned. This procedure is in progress.

It is too soon to predict which programmes and amounts will be subject to automatic decommitment, known as the n+2 rule and governed by Article 31(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds(2). The rule will not apply to Greece until the end of 2003 because the first commitments for the 2000-2006 period were made in 2001.

The deadline set for eligibility of expenditure for the 1994-1999 programming period was 31 December 2001. Member States had six months i.e. until 30 June 2002 to submit final declarations of expenditure and final reports on programmes' implementation, the deadline for completion of any appeals being 31 March 2003. Consequently, the Commission cannot at this stage provide any information about the Greek programmes' closure.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1264/1999 of 21 June 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 1164/94 establishing a Cohesion Fund, OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.